_Miss P._ What does this mean? Here, Juno, Juno! Quick!
_Enter_ JUNO, L.
_Juno._ Here I is, Missy Pease.
_Sadie._ Run for the doctor, quick, Juno!
_Juno._ (_Running_, R.) Bress my soul! I"ll fetch him.
_Jenny._ No, no! Get me some water--quick!
_Juno._ (_Running_ L.) To be sure, honey; to be sure.
_Bessie._ No, no, Juno! some ipecac, or a stomach pump.
_Juno._ Pump, pump! Want de pump? I"ll fetch it, I"ll fetch it. Bress my soul, I"ll fetch something. _Exit_, L.
_Mrs. G._ Well, if this ain"t drefful!--washing-day, too--and the undertaker"s jest as busy as he can be--there never was so much _immortality_ in this place, never. Poor critters! poor critters!
_Miss P._ Girls, what does this mean?
_Sadie._ O, Miss Pease, such agony!
_Bessie._ O, dear, what will become of me?
_Jenny._ O, this dreadful parching in the throat!
_Mrs. G._ O, I know it, I know it. I told my husband that something dreadful was a goin" to happen when he sold that colt yesterday.
_Miss P._ Sadie, what is the meaning of this. Your pulse is regular, your head cool, and your tongue clear.
_Sadie._ O, Miss Pease, it"s those dreadful pickles.
_Mrs. G._ Yes, indeed, it is a drefful pickle--and so sudden, jest for all the world like poor Mr. Brown"s sudden took, and these always seem to end fatally at some time or other--Dear me, dear me, and my wash--
_Miss P._ Pickles! Have you disobeyed me?
_Sadie._ I couldn"t help it, Miss Pease; they looked so tempting. But I only took one.
_Bessie._ And I only tasted that.
_Jenny._ I only had one good bite.
_Sadie._ And we are poisoned!
_Bessie._ O, dear! poisoned!
_Jenny._ Yes, poisoned!
_Miss P._ How, poisoned?
_Sadie._ Mrs. Gabble says the vinegar was poisoned by Mr. Smith.
_Mrs. G._ Smith--vinegar--p"isoned! The land sakes! And I a good church member--and my washing--and poor Mr. Brown, tew. Well, I never!
I"d have you to know that I bought no vinegar of Mr. Smith, I made my own.
_Sadie._ And your pickles were not poisoned?
_Mrs. G._ No, indeed. Never did such a thing in my life.
_Sadie._ O, dear! I"m so glad! (_Jumping up._)
_Bessie._ I won"t have the ipecac. (_Rises._)
_Jenny._ My throat is decidedly better. (_Rises._)
_Enter_ JUNO _with a pail of water and a dipper._
_Juno._ Bress my soul, de pump was fastened down so tight couldn"t git it up. Here"s a pail of water; if dat won"t do I"ll git a tub.
_Miss P._ No matter, Juno. I think "twill not be needed. Young ladies, I am very sorry--
_Sadie._ Please, Miss Pease, do not speak of it. I alone am to blame for transgressing your command, for such we should consider it, as you are for the present our guardian. Forgive me, and in future I will endeavour to control my appet.i.te, and comply with your wishes.
_Mrs. G._ Well, I declare, I don"t see the harm in eating pickles. My girls eat their weight in "em, and they"re just as sweet-tempered as--
_Miss P._ Their mother. Mrs. Gabble, it is not a question of harm, but of obedience, here. You see, the young ladies accept me as their guardian, and I only forbid that which I think their parents would not approve.
_Mrs. G._ And there"s my washing in the suds! Where"s my Sis.
_Enter_ SISSY GABBLE, L., _with a large slice of bread, covered with mola.s.ses._
_Sissy._ Here I ith, mother. Mith Peath thed I might have thumthin, and I like bread, and "latheth.
_Juno._ Bress my soul! dat are chile jest runnin" over with sweetness, sure for sartin.
_Mrs. G._ Yes; and the "la.s.ses running all over the clothes! Come, Sissy, let"s go home. I"m sorry, Miss Pease, you don"t like pickles; and I"m sorry, young ladies, they disagree with you. And I"m sorry, Miss Pease, I left my washing.
_Miss P._ Now don"t be sorry at all, Mrs. Gabble. I"m always glad to see you. Your gift was well-intended, and the young ladies have suffered no harm, perhaps received a wholesome lesson.
_Sadie._ I think we have. I shall be very careful what I touch.
_Jenny._ O, dear! such a fright! I shall never get over it.
_Bessie._ O, Sadie, you thought it was so nice!
_Jenny._ Yes, such a Precious Pickle!
_Mrs. G._ Of course it was. My pickles are the best made in town--precious nice, I tell you. Mrs. Doolittle always sends in for "em when she has company; and the minister says they"re awful soothing arter sermon.