e
comes," sobbed Nelly, as Burney seized Poppy, and gave her a good
shaking.

"You go wash your face, Miss Nelly, and leave this naughty, naughty
child to me," said Burney; and took Poppy, kicking and screaming, into
the little library, where she--oh, dreadful to relate!--gave her a good
spanking, and locked her up.

Mamma never whipped, and Poppy was in a great rage at such an indignity.
The minute she was left alone, she looked about to see how she could be
revenged. A solar lamp stood on the table; and Poppy coolly tipped it
over, with a fine smash, calling out to Burney that she'd have to pay
for it, that mamma would be very angry, and that she, Poppy, was going
to spoil every thing in the room. But Burney was gone, and no one came
near her. She kicked the paint off the door, rattled the latch, called
Burney a "pig," and Cy "a badder boy than the man who smothered the
little princes in the Tower." Poppy was very fond of that story, and
often played it with Nelly and the dolls. Having relieved her feelings
in this way, Poppy rested, and then set about amusing herself. Observing
that the spilt oil made the table shine, she took her handkerchief and
polished up the furniture, as she had seen the maids do.

"Now, that looks nice; and I know mamma will be pleased 'cause I'm so
tidy," she said, surveying her work with pride, when she had thoroughly
greased every table, chair, picture-frame, book-back, and ornament in
the room. Plenty of oil still remained; and Poppy finished off by
oiling her hair, till it shone finely, and smelt--dear me, how it did
smell! If she had been a young whale, it couldn't have been worse. Poppy
wasn't particular about smells; but she got some in her mouth, and
didn't like the taste. There was no water to wash in; and her hands,
face, and pinafore were in a high state of grease. She was rather lonely
too; for, though mamma had got home, she didn't come to let Poppy out:
so the young rebel thought it was about time to surrender. She could
write pretty well, and was fond of sending penitent notes to mamma,
after being naughty: for mamma always answered them so kindly, and was
so forgiving, that Poppy's naughtiest mood was conquered by them sooner
than by any punishment; and Poppy kept the notes carefully in a little
cover, even after she was grown up. There was pen, ink, and paper in the
room; so, after various trials, Poppy wrote her note:--

"dear Mamma.

"i am sorry i Took bernys