" 'It 's as provoking as Aunt Betsey herself,' said Nelly, as we sat down, out of breath.
" 'If wishing would do any good, I should wish 'em in my lap at once,' added Nelly.
You proposed getting the plums, now let 's see you do it,' answered Nelly, rather crossly, for she had bitten the green plum, and it puckered her mouth.
Nelly looked up, and stared, and laughed, and clapped her hands when she saw what I was going to do.
"Hurrah!" cried Nelly, dancing down below, as my first shake sent a dozen plums rattling round her.
Nelly thought I was killed, and began to cry with her mouth full.
Nelly got stung by a wasp, my head began to ache, and we sat looking at one another rather dismally, when Nelly had a bright idea.
"'There 's too much juice,' said Nelly, shaking her head wisely.
"So Nelly got a bowl, and I got a towel and lifted the big saucepan carefully off.
Nelly, seeing me lie white and weak, thought I was dying, and went over to the neighbor's for Aunt Betsey, and burst in upon the old ladies sitting primly at, their tea, crying, distractedly, " 'Oh, Aunt Betsey, come quick!
"We had plums enough that autumn, but did n't seem to care much about them, after all, for our prank became a household joke, and, for years, we never saw the fruit, but Nelly would look at me with a funny face, and whisper, 'Purple stockings, Fan!' "