But Miss Minerva was obdurate, and the little boy spent a miserable hour between the sheets.
CHAPTER VI
SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY.
“I have a present for you,” said his aunt, handing Billy a long, rectangular package.
“Thank you, ma'am,” said her beaming nephew as he sat down on the floor, all eager anticipation, and began to untie the string. His charming, changeful face was bright and happy again, but his expression became one of indignant amaze as he saw the contents of the box.
“What I want with a doll?” he asked angrily, “I ain't no girl.”
“I think every little boy should have a doll and learn to make clothes for it,” said Miss Minerva. “I don't want you to be a great, rough boy; I want you to be sweet and gentle like a little girl; I am going to teach you how to sew and cook and sweep, so you may grow up a comfort to me.”
This was a gloomy forecast for the little boy accustomed, as he had been, to the freedom of a big plantation, and he scowled darkly.
“Me an' Wilkes Booth Lincoln ain't never hafter play with no dolls sence we's born,” he replied sullenly, “we goes in swimmin' an' plays baseball. I can knock a home-run an' pitch a curve an' ketch a fly. Why don't you gimme a baseball bat? I already got a ball what Admiral Farragut gimme. An' I ain't agoin' to be no sissy neither. Lina an' Frances plays dolls, me an' Jimmy—” he stopped in sudden confusion.