Little Miss Oddity

by Amy Ella Blanchard

Yet true it was that before midsummer they had all seen the last of the noisy street, and had turned their backs upon Billy Miles, Mrs. Boyle and the wicked parrot, for about the first of July, just as Cassy and Jerry were mourning the fact that the Dallas family would soon be going away, and their house would be closed, there came a call from Mrs. Dallas herself which resulted in a most delightful arrangement.

“We are going to leave the city for the summer,” she said to Mrs. Law, “and although heretofore we have always shut up the house, yet this year Mr. Dallas will have to be here more or less, and it would be so much more comfortable for him if he could come to his own home when he is obliged to be in the city; so I have been thinking how very nice it would be if you would consent to take charge of the house during the summer months. I had thought of renting it, but we should feel so much better satisfied to have some one we know in it, and if you would kindly see that Mr. Dallas is made comfortable when he comes to town, I should feel that we would be quits in the matter of rent. John McClure has consented to sleep in the coachman’s quarters at the stable; we take our horses with us, you know, and I think John would be mightily pleased if you would board him; it might help out with your table expenses if you could do that. The back rooms are really the most agreeable in summer, for they look out on the garden, and the porch at that side is very cool. We always find a breeze there, if there is any stirring. Do you think you could arrange to come?”

Mrs. Law glanced at Cassy, who was looking thin and pale.

“Oh, mother!” cried the child in an imploring tone.

“You would like it, wouldn’t you, Cassy?” said Mrs. Dallas, smiling at her.

“Better than anything,” said Cassy.

“I know it is a responsibility,” Mrs. Dallas went on, “and that one always feels more or less uneasy if he or she is given charge of another’s belongings, but you need use only the rooms at the back of the house, and I am sure everything will be in much better condition than if the house were left closed. Mr. Dallas will only sleep there when he is in town, so you will not have to think of meals for him, and, oh yes, whenever you think there is need of extra cleaning you are at liberty to call upon Martha Collins; I think you may need her once in a while. She understands that, for she is paid half her wages while we are away, and it is an understood thing that she holds herself in readiness to do anything we exact of her. John will see to it that the pavements are kept clean; there is a boy who comes to do that. John says he wouldn’t agree to having any other children in and out of his garden, so you and Jerry may consider yourselves complimented,” she said, turning to Cassy.

The upshot of the whole matter was that Mrs. Law agreed to accept Mrs. Dallas’s offer, and in a few days the Law family found a summer home at the old Dallas place, with John as their boarder. Cassy could scarcely believe her ears that first morning when she was awakened by the robins whistling in the cherry-trees, early, so early, before any one was up. She had a little room next her mother’s; both rooms opened on a porch and overlooked the garden. Cassy slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the window. She could see the robins getting their share of the cherries before any one else should gather them, and then her eyes fell upon a wonderful sight just under her window. Those were morning-glories surely, blue and pink and purple and pearly white, opening now as the light touched them.

“Oh!” whispered the child in ecstasy. “You darlings!” She reached out her hand and drew a bit of the vine towards her, gazing into the frail cups and touching with gentle finger the curling tendrils.

She was so happy that her eyes filled with tears, and she stood there whispering to herself till she heard her mother stir, and then she scampered back to bed again, but not to sleep; the robins were too lively, and when in the course of an hour she heard the click of a grass-mower in the garden, she jumped up and dressed herself, then groped her way down-stairs and let herself out the door into the morning sunshine.