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The Little Nightcap Letters
The Little Nightcap Letters
NIGHTCAP LETTER No. 2 FROM AUNT FANNY
You little darling:
What do you think happened the other day? why, a lady came to see me, bringing with her just about the dearest little Kitty that ever lived. Not a Kitty with whiskers, and four paws, and a fur coat, but a sweet little girl named Kitty, with lovely blue eyes, a great many soft brown curls, and the same number of sweet rosy lips that you have. How many is that, I should like to know? I had never seen the lady, or the little girl before, and of course I did not know their names until afterwards. So I bowed, and smiled, and looked as pleasant as ever I could.
Then Kitty said in a sweet trembling voice – "Is you Aunt Fanny?"
I laughed a little bit, and answered, "Yes, dear."
What happened then? Why in a moment she ran up to me, climbed upon a chair close by, – threw her arms around my neck, and gave me such a precious little smothering hug, and so many sweet kisses, with her soft face pressed with all her might upon my cheek, that I almost lost my breath, and was perfectly astonished, as well as delighted.
Then the little girl said: "Oh thank you, dear Aunt Fanny, twenty-ten times, for my Baby Nightcaps! I love them! I love you! I love you dreadfully!" Oh! how glad I was to hear that! I was glad "twenty-ten" times. It was sweeter to me, than a whole basket full of sugar candies would be to you – and I kissed her on both her round dimpled cheeks, and sat down, and took her on my lap, and hugged her to my heart, and said – "what a darling! what a dear little thing!"
Then I looked at the lady. She was laughing and blushing, and I was laughing and blushing, and the little girl was laughing and blushing. Don't you think we three were having a very funny kind of time? I did.
At last the lady said: "I hope you will excuse me for bringing Kitty to see you; but she begged so hard for 'just one little look at Aunt Fanny,' I could not bear to refuse her. I am afraid she has taken a great deal more than 'one little look.' I hope she has not kissed a piece out of your cheek?"
At this, Kitty looked up in great alarm at my cheek – but seeing that it was not bleeding, and had no hole in it, she patted it softly with her little tender dimpled hand, and said: "Aunt Fanny, Aunt Fanny," in a little speck of a whisper to herself a great many times.
Then I said: "I am so glad to know that you were pleased with Baby Nightcaps. Would you like me to ask poor lame Charley's mother for more?"