Down at Molly's"Now, my dears, I've something very curious to tell you, so listenquietly and then I'll give you your dinners," said Molly, addressingthe nine cats who came trooping after her as she went into theshed-chamber with a bowl of milk and a plate of scraps in herhands. She had taught them to behave well at meals, so, thoughtheir eyes glared and their tails quivered with impatience, theyobeyed; and when she put the food on a high shelf and retired tothe big basket, the four old cats sat demurely down before her,while the five kits scrambled after her and tumbled into her lap, asif hoping to hasten the desired feast by their innocent gambols.
Granny, Tobias, Mortification, and Molasses were the elders.
Granny, a gray old puss, was the mother and grandmother of all therest. Tobias was her eldest son, and Mortification his brother, sonamed because he had lost his tail, which affliction depressed hisspirits and cast a blight over his young life. Molasses was a yellowcat, the mamma of four of the kits, the fifth being Granny's latestdarling. Toddlekins, the little aunt, was the image of her mother,and very sedate even at that early age; Miss Muffet, so called fromher dread of spiders, was a timid black and white kit; Beauty, apretty Maltese, with a serene little face and pink nose; Ragbag, afunny thing, every color that a cat could be; and Scamp, who welldeserved his name, for he was the plague of Miss Bat's life, andMolly's especial pet.
He was now perched on her shoulder, and, as she talked, keptpeeping into her face or biting her ear in the most impertinent way,while the others sprawled in her lap or promenaded round thebasket rim.
"My friends, something very remarkable has happened: Miss Bat iscleaning house!" and, having made this announcement, Mollyleaned back to see how the cats received it, for she insisted thatthey understood all she said to them.
Tobias stared, Mortification lay down as if it was too much forhim, Molasses beat her tail on the floor as if whipping a dustycarpet, and Granny began to purr approvingly. The giddy kits paidno attention, as they did not know what house-cleaning meant,happy little dears!
"I thought you'd like it, Granny, for you are a decent cat, and knowwhat is proper," continued Molly, leaning down to stroke the oldpuss, who blinked affectionately at her. "I can't imagine what put itinto Miss Bat's head. I never said a word, and gave up groaningover the clutter, as I couldn't mend it. I just took care of Boo andmyself, and left her to be as untidy as she pleased, and she is aregular old----"Here Scamp put his paw on her lips because he saw them moving,but it seemed as if it was to check the disrespectful word justcoming out.
"Well, I won't call names; but what shall I do when I seeeverything in confusion, and she won't let me clear up?" askedMolly, looking round at Scamp, who promptly put the little paw onher eyelid, as if the roll of the blue ball underneath amused him.
"Shut my eyes to it, you mean? I do all I can, but it is hard, when Iwish to be nice, and do try; don't I?" asked Molly. But Scamp wasready for her, and began to comb her hair with both paws as hestood on his hind legs to work so busily that Molly laughed andpulled him down, saying, as she cuddled the sly kit.
"You sharp little thing! I know my hair is not neat now, for I'vebeen chasing Boo round the garden to wash him for school. ThenMiss Bat threw the parlor carpet out of the window, and I was sosurprised I had to run and tell you. Now, what had we better doabout it?"The cats all winked at her, but no one had any advice to offer,except Tobias, who walked to the shelf, and, looking up, uttered adeep, suggestive yowl, which said as plainly as words, "Dinnerfirst and discussion afterward.""Very well, don't scramble," said Molly, getting up to feed herpets. First the kits, who rushed at the bowl and thrust their headsin, lapping as if for a wager; then the cats, who each went to one ofthe four piles of scraps laid round at intervals and placidly ate theirmeat; while Molly retired to the basket, to ponder over thephenomena taking place in the house.
She could not imagine what had started the old lady. It was not theexample of her neighbors, who had beaten carpets and scrubbedpaint every spring for years without exciting her to any greaterexertion than cleaning a few windows and having a man to clearaway the rubbish displayed when the snow melted. Molly neverguessed that her own efforts were at the bottom of the change, orknew that a few words not meant for her ear had shamed Miss Batinto action. Coming home from prayer-meeting one dark night, shetrotted along behind two old ladies who were gossiping in loudvoices, as one was rather deaf, and Miss Bat was both pleased andtroubled to hear herself unduly praised.
"I always said Sister Dawes meant well; but she's getting intoyears, and the care of two children is a good deal for her, with hercooking and her rheumatiz. I don't deny she did neglect 'em for aspell, but she does well by 'em now, and I wouldn't wish to seebetter-appearing children.""You've no idee how improved Molly is. She came in to see mygirls, and brought her sewing-work, shirts for the boy, and done itas neat and capable as you'd wish to see. She always was a smartchild, but dreadful careless," said the other old lady, evidentlymuch impressed by the change in harum-scarum Molly Loo.
"Being over to Mis Minot's so much has been good for her, and upto Mis Grant's. Girls catch neat ways as quick as they'd o untidyones, and them wild little tykes often turn out smart women.""Sister Dawes has done well by them children, and I hope Mr.
Bemis sees it. He ought to give her something comfortable to liveon when she can't do for him any longer. He can well afford it.""I haven't a doubt he will. He's a lavish man when he starts to do athing, but dreadful unobserving, else he'd have seen to matters longago. Them children was town-talk last fall, and I used to feel as ifit was my bounden duty to speak to Miss Dawes. But I never did,fearing I might speak too plain, and hurt her feelings.""You've spoken plain enough now, and I'm beholden to you,though you'll never know it," said Miss Bat to herself, as sheslipped into her own gate, while the gossips trudged on quiteunconscious of the listener behind them.
Miss Bat was a worthy old soul in the main, only, like so many ofus, she needed rousing up to her duty. She had got the rousingnow, and it did her good, for she could not bear to be praised whenshe had not deserved it. She had watched Molly's efforts with lazyinterest, and when the girl gave up meddling with her affairs, asshe called the housekeeping, Miss Bat ceased to oppose her, andlet her scrub Boo, mend clothes, and brush her hair as much as sheliked. So Molly had worked along without any help from her,running in to Mrs. Pecq for advice, to Merry for comfort, or Mrs.
Minot for the higher kind of help one often needs so much. NowMiss Bat found that she was getting the credit and the praisebelonging to other people, and it stirred her up to try and deserve apart at least.
"Molly don't want any help about her work or the boy: it's too latefor that; but if this house don't get a spring cleaning that will makeit shine, my name ain't Bathsheba Dawes," said the old lady, as sheput away her bonnet that night, and laid energetic plans for a grandrevolution, inspired thereto not only by shame, but by the hint that"Mr. Bemis was a lavish man," as no one knew better than she.
Molly's amazement next day at seeing carpets fly out of window,ancient cobwebs come down, and long-undisturbed closets routedout to the great dismay of moths and mice, has been alreadyconfided to the cats, and as she sat there watching them lap andgnaw, she said to herself,"I don't understand it, but as she never says much to me about myaffairs, I won't take any notice till she gets through, then I'll admireeverything all I can. It is so pleasant to be praised after you've beentrying hard."She might well say that, for she got very little herself, and hertrials had been many, her efforts not always successful, and herreward seemed a long way off. Poor Boo could have sympathizedwith her, for he had suffered much persecution from his smallschoolmates when he appeared with large gray patches on the littlebrown trousers, where he had worn them out coasting down thosetoo fascinating steps. As he could not see the patches himself, hefancied them invisible, and came home much afflicted by the jeersof his friends. Then Molly tried to make him a new pair out of asack of her own; but she cut both sides for the same leg, so onewas wrong side out. Fondly hoping no one would observe it, shesewed bright buttons wherever they could be put, and sentconfiding Boo away in a pair of blue trousers, which were absurdlyhunchy behind and buttony before. He came home heart-brokenand muddy, having been accidentally tipped into a mud-puddle bytwo bad boys who felt that such tailoring was an insult to mankind.
That roused Molly's spirit, and she begged her father to take theboy and have him properly fitted out, as he was old enough now tobe well-dressed, and she wouldn't have him tormented. Hisattention being called to the trousers, Mr. Bemis had a good laughover them, and then got Boo a suit which caused him to be theadmired of all observers, and to feel as proud as a little peacock.
Cheered by this success, Molly undertook a set of small shirts, andstitched away bravely, though her own summer clothes were in asad state, and for the first time in her life she cared about what sheshould wear.
"I must ask Merry, and maybe father will let me go with her andher mother when they do their shopping, instead of leaving it toMiss Bat, who dresses me like an old woman. Merry knows whatis pretty and becoming: I don't," thought Molly, meditating in thebushel basket, with her eyes on her snuff-colored gown and thedark purple bow at the end of the long braid Muffet had beenplaying with.
Molly was beginning to see that even so small a matter as thechoice of colors made a difference in one's appearance, and towonder why Merry always took such pains to have a blue tie forthe gray dress, a rosy one for the brown, and gloves that matchedher bonnet ribbons. Merry never wore a locket outside her sack, agay bow in her hair and soiled cuffs, a smart hat and the braidworn off her skirts. She was exquisitely neat and simple, yetalways looked well-dressed and pretty; for her love of beautytaught her what all girls should learn as soon as they begin to carefor appearances--that neatness and simplicity are their bestornaments, that good habits are better than fine clothes, and themost elegant manners are the kindest.
All these thoughts were dancing through Molly's head, and whenshe left her cats, after a general romp in which even decorousGranny allowed her family to play leap-frog over her respectableback, she had made up her mind not to have yellow ribbons on hersummer hat if she got a pink muslin as she had planned, but tofinish off Boo's last shirt before she went shopping with Merry.
It rained that evening, and Mr. Bemis had a headache, so he threwhimself down upon the lounge after tea for a nap, with his silkhandkerchief spread over his face. He did get a nap, and when hewaked he lay for a time drowsily listening to the patter of the rain,and another sound which was even more soothing. Putting back acorner of the handkerchief to learn what it was, he saw Mollysitting by the fire with Boo in her lap, roc............