way to his business, and her mother had
begun to make preserves in the kitchen, she went down cellar, into the
wash-room, and began to tease Norah. Norah, who was fond of the child,
and in general very good-natured, was not in a mood this morning to be
trifled with.

"Indeed, Miss Flippet," said she, indignantly, "I shall put up with no
more of your pranks! It's not your sister Prudy who would go to hidin'
my soap, and me in a hurry!"

"She likes Prudy best. I always knew she did, and everybody else,"
thought Dotty, wrathfully,--"everybody else but me!"

And the temper which had been smouldering all the morning blazed up
hotly.

"Call me Miss Flippet again, if you dare!" cried she, with battle-fires
in her eyes. "What you s'pose the mayor'll do to you, miss? He'll put
you in the lockup--yes, he will!"

At this foolish speech Norah's mouth assumed a mocking smile, which
added live coals to Dotty's wrath.

"You mizzable Cath'lic girl! You--you--you--"

Words were choked in the smoke and flame of her anger. I mean to say
that dreadful "lion," which had not come out in his full strength for
years, suddenly sprang up, and shook his mane. Dotty could not speak.
She lost her reason. Her head was on fire. Her hands and feet began to
fly out. She danced up and down. Her terrific screams brought her mother
down in haste, to see what was the matter. Dotty's face was crimson; her
eyes shining fiercely; her voice hoarse from screaming.

"Indeed, ma'am," said Norah, really alarmed, "I've no means of knowing
what's put her in such a way, ma'am."

"She called me everything!" cried Dotty, getting her voice again. "I was
Miss Flippet! I was all the wicked girls in this town!"

Norah looked a little mortified. She knew her mistress was very
"particular," and did not allow any one in her house to "call names."
But just now Mrs. Parlin had no time to give Norah a mild reproof, her
whole attention being devoted to the half-insane Dotty, whose most
unusual exhibition of temper filled her with dreadful apprehensions.

"Alas," thought the good mother, "is this child going to live over again
those dreadful days of her babyhood? The Lord give me wisdom to know
what to do with her!"

Mrs. Parlin soon succeeded in quieting the turbulent Dotty; and deep
silence fell upon the wash-room.

"My dear little girl," said she, very gently, "I desire you to spend the
rest of the morning alone. You need not talk or play with either of your
si