Chapter XXIII. Pomp Takes Mrs. Payson Prisoner

by Horatio Alger

　　Old Mrs. Payson, who arrived in Rossville at the same time withHenry Morton, had been invited by her daughter, "Cynthy Ann," topass the winter, and had acquiesced without making any verystrenuous objections. Her "bunnit," which she had looked upon as"sp'ilt," had been so far restored by a skilful milliner that shewas able to wear it for best. As this restoration cost but onedollar and a half out of the five which had been given her byyoung Morton, she felt very well satisfied with the way mattershad turned out. This did not, however, by any means diminish herrancor against Pomp, who had been the mischievous cause of thecalamity."Ef I could only get hold on him," Mrs. Payson had remarked onseveral occasions to Cynthy Ann, "I'd shake the mischief out ofhim, ef I died for't the very next minute."Mrs. Payson was destined to meet with a second calamity, whichincreased, if possible, her antipathy to the "young imp."Being of a social disposition, she was quite in the habit ofdropping in to tea at different homes in the village. Havingformerly lived in Rossville, she was acquainted with nearly allthe townspeople, and went the rounds about once in two weeks.One afternoon she put her knitting into a black work-bag, whichshe was accustomed to carry on her arm, and, arraying herself ina green cloak and hood, which had served her for fifteen years,she set out to call on Mrs. Thompson.Now, the nearest route to the place of her destination lay acrossa five-acre lot. The snow lay deep upon the ground, but the outersurface had become so hard as, without difficulty, to bear aperson of ordinary weight.When Mrs. Payson came up to the bars, she said to herself, "'Tain't so fur to go across lots. I guess I'll ventur'."She let down a bar and, passing through, went on her waycomplacently. But, alas, for the old lady's peace of mind! Shewas destined to come to very deep grief.That very afternoon Pomp had come over to play with Sam Thompson,and the two, after devising various projects of amusement, haddetermined to make a cave in the snow. They selected a part ofthe field where it had drifted to the depth of some four or fivefeet. Beginning at a little distance, they burrowed their wayinto the heart of the snow, and excavated a place about four feetsquare by four deep, leaving the upper crust intact, of course,without its ordinary strength.The two boys had completed their task, and were siting down intheir subterranean abode, when the roof suddenly gave way, and avisitor entered in the most unceremonious manner.The old lady had kept on her way unsuspiciously, using as a canea faded blue umbrella, which she carried invariably, whatever theweather.When Mrs. Payson felt herself sinking, she uttered a loud shriekand waved her arms aloft, brandishing her umbrella in a franticway. She was plunged up to her armpits in the snow, and was, ofcourse, placed in a very unfavorable position for extricatingherself.The two boys were at first nearly smothered by the descent ofsnow, but when the first surprise was over they recognized theirprisoner. I am ashamed to say that their feeling was that ofunbounded delight, and they burst into a roar of laughter. Thesound, indistinctly heard, terrified the old lady beyond measure,and she struggled frantically to escape, nearly poking out Pomp'seye with the point of her umbrella. "Pomp, always prompt to repel aggression, in return, pinched herfoot."Massy sakes! Where am I?" ejaculated the affrighted old lady."There's some wild crittur down there. Oh, Cynthy Ann, ef youcould see your marm at this moment!"She made another vigorous flounder, and managed to kick Sam inthe face. Partly as a measure of self-defense, he seized herankle firmly."He's got hold of me!" shrieked the old lady "Help! help! I shallbe murdered."Her struggles became so energetic that the boys soon found itexpedient to evacuate the premises. They crawled out by thepassage they had made, and appeared on the surface of the snow.The old lady presented a ludicrous appearance. Her hood hadslipped off, her spectacles were resting on the end of her nose,and she had lost her work-bag. But she clung with the mostdesperate energy to the umbrella, on which apparently dependedher sole hope of deliverance."Hi yah!" laughed Pomp, as he threw himself back on the snow andbegan to roll about in an ecstasy of delight.Instantly Mrs. Payson's apprehensions changed to furious anger."So it's you, you little varmint, that's done this. Jest le' meget out, and I'll whip you so you can't stan'. See ef I don't.""You can't get out, missus; yah, yah!" laughed Pomp. "You's tied,you is, missus.""Come an' help me out, this minute!" exclaimed the old lady,stamping her foot."Lor', missus, you'll whip me. You said you would.""So I will, I vum," retorted the irate old lady, ratherundiplomatically. "As true as I live, I'll whip you till youcan't stan'."As she spoke, she brandished her umbrella in a menacing manner."Den, missus, I guess you'd better stay where you is.""Oh, you imp. See ef I don't have you put in jail. Here, you, SamThompson, come and help me out. Ef you don't, I'll tell yourmother, an' she'll give you the wust lickin' you ever had. I'msurprised at you.""You won't tell on me, will you?" said Sam, irresolutely."I'll see about it," said the old lady, in a politic tone.She felt her powerlessness, and that concession must precedevictory."Then, give me the umbrella," said Sam, who evidently distrustedher."You'll run off with it," said Mrs. Payson suspiciously."No, I won't.""Well, there 'tis.""Come here, Pomp, and help me," said Sam.Pomp held aloof."She'll whip me," he said, shaking his head. "She's an olddebble.""Oh, you--you sarpint!" ejaculated the old lady, almostspeechless with indignation."You can run away as soon as she gets out," suggested Sam.Pomp advanced slowly and warily, rolling his eyes in indecision."Jest catch hold of my hands, both on ye," said Mrs. Payson, "an'I'll give a jump."These directions were followed, and the old lady rose to thesurface, when, in an evil hour, intent upon avenging herself uponPomp, she made a clutch for his collar. In doing so she lost herfooting and fell back into the pilt from which she had justemerged. Her spectacles dropped off and, falling beneath her,were broken.She rose, half-provoked and half-ashamed of her futile attempt.It was natural that neither of these circumstances should effectan improvement in her temper."You did it a purpose," she said, shaking her fist at Pomp, whostood about a rod off, grinning at her discomfiture. "There, I'vegone an' broke my specs, that I bought two years ago, come fall,of a pedler. I'll make you pay for 'em.""Lor', missus, I ain't got no money," said Pomp. "Nebber hadnone."Unfortunately for the old lady, it was altogether probable thatPomp spoke the truth this time."Three and sixpence gone!" groaned Mrs. Payson. "Fust my bunnit,an' then my specs. I'm the most unfort'nit' crittur. Why don'tyou help me, Sam Thompson, instead of standin' and gawkin' atme?" she suddenly exclaimed, glaring at Sam."I didn't know as you was ready," said Sam. "You might have beenout before this, ef you hadn't let go. Here, Pomp, lend a hand."Pomp shook his head decisively."Don't catch dis chile again," he said. "I'm goin' home. Olewoman wants to lick me."Sam endeavored to persuade Pomp, but he was deaf to persuasion.He squatted down on the snow, and watched the efforts hiscompanion made to extricate the old lady. When she was nearly outhe started on a run, and was at a safe distance before Mrs.Payson was in a situation to pursue him.The old lady shook herself to make sure that no bones werebroken. Next, she sent Sam down into the hole to pick up her bag,and then, finding, on a careful examination, that she hadrecovered everything, even to the blue umbrella, fetched theastonished Sam a rousing box on the ear."What did you do that for?" he demanded in an aggrieved tone." 'Taint half as much as you deserve," said the old lady. "I'mgoin' to your house right off, to tell your mother what you'vebeen a-doin'. Ef you was my child, I'd beat you black and blue.""I wish I'd left you down there," muttered Sam."What's that?" demanded Mrs. Payson sharply. "Don't you go tobein' sassy. It'll be the wuss for ye. You'll come to the gallowssome time, ef you don't mind your p's and q's. I might 'avestayed there till I died, an' then you'd have been hung.""What are, you jawing about?" retorted Sam. "How could I know youwas comin'?""You know'd it well enough," returned the old lady. "You'll bringyour mother's gray hairs with sorrer to the grave.""She ain't got any gray hairs," said Sam doggedly."Well, she will have some, ef she lives long enough. I onceknow'd a boy just like you, an' he was put in jail for stealin'.""I ain't a-goin to stay and be jawed that way," said Sam. "Youwon't catch me pulling you out of a hole again. I wouldn't haveyou for a grandmother for all the world. Tom Baldwin told me,only yesterday, that you was always a-hectorin' him."Tom Baldwin was the son of Cynthy Ann, and consequently old Mrs.Payson's grandson."Did Tom Baldwin tell you that?" demanded the old lady abruptly,looking deeply incensed."Yes, he did.""Well, he's the ungratefullest cub that I ever sot eyes on,"exclaimed his indignant grandmother. "Arter all I've done forhim. I'm knittin' a pair of socks for him this blessed minute.But he sha'n't have 'em. I'll give 'em to the soldiers, I vum.Did he say anything else?""Yes, he said he should be glad when you were gone.""I'll go right home and tell Cynthy Ann," exclaimed Mrs. Payson,"an' if she don't w'ip him I will. I never see such a bad set ofboys as is growin' up. There ain't one on 'em that isn't as fullof mischief as a nut is of meat. I'll come up with them, as trueas I live."Full of her indignation, Mrs. Payson gave up her proposed call onMrs. Thompson, and, turning about, hurried home to lay hercomplaint before Cynthy Ann."I'm glad she's gone," said Sam, looking after her, as withresolute steps she trudged along, punching the snow vigorouslywith the point of her blue cotton umbrella. "I pity Tom Baldwin;if I had such a grandmother as that, I'd run away to sea. That'sso!"