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 did n'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 gelli . i have braked The lamP . The oyl maks A bad smel . i tHink i wil Bee sik iF i stay HeRe anny More . i LoVe yoU -- your Trying To Bee GooD popy . '' When she had finished , she lowered her note by a string , and bobbed it up and down before the parlor window till Nelly saw and took it in . Every one laughed over it ; for , besides the bad spelling and the funny periods , it was covered with oil-spots , blots , and tear marks ; for Poppy got tender-hearted toward the end , and cried a few very repentant tears when she said , `` I love you ; your trying-to-be-good Poppy . '' Mamma went up at once , and ordered no further punishment , but a thorough scrubbing ; which Poppy underwent very meekly , though Betsey put soap in her eyes , pulled her hair , and scolded all the time . They were not allowed any jelly for a long while ; and Cy teased Poppy about her hair-oil till the joke was quite worn out , and even cross Burney was satisfied with the atonement . When Poppy was eight , she got so very wild that no one could manage her but mamma , and she was ill ; so Poppy was sent away to grandpa 's for a visit . Now , grandpa was a very stately old gentleman , and every one treated him with great respect ; but Poppy was n't at all afraid , and asked all manner of impolite questions . `` Grandpa , why do n't you have any hair on the top of your head ? '' -- `` O grandpa ! you do snore so loud when you take naps ! '' -- `` What makes you turn out your feet so , when you walk ? '' and such things .
If XXXXX had n't been the best-natured old gentleman in the world , he would n't have liked this : but he only laughed at Poppy , especially when she spoke of his legs ; for he was rather proud of them , and always wore long black silk stockings , and told every one that the legs were so handsome an artist put them in a picture of General Washington ; which was quite true , as any one may see when they look at the famous picture in Boston .
Betsey Burney Cy Nelly Poppy grandpa pinafore popy smel trying-to-be-good