"I"m a rolling through an Unfriendly World."
The offer of a stick of candy to whichever boy was first undressed, caused some lively disrobing, after which each boy received the prize.
Budge bit a large piece, wedged it between his cheek and his teeth, closed his eyes, folded his hands on his breast, and prayed:--
"Dear Lord, bless papa an" mamma, an" Toddie an" me, an" that turtle Uncle Harry found: and bless that lovely lady Uncle Harry goes riding with an" make "em take me too, an" bless that nice old lady with white hair, that cried, and said I was a smart boy. Amen."
Toddie sighed as he drew his stick of candy from his lips; then he shut his eyes and remarked:
"Dee Lord, blesh Toddie, an" make him good boy, an" blesh zem ladies zat told me to say it aden;" the particular "it" referred to being well understood by at least three adults of my acquaintances.
The course of Budge"s interview with Mrs. Mayton was afterward related by that lady, as follows:--She was sitting in her own room (which was on the parlor-floor, and in the rear of the house), and was leisurely reading "Fated to be Free," when she accidentally dropped her gla.s.ses.
Stooping to pick them up, she became aware that she was not alone. A small, very dirty, but good-featured boy stood before her, his hands behind his back, and an inquiring look in his eyes.
"Run away, little boy," said she. "Don"t you know it isn"t polite to enter rooms without knocking?"
"I"m lookin" for my uncle," said Budge, in most melodious accents, "an"
the other ladies said you would know when he would come back."
"I"m afraid they were making fun of you--or me," said the old lady, a little severely. "I don"t know anything about little boys" uncles. Now run away, and don"t disturb me any more."
"Well," continued Budge, "they said your little girl went with him, and you"d know when SHE would come back."
"I haven"t any little girl," said the old lady, her indignation, at a supposed joke, threatening to overcome her dignity. "Now, go away."
"She isn"t a VERY little girl," said Budge, honestly anxious to conciliate; "that is, she"s bigger"n _I_ am, but they said you was her mother, an" so she"s you"re little girl, isn"t she? _I_ think she"s lovely, too."
"Do you mean Miss Mayton?" asked the lady, thinking she had a possible clue to the cause of Budge"s anxiety.
"Oh, yes--that"s her name--I couldn"t think of it," eagerly replied Budge. "An" ain"t she AWFUL nice?--_I_ KNOW she is!"
"Your judgment is quite correct, considering your age," said Mrs.
Mayton, exhibiting more interest in Budge than she had heretofore done.
"But what makes you think she is nice? You are rather younger than her male admirers usually are."
"Why, my Uncle Harry told me so," replied Budge, "an" HE knows EVERYthing."
Mrs. Mayton grew vigilant at once, and dropped her book.
"Who IS your Uncle Harry, little boy?"
"He"s Uncle Harry; don"t you know him? He can make nicer whistles than my papa can. An" he found a turtle--"
"Who is your papa?" interrupted the lady.
"Why, he"s papa--I thought everybody knew who HE was."
"What is your name?" asked Mrs. Mayton.
"John Burton Lawrence," promptly answered Budge.
Mrs. Mayton wrinkled her brows for a moment, and finally asked:--
"Is Mr. Burton the uncle you are looking for?"
"I don"t know any Mr. Burton," said Budge, a little dazed; "uncle is mamma"s brother, an" he"s been livin" at our house ever since mamma an"
papa went off visitin", an" he goes ridin" in our carriage, an"--"
"Humph!" remarked the lady, with so much emphasis that Budge ceased talking. A moment later she said:--
"I didn"t mean to interrupt you, little boy; go on."
"An" he rides with just the loveliest lady that ever was. HE thinks so, an" _I_ KNOW she is. An" he "spects her."
"What?" exclaimed the old lady.
"--"Spects her, I say--that"s what HE says. _I_ say "spects means just what _I_ call LOVE. Cos if it don"t, what makes him give her hugs and kisses?"
Mrs. Mayton caught her breath, and did not reply for a moment. At last she said:--
"How do you know he--gives her hugs and kisses?"
"Cos I saw him, the day Toddie hurt his finger in the gra.s.s-cutter. An"
he was so happy that be bought me a goat-carriage next morning--I"ll show it to you if you come down to our stable, an" I"ll show you the goat too. An" he bought--"
Just here Budge stopped, for Mrs. Mayton put her handkerchief to her eyes. Two or three moments later she felt a light touch on her knee, and, wiping her eyes, saw Budge looking sympathetically into her face.
"I"m awful sorry you feel bad," said he.
"Are you "fraid to have your little girl ridin" so long?"
"Yes!" exclaimed Mrs. Mayton, with great decision.
"Well, you needn"t be," said Budge, "for Uncle Harry"s awful careful an" smart."
"He ought to be ashamed of himself!" exclaimed the lady.
"I guess he is, then," said Budge, "cos he"s ev"rything he ought to be.
He"s awful careful. T"other day, when the goat ran away, an" Toddie an"
me got in the carriage with them, he held on to her tight, so she couldn"t fall out."
Mrs. Mayton brought her foot down with a violent stamp.
"I know you"d "spect HIM, if you knew how nice he was," continued Budge. "He sings awful funny songs, an" tells splendid stories."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed the angry mother.
"They ain"t no nonsense at all," said Budge. "I don"t think it"s nice for to say that, when his stories are always about Joseph, an" Abraham, an" Moses, an" when Jesus was a little boy, an" the Hebrew children, an" lots of people that the Lord loved. An" he"s awful "fectionate, too."
"Yes, I suppose so," said Mrs. Mayton.