The William Henry Letters Part 20

_Lady._ Sweet and playful?

_Boy._ Yes, ma'am?

_Lady._ Did you bring him with you?

_Boy._ Yes, ma'am (_pointing_). Out there.

_Lady (excited)._ O, bring him to me. Quick! O, if it should be he! If it should! (BOY _brings in small dog, yellow or black or spotted_.)

_Lady (in disgust)._ O, not that horrid creature! Take him away! Take him away!

_Boy._ Isn't that your dog?

_Lady._ No! no! O, can't you take the horrid animal away?

_Boy (going)._ Yes, ma'am.

_Exit_ BOY _with dog_. LADY _prepares to write_.

_Lady._ Stupid thing! Now I'll write. (_Repeats._) LOST, STRAYED, OR STOLEN. A CURLY, WHITE--(_Tap at the door._) Come! (_Lays down pen._)

_Enter ragged BOY, with covered basket._

_Lady._ Have _you_ found a dog?

_Boy._ No, I hain't found no dog.

_Lady._ Then what do you want?

_Boy._ Father sells puppies. Father said if you'd lost your dog, you'd want to buy one of 'em. Said you could take your pick out o' these 'ere five. (_Opens basket for her to look in._)

_Lady (shuddering)._ Little wretches! Away with them!

_Boy._ They'll grow, father said, high's the table.

_Lady._ Carry them off, can't you?

_Boy._ Father wants to know what you'll take for your dog, running.

Father said he'd give a dollar, an' risk the ketchin' on him.

_Lady._ Dollar? No. Not if he were dead! Not if I knew he were drowned, and the fishes had eaten him, would I sell my darling pet for a paltry dollar!

_Boy (going)._ Good mornin'. Guess I'll be goin'. If I find your dog, I won't (_aside_) let you know.

_Exit BOY, with bow and sc.r.a.pe._

_Lady (writes again, and repeats)._ LOST, STRAYED, OR STOLEN. A CUR--(_Knock at the door._) Come! (_Lays down pen._)

_Enter MRS. MULLIGAN._

_Mrs. Mulligan._ An' is it yourself lost a dog, thin?

_Lady (eagerly)._ Yes. A small, white, curly, silky dog. Have you seen him?

_Mrs. Mulligan._ Och, no. But't was barkin' all night he was, behint th'

'ouse. An' the b'ys,--that's me Pat an' Tim, they _drooned_ him, mum, bad luck to 'em, in the mornin' arly.

_Lady._ And did you see him?

_Mrs. Mulligan._ No, shure.

_Lady._ And where is he now?

_Mrs. Mulligan._ O, it's safe he is, Pat tould me, to the bottom o' No Bottom Pond, mum.

_Lady._ And how do you know 't is my dog?

_Mrs. Mulligan._ Faith, an' whose dog should it be, thin?

_Lady._ Send your boys, and I'll speak with them.

_Mrs. Mulligan (going)._ I'll send them, mum. Mornin' mum.

_Exit MRS. MULLIGAN. Another tap at the door._

_Lady._ O, this is not to be borne! Come!

_Enter COUNTRYWOMAN with bandbox,--not an old woman._

_Lady (earnestly)._ If it's about a dog, tell me all you know at once!

Is he living?

_Countrywoman._ Yes'm, but he's quite poorly. I think dogs shows their sickness, same as human creturs do. Course they have their feelin's.

_Lady._ Do tell quick.

_Countrywoman._ Just what I want, for I'm in a hurry myself. So I'll jump right inter the thick on 't. You see last night when my old man was ridin' out o' town in his cart, with some o' his cabbages left over, for garden sa.r.s.e hadn't been very brisk all day, and he was late a comin'

out on account o' the off ox bein' some lame, and my old man ain't apt to hurry his critters, for a marciful man is marciful to his beasts, you--

_Lady._ But about the dog!

_Countrywoman._ Wal, the old man was a ridin' along, slow, you know,--I alwers tell him he'll never set the great pond afire,--and a countin'

over his cabbageheads and settlin' the keg o' mola.s.ses amongst 'em, and a little jug of--(_nods and winks and smiles_),--jest for a medicine, you know. For we _never do_,--I nor the old man,--never, 'xcept in case o' sickness.

_Lady (impatiently)._ But what about the dog?

_Countrywoman._ Wal, he was a ridin' along, and jest got to the outskirts o' the town, when he happened to see two boys a squabblin'

which should have a dog,--a little teenty white curly mite of a cretur--