_Jenny._ "A little _flattery_, now and then, is relished by the wisest men."
_Bessie._ And the darkest of our s.e.x, Jenny.
_Sadie._ Yes; and "a _soft_ answer turneth away wrath." O, ain"t we having a splendid time, girls?
_Jenny._ How kind of our parents, after eight months" hard study, to send us to this delightful place!
_Sadie._ O, it"s splendid. We want nothing here.
_Bessie._ No, indeed. There"s nothing left in that dry, hot city to be regretted.
_Jenny._ Stop. There is one thing I _should_ like.
_Sadie and Bessie._ What is that?
_Jenny._ One of mother"s pickles.
_Sadie and Bessie._ What! a pickle?
_Jenny._ Yes. I"m dying for one of mother"s sour, peppery pickles.
_Sadie._ O, don"t, Jenny. Do you want to make me homesick?
_Bessie._ My mouth puckers at the thought. I want to go home.
_Enter_, R., SISSY GABBLE, _a very small girl, with a very large cape bonnet on her head, and a tin pail in her hand._
_Sissy._ If yer pleath, Mith Peath, if, if--Mith Peath, if you pleath--
_Jenny._ Why, who in the world is this?
_Sadie._ What do you want, little girl?
_Sissy._ Mith Peath, if you pleath, if, if--Mith Peath, to home, my mother thed--my mother thed. What did my mother thed? O, my mother thed, if Mith Peath is to home, to give Mith Peath her com--her com--to give Mith Peath her com--
_Jenny._ Her compliments?
_Sissy._ Yith ma"am, I geth tho; and tell Mith Peath, the thent her thome of her pickleth.
_Sadie and Bessie._ Pickles! O, you dear little thing!
_Jenny._ O, isn"t she a darling! (_They all crowd round_ SISSY, _take off her bonnet, kiss and hug her._) Isn"t she splendid?
_Bessie._ I"ll take the pail, little girl.
_Sissy._ (_Putting pail behind her._) Yith marm; I geth not. My mother thed I muthn"t give it to n.o.body but Mith Peath.
_Bessie._ Well, take off the cover, little girl. The pickles will spoil.
_Sissy._ I geth not. _My_ mother"s pickleth _never_ thpoil.
_Jenny._ The little plague! Say, Sissy; do you like candy?
_Sissy._ Candy? Merlatheth candy?
_Jenny._ Yes.
_Sissy._ Ith it pulled?
_Jenny._ Yes, indeed; pulled white as snow. Give me the pail, and I"ll find you a long stick of it.
_Sissy._ You ain"t Mith Peath; and I don"t like merlatheth candy white ath thnow. Where ith Mith Peath?
_Sadie._ Little girl, don"t you want some red and white peppermints?
_Sissy._ No, I don"t. I want Mith Peath.
_Bessie._ Or some splendid gum drops?
_Sissy._ No. I want Mith Peath.
_Enter_ MISS PEASE, L.
_Miss P._ And here she is, Sissy Gabble. What have you for me? (_The girls fall back in confusion, and whisper together._)
_Sissy._ Thome pickleth, Mith Peath, my mother thent you, with her com--her com--her com--
_Miss P._ Her compliments, Sissy. I understand. I"m very much obliged to her for sending them, and to you, Sissy, for bringing them so carefully. Here, Juno!
_Enter_, JUNO, L.
_Juno._ Yes, missis. Why, bress my soul! if dar ain"t Sissy Gabble!
Come right here, yer dear chile.
_Miss P._ Take her to the kitchen, Juno. Perhaps you can find a cake for her.
_Juno._ Guess I can, missis, sure for sartin. Come, Sissy Gabble, come right along wid Juno.
_Sissy._ Thay, Juno, who ith them? (_Pointing to girls._)
_Juno._ Why, bress yer soul, dem ar"s de young ladies from de city, on dar vex--vex--on dar vexation. O, Sissy, dar drefful sweet.
_Sissy._ Thweet, Juno? I thpothe tho; they"ve got thuch loth of candy.
But they didn"t git my pail, tho!
_Juno._ Come along to de kitchen. Come.
[_Exeunt_ JUNO _and_ SISSY, L. _The girls gather about_ MISS PEASE.