Chapter VIII. Merry and Molly

nwasoverinaminute,however,fortheboystoredownthemuslinandstampedoutthefirewithmuchlaughter,whileMrs.Grantbewailedthedamagetohercarpet,andpoorMerrytookrefugeinherfather'sarms,refusingtobecomfortedinspiteofhiskindcommendationof“Grandma'sfixins.” Thethirdlittlemissionaryhadthehardesttimeofall,andherfirsteffortswerenotmuchmoresatisfactorynorsuccessfulthantheothers.Herfatherwasawayfrommorningtillnight,andthenhadhispapertoread,bookstokeep,or“amantoseedowntown,”sothat,afterahastywordattea,hesawnomoreofthechildrentillanotherevening,astheywereseldomupathisearlybreakfast.Hethoughttheywerewelltakencareof,forMissBathshebaDaweswasanenergetic,middle-agedspinsterwhenshecameintothefamily,andhadbeentherefifteenyears,sohedidnotobserve,whatawomanwouldhaveseenatonce,thatMissBatwasgettingoldandcareless,andeverythingaboutthehousewasatsixesandsevens.Shetookgoodcareofhim,andthoughtshehaddoneherdutyifshegotthreecomfortablemeals,nursedthechildrenwhentheywereill,andsawthatthehousedidnotburnup.SoMariaLouisaandNapoleonBonapartegotonastheycould,withoutthetendercaresofamother.Mollyhadbeenahappy-go-luckychild,contentedwithherpets,herfreedom,andlittleBootolovebutnowshewasjustbeginningtoseethattheywerenotlikeotherchildren,andtofeelashamedofit. “Papaisbusy,butMissBatoughttoseetoussheispaidforit,andgoodnessknowsshehasaneasytimenow,forifIaskhertodoanything,shegroansoverherbones,andtellsmeyoungfolksshouldwaitonthemselves.ItakeallthecareofBoooffherhands,butIcan'twashmyownthings,andhehasn'tadecenttrousertohisblessedlittlelegs.I'dtellpapa,butitwouldn'tdoanygoodhe'donlysay,'Yes,child,yes,I'llattendtoit,'andneverdoathing.” ThisusedtobeMolly'slament,whensomeespeciallytryingeventoccurred,andifthegirlswerenottheretocondolewithher,shewouldretiretotheshed-chamber,callherninecatsabouther,and,sittingintheoldbushelbasket,pullherhairaboutherears,andscoldallalone.Thecatslearnedtounderstandthishabit,andnoblydidtheirbesttodispelthegloomwhichnowandthenobscuredthesunshineoftheirlittlemistress.Someofthemwouldcreepintoherlapandpurrtillthecomfortablesoundsoothedherirritationthesedateelderssatatherfeetblinkingwithsuchwiseandsympatheticfaces,thatshefeltasifhalfadozenSolomonsweregivingherthesagestadvicewhilethekittensfriskedabout,cuttinguptheirdrollestcaperstillshelaughedinspiteofherself.Whenthelaughcame,theworstofthefitwasover,andshesooncheeredup,dismissingtheconsolerswithapatallround,afeastofgoodthingsfromMissBat'slarder,andtheusualspeech:— “Well,dears,it'sofnousetoworry.Iguessweshallgetalongsomehow,ifwedon'tfret.” Withwhichwiseresolution,MollywouldleaveherretreatandfreshenupherspiritsbyarowontheriverorarompwithBoo,whichalwaysfinishedthecase.Now,however,shewasboundtotrythenewplananddosomethingtowardreformingnotonlytheboy'scondition,butthedisorderanddiscomfortofhome. “I'llplayitisSiam,andthisthehouseofanative,andI'mcometoshowthefolkshowtolivenicely.MissBatwon'tknowwhattomakeofit,andIcan'ttellher,soIshallgetsomefunoutofit,anyway,”thoughtMolly,asshesurveyedthedining-roomthedayhermissionbegan. Theprospectwasnotcheeringand,ifthenativesofSiamliveinsuchconfusion,itishightimetheywereattendedto.Thebreakfast-tablestillstoodasitwasleft,withslopsofcoffeeontheclothbitsofbread,egg-shells,andpotato-skinslayabout,andonelonelysausagewascastawayinthemiddleofalargeplatter.Thefurniturewasdusty,stoveuntidy,andthecarpetlookedasifcrumbshadbeenscatteredtochickenswhodeclinedtheirbreakfast.Boowassittingonthesofa,withhisarmthroughaholeinthecover,huntingforsomelosttreasureputawaythereforsafekeeping,likealittlemagpieashewas.Mollyfanciedshewashedanddressedhimwellenoughbutto-daysheseemedtoseemoreclearly,andsighedasshethoughtofthehardjobinstoreforherifshegavehimthethoroughwashingheneeded,andcombedoutthatcurlymopofhair. “I'llclearupfirstanddothatbyandby.Ioughttohaveanicelittletubandgoodtowels,likeMrs.Minot,andIwill,too,ifIbuythemmyself,”shesaid,pilingupcupswithanenergythatthreateneddestructiontohandles. MissBat,whow