An Old-fashioned Girl by Louisa M. Alcott

We lighted the candle again, and returned to our revel. The

refreshments were somewhat injured by Sally’s bouncing in among

them, bit we did n’t care, and soon finished the cake.

” ‘Now let ‘s have the nuts,’ I said, groping for the paper bag.

” ‘They are almonds and peanuts, so we can crack them with our

teeth. Be sure you get the bag by the right end,’ said Sally.

” ‘I know what I ‘m about,’ and to show her that it was all right, I

gave the bag a little shake, when out flew the nuts, rattling like a

hail-storm all over the uncarpeted floor.

” ‘Now you ‘ve done it,’ cried Sally, as Mary scratched like a mad

rat, and a door creaked below, for Miss Cotton was not deaf.

“Such a flurry as we were in! Out went the candle, and each one

rushed away with as much of the feast as she could seize in her

haste. Sally dived into her bed, recklessly demolishing the last pie,

and scattering the candy far and wide.

“Poor Mary was nearly caught for Miss Cotton was quicker than

Betsey, and our guard had to run for her life.

“Our room was the first, and was in good order, though the two

flushed faces on the pillows were rather suspicious. Miss Cotton

stood staring about her, looking so funny, without her cap, that my

bedfellow would have gone off in a fit of laughter, if I had not

pinched her warningly.

” ‘Young ladies, what is this unseemly noise?’ “No answer from us

but a faint snore. Miss Cotton marched into the next room, put the

same question and received the same reply.

“In the third chamber lay Sally, and we trembled as the old lady

went in. Sitting up, we peeped and listened breathlessly.

” ‘Sarah, I command you to tell me what this all means?’ “But Sally

only sighed in her sleep, and muttered, wickedly, ‘Ma, take me

home. I ‘m starved at Cotton’s.’ ” ‘Mercy on me! is the child going

to have a fever?’ cried the old lady, who did not observe the tell

tale nuts at her feet.

” ‘So dull, so strict! O take me home!’ moaned Sally, tossing her

arms and gurgling, like a naughty little gypsy.

“That last bit of acting upset the whole concern, for as she tossed

her arms she showed the big red cushion on her breast.

Near-sighted as she was, that ridiculous object could not escape

Miss Cotton, neither did the orange that rolled out from the pillow,

nor the boots appearing at the foot of the bed.

“With sudden energy the old lady plucked off the cover, and there

lay Sally with her hair dressed . la Topsy, her absurd breast-pin

and her dusty boots, among papers of candy, bits of pie and cake,

oranges and apples, and a candle upside down burning a hole in

the sheet.

“At the sound of Miss Cotton’s horrified exclamation Sally woke

up, and began laughing so merrily that none of us could resist

following her example, and the rooms rang with merriment far

many minutes. I really don’t know when we should have stopped if

Sally had not got choked with the nut she had in her mouth, and so

frightened us nearly out of our wits.”

“What became of the things, and how were you punished?” asked

Fan, in the middle of her laughter.

“The remains of the feast went to the pig, and we were kept on

bread and water for three days.”

“Did that cure you?”

“Oh, dear, no! we had half a dozen other frolics that very summer;

and although I cannot help laughing at the remembrance of this,

you must not think, child, that I approve of such conduct, or

excuse it. No, no, my dear, far from it.”

“I call that a, tip-top story! Drive on, grandma, and tell one about

boys,” broke in a new voice, and there was Tom astride of a chair

listening and laughing with all his might, for his book had come to

an end, and he had joined the party unobserved.

“Wait for your turn, Tommy. Now, Polly, dear, what will you