Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed

Proofreading Team.

DOTTY DIMPLE STORIES

DOTTY DIMPLE AT PLAY

BY SOPHIE MAY

AUTHOR OF "LITTLE PRUDY STORIES"

1868

Illustrated

TO THE LITTLE "BLIND-EYED CHILDREN" IN THE ASYLUM FOR THE BLIND ATINDIANAPOLIS.

[Illustration: DOTTY AND KATIE VISITING THE BLIND GIRLS.]

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

I. "THE BLIND-EYED CHILDREN"

II. EMILY'S TRIALS

III. PLAYING SHIP

IV. A SPOILED DINNER

V. PLAYING TRUANT

VI. A STRANGE VISIT

VII. PLAYING PRISONER

VIII. PLAYING THIEF

IX. THANKSGIVING DAY

X. GRANDMA'S OLD TIMES

XI. THE CRYSTAL WEDDING

DOTTY DIMPLE AT PLAY.

CHAPTER I.

"THE BLIND-EYED CHILDREN."

"You is goin' off, Dotty Dimpwil."

"Yes, dear, and you must kiss me."

"No, not now; you isn't gone yet. You's goin' nex' day after this day."

Miss Dimple and Horace exchanged glances, for they had an importantsecret between them.

"Dotty, does you want to hear me crow like Bantie? 'Cause," added Katie,with a pitying glance at her cousin, "'cause you can't bear me bimeby,when you didn't be to my house."

"That will do, you blessed little Topknot," cried Horace, as the shrillcrowing died on the air, and the pink bud of a mouth took its own shapeagain. "Now I just mean to tell you something nice, for you might as wellknow it and be happy a day longer: mother and you and I are going toIndianapolis to-morrow with Dotty—going in the cars."

"O!" exclaimed the child, whirling about like a leaf in a breeze. "Goingto 'Naplis, yidin' in the cars! O my shole!"

"Yes, and you'll be good all day—won't you, darling, and not hidemamma's spools?"

"Yes, I won't if I don't 'member. We for salt, salt, salt," sang Flyaway(meaning mi, fa, sol). Then she ran to the bureau, perched herself beforeit on an ottoman, and talked to herself in the glass.

"Now you be good gell all day, Katie Clifford—not dishbey your mamma,not hide her freds o' spools, say fank you please. O my shole!"

So Katie was made happy for twenty-four hours.

"After we sleep one more time," said she, "then we shall go."

She wished to sleep that "one more time" with Dotty; but her little headwas so full of the journey that she aroused her bedfellow in the middleof the night, calling out,—

"We's goin' to 'Naplis,—we for salt, salt, salt,—yidin' in the cars,
Dotty Dimpwil."

It was some time before Dotty could come out of dreamland, and understandwhat Katie said.

"Won't you please to hush?" she whispered faintly, and turned away herface, for the new moon was shining into her eyes.

"Let's we get up," cried Katie, shaking her by the shoulders; "don't yousee the sun's all c

...