Dorothy's House Party

Even Mr. Winters rose to his feet and watched in deep anxiety the outcome of this escapade, and the darting nimbleness of two small figures which everybody, from the ring-master down, was chasing like mad. Only the trained horsemen and their following troupe of monkeys kept on unmindful; while from the seats on every side ran shouts of laughter. To most of those onlookers this seemed a part, a delightfully arranged part, of the entertainment. Only those nearest, and the farrier was one of them, realized that the strange old man with the croaking voice was an alien to that scene. A half-crazed old man who felt called upon to deliver his “message” of warning to a sinful world, at all times, seasons, and places. He had stumbled upon this as a fine field and, unbalanced though his mind was, it had yet been clear enough for him to purchase a ticket and enter in the customary way.

“Oh! will he take the twins away?” asked Dorothy, clasping her hands in dismay. “And will they – be – killed!”

“I think not, to both questions. Evidently he has not perceived the children though they were quick enough to discover him. The pity! that one should inspire such fear in his own household! But, see! See!”

Mr. Winters forgot the old exhorter for the moment and laughed aloud.

In the ring the clown had, at first, pretended to join in the pursuit of the nimble runaways, but only pretended. Then he suddenly perceived that they were growing breathless and had almost fallen beneath the feet of a mighty Norman horse. The man beneath his motley uniform rose to the emergency. Catching the bridle of a near-by pony, he flung the monkey from its back, scooped the babies up from the ground, set them in the monkey’s place and, mounting behind them, triumphantly fell into line.

It was all so quickly done that its bravery was but half appreciated; and the absurdly grinning mask which he now waggled from side to side, as if bowing to an outburst of applause, roused a roar of laughter. As for Ananias and Sapphira – their felicity was complete. The stern grandparent was forgotten and the only fact they knew was this marvelous ride on a marvelous steed, and most marvelous of all, in the friendly grasp of the tri-colored person behind them.

Mr. Winters turned from them for a moment, at the sound of a scuffle near by. An instant’s glance showed him that the poor fanatic was being roughly handled by some employees of the circus, and he stepped forward protesting:

“Don’t do that! He’ll go quietly enough if you just ask him. He’s a feeble old man – be gentle!”

“But we want no ‘cranks’ in here creating a disturbance! Enough has happened this performance, already!”

“Jim! James Barlow! Herbert Montaigne!” These two were the only ones left still in the ring of the lot who had pursued the runaway twins, the others having shamefacedly retreated as soon as they saw the children were safe. They looked toward the Master yet lingered to receive the twins whom their captor was now willing to resign; they struggling to remain and a mixed array of flying legs and arms resulting.

However, neither screams nor obstreperous kicks availed to prolong that delectable ride, and presently the little ones found themselves back in the grasp of a bevy of girls who made a human fence about them, and so hedged them in to safety.

“Lads, I must leave you to see our girls safe home. Do so immediately the performance is over and it must be nearly now. This poor old chap is ill and bemused by his rough handling. I’m going to take him to a hospital I know and have him cared for. I’ll go down to Deerhurst as soon as I can but don’t wait for me. Come, friend. Let us go;” and linking his strong arm within the weak one of the man, scarce older yet so much frailer than he, he walked quietly away, the fanatic unresisting and obedient.

With the Master’s departure the glamour faded from the “Show”; and at Helena’s suggestion the whole party promptly made their exit.

“It’s a wise move, too, Helena. We can catch the five o’clock train down and it won’t be crowded, as the later one will be. I fancy we’ve all had about all the circus we want – this time. Anybody got a rope?” said Herbert.

“What in the world do you want of a rope?” asked his sister.

“I think if we could tie these irrepressibles together we could better keep track of them.”

There were some regretful looks backward to that fascinating tent, when the older lads had marshalled their party outwards, with no difficulty now in passing the obstructing stile; but there were no objections raised, and the homeward trip began. But they had scarcely cleared the grounds when Molly Martin paused to ask:

“Where’s Jane Potter?”

“Oh! hang Jane Potter! Is she lost again?” asked Danny Smith. Then with a happy thought, adding: “I’ll go back and look for her!” In this way hoping for a second glimpse of the fairy-land he had been forced to leave.

Whereupon, his brother reminded him that he had no ticket, and no fellow gets in twice on one. Besides, that girl isn’t – Hmm.

“She’s probably lingered to study biology or – or something about animals,” observed Monty. “Any way, we can afford to risk Jane Potter. Like enough we shall find her sitting on the piazza writing her impressions of a circus when we get home.”

They did. She had early tired of the entertainment and had been one of the first to leave the tent after the accident to it. Once outside, she had met a mountain neighbor and had begged a ride home in his wagon. Jane was one to be careful of Jane and rather thoughtless of others, yet in the main a very good and proper maiden.

But if they did not delay on account of Jane they were compelled to do so by the twins.

“These children are as slippery as eels,” said Molly, who had never touched an eel. “I’ll lend my ‘son’ to anybody wants him, for awhile. I’d – I’d as lief as not!” she finished, quoting an expression familiar to Alfy.

“And I’ll lend ’Phira!” added Dorothy.

She had tried to lead the little one and still keep her arm about Luna, who by general consent was always left to her charge.

“All right. Give her here!” said Frazer; while Herbert whistled for a waiting stage to approach. But as it drew near and the girls began to clamber in, preparatory to their ride stationwards, Ananias jerked himself free and springing to one side the road began a series of would-be somersaults. It was an effort on his part to follow Herbert’s instructions – with doubtful success. Of course, what brother did sister must do, and Sapphira promptly emulated her twin.

“Oh! the mud! Just look at them! How can we ever take them in that stage with us?” asked Mabel Bruce, in disgust.

But the happy youngsters paid no attention to her. Having completed what Herbert had taught them to call their “stunt” they now approached their instructor and demanded:

“Candy, what you promised!”

“All right. Driver, we’ll stop at the first confectioner’s we pass and I’ll fill them up.”

“But, Herbert, you should not. Don’t you remember how ill they were from Molly’s supply? And I do say, if you led them into this scrape, getting themselves in such a mess, you’ll have to ride in front and keep them with you.”

Herbert made a wry face. He was always extremely careful in his dress and his sister’s just suggestion wasn’t pleasant. However, he made the best of it and no further untoward incident marked that day’s outing.

Arrived at home they found Jane calmly reading, as has been told, and no other one about except old Ephraim, who had not unfastened the doors for “jes one l’il gal,” but now threw them wide for the “House Party.” Then he retreated to the kitchen, where Dorothy found him stirring about in a vain attempt to get supper – a function out of his line.

“Now, Ephy, dear, you can’t do that, you know! You’re a blessed old blunderer, but one doesn’t boil water for tea in a leaky coffee-pot! Wait! I’ll tell you! I’ll call the girls and we’ll make a ‘bee’ of it and get the supper ourselves, before Aunt Malinda and Dinah and the rest get back. They’ll be sure to stay till the last – ”

“Till the ‘last man is hung’!” finished Alfaretta, with prompt inelegance.

“Oh! I’m just starving!” wailed a boyish voice, and Monty rushed in.

“So are we all, so are we all!” cried others and the kitchen rang with the youthful, merry voices.

Ephraim scratched his gray wool and tried to look stern, but Dorothy’s “Ephy, dear!” had gone straight to his simple heart, so lately wounded and sorrowful. After all, the world wasn’t such a dark place, even if he had missed the circus, now that all these chatterers were treating him just as of old. They were so happy, themselves, that their happiness overflowed upon him.

Cried Jim Barlow, laying a friendly hand on the black man’s shoulder:

“Come on, Ephy, boy! If the girls are going to make a ‘bee,’ and get supper for all hands – including the cook – let’s match them by doing the chores for the men. The ‘help’ have done a lot for us, these days, and it’s fair we do a hand’s-turn for them now! Come on, all! Monty, you shall throw down fodder for the cattle – it’s all you’re equal to. Some of us will milk, some take care of the horses, everybody must do something, and I appoint Danny Smith to be story-teller-in-chief, and describe that circus so plain that Ephraim can see it without the worry of going!”

“Hip, hip, hooray! Let’s make a lark of it!” echoed Herbert, now forgetful of his good clothes and eager only to bear his part with the rest.

“Well, before we begin, let’s get the twins each a bowl of bread and milk and tie them in their chairs, just as Dinah does when they bother. They mustn’t touch that candy till afterward, though I don’t know how Herbert ever kept it from them so long,” said Molly Breckenridge, adjusting a kitchen apron to her short figure by tucking it into her belt.

“I know! I sat on it!” called back the lad and disappeared barnwards.

Luna was placed in her corner and given a bowl like the twins, and the girls set to work, even Jane Potter asking to help.

“What all shall we cook? I can make fudges,” said Molly.

“Fudges are all right – you may make some, but I want something better than sweets. Helena, you’re the oldest, you begin. Suggest – then follow your suggestions. Fortunately we’ve a pretty big range to work on and Ephraim can make a fire if he can’t make tea. It’s burning fine. Hurry up, Helena, and speak, else Alfaretta will explode. She’s impatient enough,” urged Dorothy.

“Once – I made angel food,” said Helena, rather timidly. “It didn’t turn out a real success, but I think that was because I didn’t use eggs enough.”

“How many did you use?”

“A dozen.”