Poppy was dreadfully sick all night , but next day was ready for more adventures and experiments . She swung on the garret stairs , and tumbled down , nearly breaking her neck . She rubbed her eyes with red peppers , to see if it really would make them smart , as Cy said ; and was led home quite blind and roaring with pain . She got into the pigsty to catch a young piggy , and was taken out in a sad state of dirt . She slipped into the brook , and was half drowned ; broke a window and her own head , swinging a little flat-iron on a string ; dropped baby in the coal-hod ; buried her doll , and spoilt her ; cut off a bit of her finger , chopping wood ; and broke a tooth , trying to turn heels over head on a haycock . These are only a few of her pranks , but one was nearly her last . She wanted to go bare-footed , as the little country boys and girls did ; but mamma was n't willing , and Poppy was much afflicted . `` It does n't hurt Cy , and it wo n't hurt me , just for a little while , '' she said . `` Say no more , Poppy . I never wish to see you barefooted , '' replied mamma . `` Well , you need n't : I 'll go and do it in the barn , '' muttered Poppy , as she walked away . Into the barn she went , and played country girl to her heart 's content , in spite of Nelly 's warnings . Nelly never got into scrapes , being a highly virtuous young lady ; but she enjoyed Poppy 's pranks , and wept over her misfortunes with sisterly fidelity . `` Now I 'll be a bear , and jump at you as you go by , '' said Poppy , when they were tired of playing steam-engine with the old winnowing machine . So she got up on a beam ; and Nelly , with a peck measure on her head for a hat , and a stick for a gun , went bear-hunting , and banged away at the swallows , the barrels , and the hencoops , till the bear was ready to eat her . Presently , with a loud roar , the bear leaped ; but Nelly was n't eaten that time , for Poppy cried out with pain : `` Oh ! I jumped on a pitchfork , and it 's in my foot ! Take it out ! take it out ! '' Poor little foot !
There was a deep purple hole in the sole , and the blood came , and Poppy fainted away , and XXXXX screamed , and mamma ran , and the neighbors rushed in , and there was such a flurry .
Cy Nelly Poppy coal-hod drowned flat-iron hencoops pigsty steam-engine winnowing