“Child, you’re crazy. Never go round like that. Run up to your bathroom and take a hot bath. Then put on everything clean and dry. Don’t you know better than to behave as you have done? Didn’t your mother have sense”—
There he paused, arrested by the piteous look which came over his guest’s bonny face.
“Never mind. Don’t cry. I couldn’t stand that. It’s bad enough to have the gout, and a little girl in the house who doesn’t—won’t—hasn’t changed her stocking—Oh! Ouch! Clear out, can’t you? My foot, my foot!” he shouted.
Josephine might have echoed, “My throat! my throat!” but she disdained any such outcry. Her lip curled in a fine scorn, and at sight of the grimace he made she laughed outright. Laughed foolishly, convulsively, began to cry, and with a little wail of “Mamma! Mamma!” ran out of the room.
Old Peter followed, saw that her room was made warm, prepared her bath, helped her to lay out clean, dry clothing, and left her, with the consoling remark:
“Don’t you never mind Massa Joe when he’s gouty. Men-folks ain’t done got the gumption little gells has to keep their mouth shut and not groan. Groanin’ lets a powerful lot of bad temper outen gouty people, missy, and don’t you mind, honey. Just you call on me for what you’se needin’ and everything will all come right. Now fix yourself up pretty and come laughin’ down the stairs, like you done last night, and see what’ll happen.”
Josephine was comforted. The hot bath did make her feel all right, and the pretty frock she had selected reminded her quite happily of mamma and the days when she had sat sewing upon it. The very tucks in its skirt seemed to bring that dear presence nearer, and she reflected that they were absent from each other only till such time as poor papa should get quite well. She appeared below, saying:
“Now I’m good, Uncle Joe. Forgive me for being bad. I’ll sing again if you want me.”
“Of course I want you. Maybe I was a bit stern, too, little lady. I hope this wretched pain will leave me by to-morrow, then I’ll be able to think of something else besides that hateful foot.”
“Poor foot!” she exclaimed.