Chapter VIII. Merry and Molly

Sundayhatbutonestring.Shoes,skirts,books,andtoyslayabout,andherdrawerswereaperfectchaosofsoiledruffles,oddgloves,oldribbons,bootlacings,andbitsofpaper. “Oh,myheart,whatamuddle!Mrs.Minotwouldn'tthinkmuchofmeifshecouldseethat,”saidMolly,recallinghowthatladyoncesaidshecouldjudgeagooddealofalittlegirl'scharacterandhabitsbyapeepathertopdrawer,andwenton,withgreatsuccess,toguesshoweachoftheschool-mateskeptherdrawer. “Come,missionary,clearup,anddon'tletmefindsuchaglory-holeagain,orI'llreportyoutothesociety,”saidMolly,tippingthewholedrawer-fulloutuponthebed,andbeguilingthetiresomejobbykeepingupthenewplay. Twilightcamebeforeitwasdone,andagreatpileofthingsloomeduponhertable,withnovisiblemeansofrepair,—forMolly'swork-basketwasfullofnuts,andherthimbledownaholeintheshed-floor,wherethecatshaddroppeditintheirplay. “I'llaskBatforhooksandtape,andpapaforsomemoneytobuyscissorsandthings,forIdon'tknowwheremineare.GladIcan'tdoanymorenow!Beingneatissuchhardwork!”andMollythrewherselfdownontherugbesidetheoldwoodencradleinwhichBoowasblissfullyrocking,withacargooftoysaboard. Shewatchedhertime,andassoonasherfatherhaddonesupper,shehastenedtosay,beforehegottohisdesk,— “Please,papa,IwantadollartogetsomebrassbuttonsandthingstofixBoo'sclotheswith.HeworeaholeinhisnewtrouserscoastingdowntheKembles'steps.Andcan'tIwashhim?Heneedsit,andMissBatwon'tletmehaveatub.” “Certainly,child,certainlydowhatyoulike,onlydon'tkeepme.Imustbeoff,orIshallmissJackson,andhe'sthemanIwant”and,throwingdowntwodollarsinsteadofone,Mr.Bemishurriedaway,withavagueimpressionthatBoohadswallowedadozenbrassbuttons,andMissBathadbeencoastingsomewhereinabath-panbutcatchingJacksonwasimportant,sohedidnotstoptoinvestigate. Armedwiththepaternalpermission,Mollycarriedherpoint,andoh,whatadreadfuleveningpoorBoospent!First,hewasdecoyedupstairsanhourtoosoon,thenputinatubbymainforceandsternlyscrubbed,inspiteofshrieksthatbroughtMissBattothelockeddoortocondolewiththesufferer,scoldthescrubber,anddepart,darklyprophesyingcroupbeforemorning. “HealwayshowlswhenheiswashedbutIshalldoit,sinceyouwon't,andhemustgetusedtoit.Iwillnothavepeopletellmehe'sneglected,ifIcanhelpit,”criedMolly,workingawaywithtearsinhereyes—foritwasashardforherasforBoobutshemeanttobethoroughforonceinherlife,nomatterwhathappened. Whentheworstwasover,shecoaxedhimwithcandyandstoriestillthelongtaskofcombingoutthecurlswassafelydonethen,inthecleannight-gownwithabluebuttonnewlysewedon,shelaidhiminbed,wornout,butsweetasarose. “Now,sayyourprayers,darling,andgotosleepwiththeniceredblanketalltuckedroundsoyouwon'tgetcold,”saidMolly,ratherdoubtfuloftheeffectofthewethead. “No,Iwon't!Goingtosleepnow!”andBooshuthiseyeswearily,feelingthathislatetrialshadnotlefthiminaprayerfulmood. “Thenyou'llbeareallittleheathen,asMrs.Pecqcalledyou,andIdon'tknowwhatIshalldowithyou,”saidMolly,longingtocuddleratherthanscoldthelittlefellow,whosesoulneededlookingafteraswellashisbody. “No,noIwon'tbeaheevin!Idon'twanttobefrowedtothetrockindiles.Iwillsaymyprayers!oh,Iwill!”and,risinginhisbed,Boodidso,withthedevotionofaninfantSamuel,forherememberedthetalkwhenthesocietywasformed. Mollythoughtherlaborswereoverforthatnight,andsoonwenttobed,tiredwithherfirstattempts.Buttowardmorningshewaswakenedbythehoarsebreathingoftheboy,andwasforcedtopatterawaytoMissBat'sroom,humblyaskingforthesquills,andconfessingthattheprophecyhadcometopass. “Iknewit!Bringthechildtome,anddon'tfret.I'llseetohim,andnexttimeyoudoasIsay,”wastheconsolingwelcomeshereceivedastheoldladypoppedupasleepybutanxiousfaceinalargeflannelcap,andshookthebottlewiththeairofageneralwhohadroutedthefoebeforeandmeanttodoitagain. LeavingherlittleresponsibilityinMissBat'sarms,Mollyretiredtowetherpillowwithafewremorsefultears,andtofallasleep,wonderingifrealmissionarieseverkilledtheirpupilsintheprocessofconversion. Sothegirlsallfailedinthebeginningbuttheydidnotgiveup,andsucceededbetternexttime,asweshallsee.