Aunt Madge's Story

Sophie May is a pseudonym of Rebecca Sophia Clarke 1833-1906 Smilie/Smiley spelled two ways: used Smiley.] LITTLE PRUDY'S FLYAWAY SERIES. AUNT MADGE'S STORY. BY SOPHIE MAY, AUTHOR OF "LITTLE PRUDY STORIES," "DOTTY DIMPLE STORIES," ETC. ILLUSTRATED. BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM. 1874. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, BY LEE AND SHEPARD, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Electrotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry, No. 19 Spring Lane. LITTLE PRUDY'S FLYAWAY SERIES. TO BE COMPLETED IN SIX VOLS. 1. LITTLE FOLKS ASTRAY. 2. PRUDY KEEPING HOUSE. 3. AUNT MADGE'S STORY. (Others in preparation.) AUNT MADGE'S STORY. CONTENTS. Parasol. 38 School. 87 Lie-Girl. 108 122 Kittens. 188 By. 199 AUNT MADGE'S STORY. TOTTY-WAX. Here you sit, Horace, Prudy, Dotty, and Flyaway, all waiting for a story. How shall I begin? I cannot remember the events of my life in right order, so I shall have to tell them as they come into my mind. Let us see. To go back to the long, long summer, when I was a child: There once lived and moved a little try-patience, called Margaret Parlin; no more nor less a personage than myself, your affectionate auntie, and very humble servant. I was as restless a baby as ever sat on a papa's knee and was trotted to "Boston." When I cried, my womanly sister 'Ria, seven years old, thought I was very silly; and my brother Ned, aged four, said, "Div her a pill; I would!" He thought pills would cure naughtiness. If so, I ought to have swallowed some. Pity they didn't "div" me a whole box full before I began to creep; for I crept straight into mischief. Aunt Persis, a very proper woman, with glittering black eyes, was more shocked by me than words can tell. She said your grandma "spoiled me by baby-talk; it was very wrong to let little ones hear baby-talk. If she had had the care of me she would have taught me grammar from the cradle." No doubt of it; but unfortunately I had to grow up with my own father and mother, and ever so many other folks, who were not half as wise as Aunt Persis. They called me Marg'et, Maggie, Marjie, Madge; and your grandpa's pet name was Totty-wax; only, if I joggled the floor when he shaved, it was…