Part 20 (1/2)
With these words she turned sharp about, and ran home as fast as possible. The neighbor went back into the quiet room, and performed the last kind offices for Wiseli's mother.
CHAPTER IV.
AT COUSIN GOTTI's.
When Wiseli made her entry into her cousin Gotti's house at Beech Grove, the three boys came running out of the barn, and, behind Wiseli, into the room, where they placed themselves in front of her in a row, and stared at the timid little thing with all their eyes. Her cousin's wife came out of the kitchen, and stared also at the little thing, as if she had never seen her before.
Her cousin Gotti seated himself behind the table, and said,--
”I think she can eat something: she has not had much to-day. Come here,”
he said, turning to Wiseli, who stood all this time in the same place, with her bundle under her arm. She obeyed. Now her cousin's wife put new wine and cheese on the table, also a huge loaf of black bread. Cousin Gotti cut a big slice, put a lump of cheese upon it, and pushed it towards the child. ”There, eat, little one,” he said. ”You must be hungry, I'm sure.”
”No, I thank you,” said Wiseli, softly. She could not have swallowed even a crumb. She felt as if she were crushed under her load of sorrow and anxiety, and could scarcely even breathe.
The boys stood there all the time, and stared at her.
”Don't be frightened,” said cousin Gotti, encouragingly. ”Do eat something.” But the child sat motionless, and did not touch her bread.
Her cousin's wife came again; and, putting her hands on her hips, stood looking her over from head to foot.
”If you don't want it,” she said, ”you can leave it;” and turned on her heel, and went again into the kitchen.
When cousin Gotti had refreshed himself sufficiently he arose, and said, ”Put it in your pocket. By and by you will feel like eating, only do not feel frightened;” and he went into the kitchen. Wiseli tried to do as he told her, to put the bread and cheese into her pocket; but they were too large, and she put them back upon the table again.
”I will help you,” said Cheppi, s.n.a.t.c.hing the pieces from the table; and was about to stuff them into his open mouth, but they flew up into the air instead, for Hannes had knocked Cheppi's hand up with a smart blow, and so the plunder was scattered, and Rudi darted upon it, and carried part of it away. With this the two oldest boys fell upon him, and they kicked and cuffed, and screamed and shouted, until Wiseli was terribly frightened. Presently their father opened the kitchen-door, and called out, ”What does this all mean?” Then the boys all answered at once, from the floor; and one said, ”Wiseli did not want it;” and another, ”Wiseli had not any;” and ”As long as Wiseli did not want any”--
Their father called out, loudly, ”If you do not stop that, I will come in with the thong, and whip you.” And he slammed the door again.
”It” did not ”stop,” however; but, as soon as the door was shut again, it began worse than ever, for Hannes found that the best way to treat the enemy was to grasp him by the hair; and so they all seized each other by the hair, and stood in a ring, uttering terrible noises. In the kitchen their mother sat on a stool, and peeled potatoes. When her husband closed the door again, she asked,--
”What is your idea about that child? Why did you bring her home with you at once?”
”I thought she would have to stay with somebody. I am her cousin Gotti, and she has no other relatives. You can make her useful. She can do what you are doing now. Then you will be able to do other things. You are always saying that the boys give you so much work,--more than is right.”
”Yes, as regards them, a great help she will be! You can hear now what a racket there is in there, and she is only a quarter of an hour in the house.”
”I have heard that sort of thing a good many times before the little one came. I do not think that she has much to do with it,” said the cousin Gotti quietly.
”Oh, you did not hear them!” said his wife sharply; ”how they kept calling out something about Wiseli?”
”Well, they may call out, if they want to,” said their father. ”You will soon have the little one in hand. I think she is not a troublesome child,--I noticed that in the beginning,--and is much more obedient than those boys of yours.”
This was too much for his wife.
”I do not see what is the use of finding fault with the boys,” she said; and she peeled the potatoes faster and faster. ”And I _should_ like to know where the girl is to sleep.”
Her husband pushed his cap back and forth several times upon his head, and said, soothingly,--
”One can't think of every thing at once. She must have had a bed to sleep in; and she can, at least, have that. Tomorrow I will go to the pastor. To-night she can sleep on the bench by the stove. It is always warm there; and I can put a part.i.tion in the little pa.s.sage that goes into our room later, and set her bed in there.”
”I never heard of bringing home a child and getting a bed for it a week afterwards,” said the woman crossly; ”and I should like to know who will pay for it if we must build something more for her into the bargain.”