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Page 42
Mrs. Dunn's pride in her offspring was unmistakable, and Hoopsy
Topsy, who quite understood she was being complimented, smiled and
looked happily self-conscious.
The novelty of the scene quite fascinated Marjorie. She had
expected that abject poverty would leave its victims a despondent,
down-hearted set of people; and instead of that she found them not
only pleasant and amiable, but seemingly happy and care-free.
"My grandmother said, Mrs. Dunn," said Marjorie, "that if you
would tell me of anything you specially want she would come this
afternoon and bring it to you."
"My! ain't she good!" said Mrs. Dunn. "Well, if she don't mind,
I'd like some old linen to wrap around the burns. You see, I am
scalted pretty bad and it'll be a while 'fore I kin get to work
again. But, of course, the children are right handy, an' ef we
jest have a stove an' a bed we can scratch along somehow. Ella,
she's more hifalutin. She'd like red plush sofys and lace
curtings. But I say, 'Land, child! What's the use of worrying? If
you can't have them things, you can't!' So, Ella, she makes the
best of what she has, and I must say she doos have wonderful fine
taste."
Marjorie looked at the Elegant Ella, and, though she didn't agree
with Mrs. Dunn as to Ella's taste, she felt sorry for the poor
child, who wanted the refinements of life, yet was doomed to live
without them.
"It is of no consequence," said Ella, tossing her head; "we are
very comfortable; and though I should like a piano, I am in no
haste to procure one."
"Lucky you ain't," observed her mother, "as I don't see none
runnin' this way. What's the matter, Dibbsy dear?"
Dibbs, who was a baby of four years, was sitting on the floor
digging both his fists into his eyes. And though not audibly
crying, he evidently was not entirely happy.
"Wants to know what's in de bastick!" he announced without
hesitation.
"So you shall," declared his fond mother. "Hoopsy Topsy, lift
Dibbs up so he can see what the young ladies brought."
Nothing loath, Hoopsy Topsy lifted up her brother, who at once
forgot his grief, and, smiling broadly, began to investigate the
baskets.
"Land sake, Ella," said Mrs. Dunn, "I told you to empty them
baskets long ago. Whatever have you been a-doin' all this time?"
"I was retying my sash, Ma," exclaimed Ella, reappearing from the
next room; "I think it has more of an air tied on the side."
"Ain't she the airy piece!" exclaimed the proud mother, looking at
her daughter with undisguised admiration.
But it seemed to Molly and Marjorie that, if anything could be
funnier than the Ella who first met them, it was the Ella of the
retied sash!
Having arranged her finery to her satisfaction, Ella proceeded
with her work of taking the things from the baskets, and, as she
lifted out a large piece of cold beef, a delicious pie, some tea
and sugar, and various parcels of bread and butter, and a jar of
apple-sauce, the little Dunns all gathered round, quite unable to
refrain from noisy expressions of glee and delight.
"Jiminy Christmas!" cried Hoopsy Topsy, quite upsetting Dibbs as
she made a rush for the pie. And then Plumpy, the baby, wiggled
his fat little self across the floor and joined the crowd about
the pie, and aided by the Elegant Ella, in a few moments there
wasn't any pie at all.
"Just look at them," said Mrs. Dunn, placidly; "you'd think they
didn't have no manners! But they're that fond of pie, you wouldn't
believe! They don't never get none, you know, and so it's a
novelty."
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