The William Henry Letters Part 26

While all the rest say, "Once so merrily," Hannah Jane must drink one swallow quick enough to say the "Hopshe!" with them. Then another swallow while they say, "Twice so merrily," and another while they say, "Thrice so merrily," and be ready to say the "Hopshe" with them, every time. We tried it, and I tell you if the "Hopshe's" didn't come in all sorts of funny ways! The Two Betseys told about some funny tricks they used to try, to see who was going to be their beau.

From your affectionate Grandson,

WILLIAM HENRY.

P. S. I saw a dollar bill in Gapper Sky Blue's hand after Tom Cush bade him good by. Dorry says how do I know but 't was more than a dollar bill, and I don't.

W. H.

There was a good deal left for the Two Betseys to eat afterwards. I had a letter from Mr. Fry.

_William Henry to Aunt Phebe._

DEAR AUNT,--

There is going to be a dancing-school, and Dorry's mother wants him to go, and he says he guesses he shall, so he may know what to do when he goes to parties, and his cousin Arthur, that doesn't go to this school, says 't is bully when you've learned how. Please ask my grandmother if I may go if I want to. Dorry wants me to if he does, he says, and Bubby Short says he means to too, if we two do, if his mother'll let him.

Dorry's mother says we shall get very good manners there, and learn how to walk into a room. I know how now to walk into a room, I told him, walk right in. But he says his mother means to _enter_ a room, and there's more to it than walking right in. He don't mean an empty room, but company and all that. I guess I should be scared to go, the first of it; I guess I should be bashful, but Dorry's cousin says you get over that when you're used to it. Good many fellers are going. Mr. Augustus, and Old Wonder Boy, and Mr. O'Shirk. Now I suppose you can't think who that is! Don't you know that one I wrote about, that kicked and didn't pay, and that wouldn't help water the course? The great boys picked out that name for him, Mr. O'Shirk. The O stands for owe, and Shirk stands for itself. I send home a map to my grandmother, I've just been making, and I tried hard as I could to do it right, and I hope she will excuse mistakes, for I never made one before. 'T is the United States. Old Wonder Boy says he should thought I'd stretched out "Yankee Land" a little bigger. He calls the New England States "Yankee Land." And he says they make a mighty poor show on the map. But Mr. Augustus told him the brains of the whole country were kept in a little place up top, same as in folks. So W. B. kept still till next time. Dorry said he'd heard of folks going out of the world into Jersey. If I go to dancing-school, I should like to have a bosom shirt, and quite a stylish bow. I think I'm big enough, don't you, for bosom shirts? I had perfect this forenoon in all. I've lost that pair of spotted mittens, and I don't know where, I'm sure. I know I put them in my pocket. My hands get just as numb now with cold! Seems as if things in my pockets got alive and jumped out. I was clapping 'em and blowing 'em this morning, and that good, tiptop Wedding Cake teacher told me to come in his house, and his wife found some old gloves of his. I never saw a better lady than she is. When she meets us she smiles and says, "How do you do, William Henry?" or Dorry, or whatever boy it is. And when W. B. was sick one day she took care of him. And she asks us to call and see her, and says she likes boys! Dorry says he's willing to wipe his feet till he wears a hole in the mat, before he goes in her house. For she don't keep eying your boots. Says he has seen women brush up a feller's mud right before his face and eyes. My hair grows darker colored now. And my freckles have 'most faded out the color of my face. I'm glad of it.

From your affectionate Nephew,

WILLIAM HENRY.

_Aunt Phebe to William Henry._

MY DEAR BILLY,--

We are very much pleased indeed with your map. Dear me, how the United States have altered since they were young, same as the rest of us! That western part used to be all Territory. You couldn't have done anything to please your grandmother better. She's hung it up in the front room, between Napoleon and the Mourning Piece, and thinks everything of it.

Everybody that comes in she says, "Should you like to see the map my little grandson made,--my little Billy?" You'll always be her little Billy. She don't seem to think you are growing up so fast. Then she throws a shawl over her head, and trots across the entry and opens the shutters, and then she'll say, "Pretty good for a little boy." And tells which is Maine, and which is New York, and points out the little arrow and the printed capital letters. Folks admire fast as they can, for that room is cold as a barn, winters. The last one she took in was the minister. Your grandmother sets a sight o' store by you. She's proud of you, Billy, and you must always act so as to give her reason to be, and never bring her pride to shame.

We are willing you should go. At first she was rather against it, though she says she always meant you should learn to take the steps when you got old enough, but she was afraid it might tend to making you light-headed, and to unsteady your mind. This was the other night when we were talking it over in your kitchen, sitting round the fire. Somehow we get in there about every evening. Does seem so good to see the blaze.

Your father said if a boy had common sense he'd keep his balance anywhere, and if dancing-school could spoil a fellow, he wasn't worth spoiling, worth keeping, I mean. I said I thought it might tend to keep you from toeing in, and being clumsy in your motions. Your Uncle J. said he didn't think 't was worth while worrying about our Billy getting spoiled going to dancing-school, or anybody's Billy, without 't was some dandyfied coot. "Make the head right and the heart right," says he, "and let the feet go,--if they want to." So you see, Billy, we expect your head's right and your heart's right. Are they?

The girls and I have turned to and cut and made you a couple of bosom shirts and three bows, for of course you will have to dress rather different, and think a little more about your looks. But not too much, Billy! Not too much! And don't for gracious sake ever get the notion that you're good-looking! Don't stick a breastpin in that shirt-bosom and go about with a strut! I don't know what I hadn't as soon see as see a vain young man. I do believe if I were to look out, and you should be coming up my front yard gravel path with a strut, or any sort of dandyfied airs, I should shut the door in your face. Much as I set by you, I really believe I should. Lor! what are good looks? What are you laying out to make of yourself? That's the question. Freckles are not so bad as vanity. Anybody'd think I was a minister's wife, the way I talk.

But, Billy, you haven't got any mother, and I do think so much of you!

'T would break my heart to see you grow up into one of those spick-and-span fellers, that are all made up of a bow and a sc.r.a.pe and a genteel smile! Though I don't think there's much danger, for common sense runs in the family. No need to go with muddy boots, though, or linty, or have your bow upside down. You've always been more inclined that way. Fact is, I want you should be just right. I haven't a minute's more time to write. Your Uncle J. has promised to finish this.

DEAR COUSIN BILLY,--

This is Lucy Maria writing. The blacksmith sent word he was waiting to sharpen the colt, and father had to go. He's glad of it, because he never likes to write letters. I'm glad you are going to dancing-school.

Learn all the new steps you can, so as to show us how they're done.

Hannah Jane's beau has just been here. He lives six miles off, close by where we went once to a clam-bake, when Dorry was here. Georgiana's great doll, Seraphine, is engaged to a young officer across the road. He was in the war, and draws a pension of a cent a week. The engagement isn't out yet, but the family have known it several days, and he has been invited to tea. He wore his best uniform. Seraphine is invited over there, and Georgie is making her a spangled dress to wear. The wedding is to come off next month. I do wish I could think of more news. Father is the best hand to write news, if you can only get him at it. Once when I was away, he wrote me a letter and told me what they had for dinner, and what everybody was doing, and how many kittens the cat had, and how much the calf weighed, and what Tommy said, and seemed 'most as if I'd been home and seen them. Be sure and write how you get along at dancing-school, and what the girls wear.

Your affectionate Cousin,

LUCY MARIA.

_William Henry to Aunt Phebe._

MY DEAR AUNT,--

Thank you for the bosom shirts and the ones that helped make them.

They've come. I like them very much and the bows too. They're made right. I lent Bubby Short one bow. His box hadn't come. He kept running to the expressman's about every minute. We began to go last night. If we miss any questions to-day, we shall have to stay away next night. That's going to be the rule. O, you ought to 've seen Dorry and me at it with the soap and towels, getting ready! We scrubbed our faces real bright and shining, and he said he felt like a walking jack-o'-lantern. I bought some slippers and had to put some cotton-wool in both the toes of 'em to jam my heels out where they belonged to. I don't like to wear slippers. My bosom shirt sets bully, and I bought a linen-finish paper collar. I haven't got any breastpin. I don't think I'm good looking.

Dorry doesn't either. I know he don't. That's girls' business. We had to buy some gloves, because his cousin said the girls wore white ones, and nice things, and 't wouldn't do if we didn't. Yellowish-brownish ones we got, so as to keep clean longer. But trying on they split in good many places, our fingers were so damp, washing 'em so long. Lame Betsey is going to sew the holes up. When we got there we didn't dare to go in, first of it, but stood peeking in the door, and by and by Old Wonder Boy gave me a shove and made me tumble in. I jumped up quick, but there was a great long row of girls, and they all went, "Tee hee hee! tee hee hee!" Then Mr. Tornero stamped and put us in the gentlemen's row. Then both rows had to stand up and take positions, and put one heel in the hollow of t' other foot, and then t' other heel in that one's hollow, and make bows and twist different ways. And right in front was a whole row of girls, all looking. But they made mistakes theirselves sometimes.

First thing we learned the graces, and that is to bend way over sideways, with one hand up in the air, and the other 'most way down to the floor, then shift about on t' other tack, then come down on one knee, with one hand way behind, and the other one reached out ahead as if 't was picking up something a good ways off. We have to do these graces to make us limberer, so to dance easier. I tell you 't is mighty t.i.ttlish, keeping on one knee and the other toe, and reaching both ways, and looking up in the air. I did something funny. I'll tell you, but don't tell Grandmother. Of course 't was bad, I know 't was, made 'em all laugh, but I didn't think of their all pitching over. You see I was at one end of the row and W. B. was next, and we were fixed all as I said, kneeling down in that t.i.ttlish way, reaching out both ways, before and behind, and looking up, and I remembered how he shoved me into the room, and just gave him a little bit of a shove, and he pitched on to the next one, and he on to the next, and that one on to the next, and so that whole row went down, just like a row of bricks! Course everybody laughed, and Mr. Tornero did too, but he soon stamped us still again.

And then just as they all got still again, I kept seeing how they all went down, and I shut up my mouth, but all of a sudden that laugh shut up inside made a funny sort of squelching sound, and he looked at me cross and stamped his foot again. Now I suppose he'll think I'm a bad one, just for that tumbling in and shoving that row down and then laughing when I was trying to keep in! He wants we should practise the graces between times, to limber us up. Dorry and I do them up in our room. Guess you'd laugh if you could see, when we do that first part, bending over sideways, one hand up and one down. I tried to draw us, but 't is a good deal harder drawing crooked boys than 't is straight ones, so 't isn't a very good picture. The boys that go keep practising in the entries and everywhere, and the other ones do it to make fun of us, so you keep seeing twisted boys everywhere. Bubby Short was kneeling down out doors across the yard, on one knee, and I thought he was taking aim at something, but he said he was doing the graces. I must study now.

Bubby Short got punished a real funny way at school to-day. I'll tell you next time. I'm in a hurry to study now.

Your affectionate Nephew,

WILLIAM HENRY.

P. S. Dorry's just come in. He and Bubby Short and I bought "Seraphine"

some wedding presents and he's done 'em up in cotton-wool, and they'll come to her in a pink envelope. Dorry sent that red-stoned ring and I sent the blue-stoned. We thought they'd do for a doll's bracelets. Bubby Short sends the artificial rosebud. He likes flowers,--he keeps a geranium. We bought the presents at the Two Betseys' Shop. They said they'd do for bracelets. Dorry says, "Don't mention the price, for 't isn't likely everybody can make such dear presents, and might hurt their feelings." We tried to make some poetry, but couldn't think of but two lines.

When you're a gallant soldier's wife, May you be happy all your life!

Dorry says that's enough, for she couldn't be any more than happy all her life. "Can too!" W. B. said. "Can be good!" "O, poh!" Bubby Short said; "she can't be happy without she's good, can she?" But I want to study my lesson now.

W. H.

Those bosom shirts are the best things I ever had.

W. H.

Although it would have been a vast sacrifice, I think I would have almost given my best pair of shoes for a chance of seeing Billy when dressed to go to the dancing-school. A boy in his first bosom shirt is such an amusing sight. You can easily pick one out in a crowd by his satisfied air, and stiff gait; by the setting back of the shoulders, and the throwing out of the chest,--as if that smooth, white, starched expanse did not set out enough of itself! Some have a way of looking up at gentlemen, as much as to say, _We_ wear bosom shirts! But of course those of us boys and men who have pa.s.sed through this experience remember all about it.

_Lucy Maria to William Henry._

DEAR COUSIN,--

That famous wedding came off yesterday afternoon. There were fifteen invited. I do wish I had time to tell you all about it. Mother made a real wedding-cake. Georgie has hardly slept a wink for a week, I do believe, thinking about it. The young soldier wore his epaulets, having been made General the day before. The bride was dressed in pure white, of course, with a long veil, of course, too, and orange blossoms, real orange blossoms that I made myself. The presents were spread out on the baby-house table. Perhaps you don't know that Georgie has a baby-house.

It is made of a sugar-box, set up on end papered with housepaper inside, and brown outside. It has a down below, an up stairs, and garret. I do wish I had time to tell you all about the wedding, but Matilda's a churning, and I promised to part the b.u.t.ter and work it over, if she would fetch it. I do wish you could hear her singing away,--

"Come, b.u.t.ter, come! come, b.u.t.ter, come!

Peter stands at the gate, waiting for his b.u.t.tered cake.

Come, b.u.t.ter, come!"