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Page 14
"This little girl reminds me strikingly of my old friend Prudy," said
Major Lazelle, taking her hand. "When I saw her across the table I
thought, 'Ah, now, there is a sweet little child who makes me remember
something pleasant.' After a while I knew what that pleasant thing
was--it was little Prudy."
Dotty looked up at Major Lazelle with a smile.
"She came to see me when I was in a hospital in Indiana. At that time I
was blind."
"Blind, sir?"
"Yes; but I see quite well now. Afterwards I met your sister on the
street in Portland, and she spoke to me. I was very weak and miserable,
for I had just been ill of a fever; but the sight of her bright face
made me feel strong again."
Dotty's fingers closed around Major Lazelle's with a firmer clasp. If he
liked Prudy, then she should certainly like him.
"Shall I tell you of some verses I repeated to myself when I looked at
your dear little sister?"
"Yes, sir, if you please."
"'Why, a stranger, when he sees her
In the street even, smileth stilly,
Just as you would at a lily.
"'And if any painter drew her,
He would paint her unaware,
With the halo round her hair.'
"I dare say you do not understand poetry very well, Miss Alice?"
"No, sir. I s'pose I should if I knew what the words meant."
"Very likely. Is your sister Prudy well? and how do you two contrive to
amuse yourselves all the day long?"
"Yes, sir, she's well; and we don't amuse ourselves at all."
"Indeed! But you play, I presume."
"Yes, sir, we do."
"I feel sure you are just such another dear little girl as Prudy is,
and it gives me pleasure to know you."
Dotty dropped her head. She was glad her father was too far off to hear
this remark.
"Just such another dear little girl as Prudy is!"
Alas! Dotty knew better than that. She was not sure she ought not to
tell Major Lazelle he had made a great mistake. But while she was
pondering upon it, they met a blind man, a lame man, and a party of
school-girls; and she had so much use for her eyes that she did not
speak again for five minutes.
CHAPTER V.
THE MAJOR'S JOKE.
While Dotty was dressing next morning, she fell to thinking
again of her own importance as a young lady travelling _almost_ all
alone by herself; and then it occurred to her that Jennie Vance, the
judge's daughter, had never been any farther than Boston.
"When she comes to Portland next winter to see her aunties that live
there, then I'll talk to her all about my travelling out West. But I
needn't tell her how that baby choked, nor how that naughty Dollyphus
made fun of me. No, indeed!"
As she spoke she was pouring water into the wash-bowl; but her
indignation towards Mrs. Lovejoy and "Dollyphus" made her hand unsteady;
the pitcher came suddenly against the edge of the bowl, whereupon its
nose and part of its body flew off into space. Dotty held the handle,
and looked at the ruins in astonishment.
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