MISS OLLIE’S COW
By Libby A. Smith
Sister Rose’s "Preparation School for Young Ladies
Awaiting Marriage" ranked among the very finest. Some
ill-advised individuals claimed the designation didn’t
mean much considering it was the only boarding school
for young ladies in the region. Nevertheless, when a
girl’s behavior broached the limits of societal
acceptability or, even worse, a girl seemed doomed to
become an old maid, she’d find herself enrolled at
Sister Rose’s to learn housekeeping and religion. After
all, the locals as well as Sister Rose believed, those
two subjects covered all a woman needed to know for a
happy, rewarding life.
All the young ladies at Sister Rose’s school were of
marrying age except for Susie who’d seen eight years,
more or less. No one knew exactly how old Susie was or
much about her origins. Sister Rose simply appeared in
Plattsville one day carrying a baby wrapped in a faded
pink blanket. She explained she planned on raising the
poor orphan as any decent Christian would. Over the
years, she made sure the child remained clean, nicely
but sensibly clothed, and well fed. Now that Susie had
been taught to read by Sister Rose, there’d be no public
schooling confusing the child’s mind. Instead, Sister
Rose sent her to Pastor Richard several days a week for
private instruction.
Never were two equally religious individuals so
different from each other. Yet, as long as Susie could
remember, Sister Rose and Pastor Richards fought against
a common foe – the local brothel. Only the customers
seemed to know the location, and they weren’t talking.
Even the sheriff and all his deputies hit nothing but
dead ends investigating the case.
Susie knew that Pastor Richards helped all he could.
Whenever a wife or girlfriend approached him with
suspicions of her husband’s or boyfriend’s activities,
he suggested they send their beaus straight to Sister
Rose’s evening men’s Bible study. The men usually
cooperated, though the number of sinners grew every day.
Of course Susie didn’t even know what "brothel" meant,
and the men she’d met seemed nice enough. Still, if a
man found himself corrupted by sin of any kind, Susie
had faith Sister Rose would purge him clean.
Although Susie, by her inborn nature, normally tried
to be an honest and obedient child, thankful for Sister
Rose’s kind care, there were days she dallied on her way
to Pastor Richards’ country home. Such was a fine spring
day after a long, hard winter when Susie decided that
visiting a lonely, old neighbor woman would be as
Christian an act as studying the Good Book. Besides,
Miss Ollie did always seem to have cookies or a piece of
cake waiting for young visitors.
When Susie arrived at the farm, she found herself
more than a bit concerned to see Miss Ollie’s plow
standing in the field unattended. All the other farmers
were taking advantage of the lovely weather by preparing
the ground for planting. The townspeople called Miss
Ollie many names, but Susie had never heard her called
"lazy."
The rather chubby – to even think "fat" would be
impolite – gray-haired woman soon waved at her from the
barn. Susie felt the knot of fear wash away from her
tummy. Wasting no time, she broke into an unladylike
run. "Miss Ollie!" Susie called. "Where’s your cow?"
"Now that’s a sad story child," Miss Ollie said
leisurely, no hint of trouble in her voice. She placed a
black robe colorfully printed with multicolored stars a
rusty nail attached to the wall. "One day last winter I
set out to do my chores. I reckon I can tolerate
skipping a meal or two, but I can’t abide by my critter
doing the same. Anyways, let me tell you, the cold bit
through a body so fiercely that every time I tried to
speak to my poor old cow, the words just froze and fell
right to the ground. You know how I like to rattle on.
Made quite a mess. Well child, curiosity got the best of
me so I brought a bunch of them frozen words right
inside my home to thaw by the fire. They thawed alright,
like a snowman on a summer’s day, and you ain’t never
heard such a racket! Such a loud calamity of words that
even clear out in the barn the cow got spooked and tried
to jump her stall. Never being exactly a graceful
creature, bless her heart, she broke her neck. Poor
thing, reckon she was just trying to find some peace and
quiet. Sad, that’s the truth of it, but I sure had me
some mighty fine roast beef that week!"
Susie grieved for the woman’s loss even if roast beef
did sound like a fine meal for the dead of winter. "How
are you going to plow without a cow?"
"To be truthful with you, child," Miss Ollie said,
placing a work roughen-hand on top of Susie’s head, "I’m
fixin’ to go call up Barthy and see if he’s of a notion
to locate me another one. That’s all I can do, with cash
money being scarcer than a good-natured rattlesnake."
Susie pulled away, involuntarily hugging her Bible.
Everyone everywhere knew Miss Ollie came from a long
line of conjurors, but Sister Rose always made a big
to-do about warning Susie such practices were of the
Devil himself. Strangely, though, Pastor Richards, who
constantly praised Sister Rose’s work, said that Miss
Ollie was harmless. He argued that God chose to gift
Miss Ollie with special powers.
"Would you like to watch?" Miss Ollie asked, pulling
open the trap door that led to the barn’s cellar.
The offer put Susie in one fine bind. She shuddered
with fear at the very thought of witnessing such a
questionable activity. Still, it’d be rude to leave so
soon after arriving. Besides, Susie decided, what harm
would merely watching do? "Yes, ma’am, seeing as you’re
so nice to invite me. But I gotta be honest," she
uttered, staring down at her bare, dirt-browned feet.
"Sister Rose’ll have my hide proper if she finds out."
Miss Ollie snorted. "Now I don’t see how what Sister
Rose don’t know will hurt you."
Susie shrugged and followed the woman down the steep,
stone stairs after slipping the Bible into the big
pocket of her apron. Maybe that’d hide the sinful act to
come from God. Settling down on a small stool in the
corner, she watched while Miss Ollie lit the
half-used-up candles in the cobweb-covered holders
mounted on the wall. Then the woman stood in the center
of the room, waving her hands and muttering some
mutterings Susie couldn’t understand no matter how hard
she studied on them. A puff of dark, thick smoke filled
the far wall. When it cleared, there floated Barthy.
Barthy had to be the ugliest thing Susie ever hoped
to lay eyes on. The candle light reflected off his
shiny, slimy, purple skin. Little piggy-type yellow eyes
stared out on each side of a nose that looked like a
bumpy sweet potato. To top it all off, green warts of
various sizes covered his entire, naked body.
"What the hell do you want?" he snapped. Susie gasped
at the curse word, fighting the urge to cover her ears
since she really didn’t want to miss anything. Quite
obviously, demons did not like to be bothered.
"I’m needing me a good, strong cow," Miss Ollie
stated matter-of-factly, as if she was merely ordering a
sack of flour from the grocer.
"I don’t do … cows. Conjure it yourself."
"You know Great Uncle Peter died before he got around
to learning me anything but calling you up," she
answered in a tone as sharp as Barthy’s. Susie knew from
past experience nothing riled Miss Ollie more than
mention of her uncle who’d raised her from a baby.
Plattsville old-timers said Peter had been a first rate
conjuror, one of the best. Although he’d left Miss Ollie
shelves and shelves of books on spells along with
hundreds of jars of potions and herbs, he’d never gotten
around to teaching her to read. Miss Ollie’s entire
inheritance turned out to be useless since no one had
the gumption to touch the books in order to read them to
her.
"Truth is, a cow’s a bit much," Barthy said. A dark
line of tobacco-colored drool began slithering from his
mouth.
"And just why in my bloomers is that?" Miss Ollie
snapped.
"Because I’ve never heard of them."
Miss Ollie’s mouth fell open. She stammered and
stuttered, snorted and even stomped a little. "Wwwwwell,
I guess they ain’t much use where you come from," she
finally murmured.
"Excuse me," Susie said hesitantly. She waited until
Miss Ollie acknowledged her with a glance before
continuing, to make sure her advice was welcome.
"Speak up, child!"
"Maybe he could be of help if you told him what a cow
looked like," Susie suggested.
"Now that’s a practical idea," Miss Ollie agreed,
slapping her knee in joy. "Let’s see – they’ve got
horns, tails with a tuft of hair at the very tip and…
and… and…"
"Split-type hooves," Susie added eagerly.
Barthy drew in a deep breath, taking some of the
remaining smoke in with the air. "I’ll see what I can
cook up," he said. He disappeared in a splattering of
sparks that lit the room up like a bunch of fireworks
dropped into an outhouse.
Miss Ollie turned, smiling at Susie. She clasped her
hands in front of her ample belly. "What do you think of
that?"
"Not to be rude or nothing like that, but I think you
need a brighter demon," Susie answered as gently as the
remark let her. "He doesn’t have the sense of a hungry
hog in a corn crib."
"I agree with you there child. There, ain’t much I
can do about it though."
Before Susie could continue the conversation, another
puff of smoke appeared against the wall. This time when
the haze started clearing, there stood a critter of
unbelievable beauty, as if sent from Heaven. The
animal’s silvery mane flowed in waves against pure white
fur and just like Miss Ollie had described to her demon,
it had split hooves. Its back barely reached to Susie’s
waist despite her being considered small. Most
remarkably of all, a single golden horn that sparkled in
the candlelight grew from the middle of its forehead.
Susie signed as she reassessed her opinion of Barthy.
Surely Devil’s spawn could not have brought forth such a
masterpiece.
"That stupid demon!" Miss Ollie screamed like a
rabbit with a beagle-dog holding on to its back leg. "He
sent me a jackass! A useless, puny little albino
jackass!"
"Not to be disrespectful," Susie said, "but I don’t
think that’s a donkey, Miss Ollie. Looks like a unicorn
such as I’ve seen in a book over to the preacher’s
house."
Miss Ollie glared at her as if she thought Susie had
gone tetched in the head. "Do you need spectacles,
child? That critter’s got nothing to do with corn ‘cept
perhaps cottoning to stealing an ear now and again."
Susie shook her head, beginning to wonder if Miss
Ollie had a few issues. "A unicorn’s a critter from the
time of knights and the Holy Crusades and fair maidens!
Or leastwise that’s what the preacher says. There’s even
a mention of them in the Good Book."
"That so?"
Susie nodded. "Or so I recollect."
Miss Ollie scratched between her double chins,
looking thoughtfully at the unicorn. "Well, you know the
Bible better’n I ever will, so I’ll take your word on
it." As she spoke, the unicorn took a few tentative
steps toward Miss Ollie. It, or rather "he," Susie
noted, sniffed the air, then put his head against Miss
Ollie’s belly. He seemed to be taking special care not
to let his horn stab her. Susie got up and hesitantly
went over to pet the unicorn herself. She didn’t quite
want to touch an animal that, despite his angelic
appearance, allegedly came from the place of fire and
brimstone.
"Snowbritches here is certainly too puny to plow
with," Miss Ollie commented. "Did them ancient people in
Bible-times ever eat this sort of critter?"
"You can’t eat him!" Susie cried, all intentions of
good manners forgotten. She wrapped her arms around the
unicorn’s neck.
Miss Ollie sighed, shaking her head slowly. "Can’t
rightly keep an animal less he can do some sort of work.
I guess I could try to sell him in town. Hmmm, not a bad
idea cause I could use the money to buy a proper cow.
Always been partial to cows over jackasses. Easier to
milk. ‘Sides, this here critter is a boy."
As much as Susie was beginning to think Miss Ollie
should keep the unicorn, she stayed silent. Being a
practical woman by nature, Miss Ollie didn’t like
frivolous things, and she would be needing an animal
large enough to pull her plow. Otherwise, she’d go
hungry.
"Now hand me that rope hanging on the wall over
there," Miss Ollie said, pointing to a spot behind
Susie. "We’ll have to drag his sorry rump-end up the
stairs. I reckon I should’ve had Barthy poof him up
there in the first place. Hindsight isn’t foresight,
that’s for sure."
After Susie handed Miss Ollie the rope, the woman
held it up to Snowybritches. He sniffed it while eyeing
it like he was giving it a good studying. His eyes
crossed as he started nibbling on one end while Miss
Ollie tied the other into a loop. When she tried to put
the rope over his head, he reared, making a noise that
sounded like air escaping from a balloon or something
even ruder.
Susie hadn’t seen Barthy conjure up any other animal,
but common sense led her to reason that an animal might
be a mite confused after being popped to life suddenly.
Locals told a story that Great Uncle Pete once conjured
up a cat to rid his barn of rats. The cat did his job as
cats are prone to do, then met his end when he took a
porcupine as a girlfriend. Even that memorable tale
didn’t prepare her for Snowybritches’ little tricks.
She helped Miss Ollie chase the unicorn around the
cellar for nigh on one hour. Before they were through,
dust was nearly as thick as Barthy’s putrid smoke.
Several times Susie managed to get her arms around his
neck, but he worked up such a sweat he was slicker than
a greased pig wallowing through an oil pit. They even
tried hiding the rope in hopes he’d calm himself down.
This worked to an extent. He’d stop and let them pet him
before the sight of the rope being retrieved would begin
the chase anew.
Finally Miss Ollie stopped. Leaning against the wall,
her breathing sounded like a steam locomotive chugging
up a steep mountain. "Child, run up to the house and
fetch a towel from my linen chest," she managed to say
between gulps of air. "Maybe if we blindfold him, we can
get that rope around his no-good-for-nothing neck!"
Eager to be of help, Susie ran up the stairs two
steps at a time. Snowybritches trotted up after her.
****
Susie knew that going into town with Miss Ollie
risked her tender backside. Sister Rose’s followers were
a loyal bunch, especially the men who often went to the
school for Bible Study in the evenings. They’d feel it
their duty to report Susie’s doings, not-to-mention her
choice of companion. But Susie didn’t care about her
fate, she simply wanted to make sure her unicorn found a
decent, happy home.
When the two first walked into town with the unicorn
tagging alongside, there weren’t many people about. The
few who noticed them stopped and stared at the
single-horned critter, no doubt struck by Snowybritches’
beauty, Susie decided, holding her head up proudly. She
quickly learned the truth of the adage "pride goeth
before a fall" when she tripped over a rock. Only Miss
Ollie grabbing her arm prevented Susie from getting a
pair of skinned knees.
"We’ll be needing a bigger crowd than this iffen I’m
to get a decent price," Miss Ollie grumbled.
Keeping her nose out of the air and stepping more
carefully, Susie followed Miss Ollie to a small stage
near the town school. She knew the platform well, since
Sister Rose often preached from it on Saturday mornings.
Other times, traveling medicine men and merchants used
it to sell their wares. The town folk were conditioned
to gather round when anyone took the stage, and this
time the schoolchildren led the rush. Many of them
carried their sandwiches and apples, willing to miss
their lunchtime games for a bit of entertainment.
A tall, gangly boy by the name of Tommy Wilkens
reached the stage first. "Sure is a funny looking burro,
Miss Ollie."
"Ain’t no burro, stupid," snapped a red-haired girl
Susie didn’t know. "That’s a goat ever I’ve seen one."
"Then you ain’t never seen one," Tommy retorted.
"Now, now," Pastor Richards said. He stood among the
growing number of adults. "I came to town seeking my
young pupil and find, if I’m not mistaken, a unicorn!"
He stepped up on stage next to Miss Ollie. "I sure hope
you haven’t been conjuring again. Don’t you recall what
happened the last time you delved into your magic?
Plattsville was overrun with horseflies!"
"Well, now, as I remember it, Mr. Hawthorne asked me
to do something about his lack of luck breeding horses
over to his ranch. Horseflies, horses – how was I to
know a little slipup and things would go afoul?"
Pastor Richards laughed good-naturedly, patting Miss
Ollie on the back. "All I got to add is that you’re
lucky he chose molasses instead of tar. A might
stickier, but less likely to burn, when you get right
down to it."
"Reckon you’re right," Miss Ollie agreed. "Still, it
took me nigh on a month to get the feathers out of my
hair."
Susie laughed along with everyone else, although such
jolly-notions at another’s misfortune struck her as a
bit naughty. She also didn’t understand the preacher’s
tolerance of Miss Ollie while still maintaining such a
friendship with Sister Rose. Miss Ollie she could almost
understand, as they both laughed easily and were
downright friendly to one and all. Sister Rose, though,
was a minnow in a goldfish pond. Although Susie loved
her guardian, the woman could be a bit strict at times,
unlike the preacher.
"Say, what’s going on?" an acne-faced adolescent boy
said over the crowd’s laughter. He pushed himself
through the still-growing mass of people with pretty
Tammy Smithers in tow. "That’s sure a strange looking
creature."
"He’s for sale," Miss Ollie mentioned.
Susie bit her lower lip to keep from shouting, "but
not to the likes of you!"
"I think he’s pretty!" Tammy exclaimed, reaching out
to pet him.
Susie watched with wide eyes as Snowybritches sniffed
the air, snorted, pawed the wooden platform and finally
jumped at Tammy.
Tammy and the boy were already running when the
unicorn hit the ground. Almost everyone in the crowd
screamed until they realized that Snowybritches targeted
only the teenagers. As chaos erupted around her, Susie
stood her ground. Squeezing her eyes shut, she said a
silent prayer to have her sins forgiven, since she found
the whole scene terribly funny.
"The legend must be true!" she heard Pastor Richards
say. "I’ve heard tell that unicorns only like the pure
of heart, the virgins."
"Then why in my great-uncle’s trousers didn’t he
charge all them adults standing in the back?" Miss Ollie
asked.
"They didn’t try to touch him I guess. Or maybe
because they’re married and thus not fornicating in sin.
The Lord works in mysterious ways."
"Humph," Miss Ollie grunted. "I’d like Him to be a
little less mysterious and let demons know what a proper
cow looks like. This critter ain’t nothing but a
pretty-as-a-picture piece of four-legged, horny-headed
trouble."
After chasing the two lovers up a nearby tree,
Snowybritches came back to Susie. She petted the
unicorn, glancing at Miss Ollie. A scowl wrinkled the
woman’s face. Susie feared Miss Ollie was about to
decide the unicorn was too mean for anything but a
thick, medium-rare steak.
"I’ve got an idea creeping into my noggin," Pastor
Richards said, slapping his right thigh. Then he
whispered so the lingering crowd couldn’t hear. "We
might be able to use this animal to find the house of
sinners. I could take him around to every dwelling in
town letting people pet him. We’re bound to get a few
false alarms, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to try."
"Well, seeing as that whorehouse ain’t bothering me
in the least, I’ll still have to ask you for a price,"
Miss Ollie said. "Let’s say… one good cow. Big enough
for plowing, gentle enough for my morning cream."
"Done! I’ll bring it around tonight. Let me discuss
my plan with the sheriff, so he can get ready to house
some, uhr, ladies."
Susie lowered herself onto the stage. There she sat
cross-legged, the unicorn’s head on her lap. Being only
around eight years old, she didn’t try to fathom the
Pastor’s plan. However, one thing she knew for certain,
she didn’t like the idea of a whole lot of strangers
getting Snowybritches all riled and out of sorts. She
sighed, knowing nothing could be done about it now
except to enjoy the critter while she could. "Please,
can I take him home with me?" she asked meekly. "Just
‘til you come for him, mind you. There’s a Bible study
tonight, so Sister Rose’ll be in the dorm’s gathering
room and I ain’t allowed to help yet."
"Poor child," the preacher said, smiling
sympathetically. "I know how you feel. She made me
promise never to disturb a study either. Claims I’d make
her nervous, seeing how I’ve been to a proper seminary.
Take heart, you’ll soon be old enough to serve
refreshments with the other young women. Go ahead, take
the critter with you. Just don’t let Sister Rose see
him, or she’ll have a willow branch to both of our
backsides.
"I’ll be careful," Susie promised. "I’m rather
partial to sitting down now and again."
Because she lingered with Miss Ollie after the
preacher left, the setting sun threatened to darken
Susie’s path. Even though she knew the way well and
trusted God to bring no harm to her, she broke into a
run with Snowybritches racing along with her. By the
time she arrived home, Sister Rose’s Bible Study was
already underway.
"Shhhh," she told Snowybritches.
The unicorn snorted, nodding his head in the
direction of his hooves.
"Got a point there," Susie whispered. "Hooves are
going to make quite a racket on wooden floors." Looking
around, her eyes fell on the coat rack. Since spring
weather was always iffy, several people had brought
wraps of one kind or another. Susie dug through the
pockets until she located four handkerchiefs, which she
tied around Snowybritches’ hooves. The plan didn’t
totally muffle the sound, but luckily a long passageway
separated the dorm area, where the study was held, from
her room.
As usual, Susie’s supper waited for her on a little
wooden chair. The cold food plus a tepid glass of milk
hardly satisfied her. However, with the kitchen being
located near the dormitory, she wasn’t allowed in there
unless Sister Rose accompanied her. Sister Rose claimed
that young ladies didn’t want a little girl underfoot
all the time. Susie figured she’d hardly be a bother
since the young ladies needed to get ready for
motherhood anyway; however, she never argued with Sister
Rose as it’d certainly be deemed disrespectful.
Sitting in front of the large window, she split a
biscuit with Snowybritches as she watched for the
preacher. It seemed like forever before she saw him
coming up the trail with the sheriff. She raced to the
front door, trying to reach it before he knocked so the
noise wouldn’t disturb the study.
"Hello," she said, curtsying as perfect a curtsy as
she’d ever managed.
"How do you do?" the preacher said, nodding. "The
sheriff here wanted to see the unicorn. I don’t think he
believes me."
As if in answer, Snowbritches stuck his head out the
door and snorted. Unicorn spit flew from his mouth.
"Well, I’ll be…" the sheriff said, rubbing spit off
his arm. "Who’d have thought? Who’d have ever thought
such a thing?"
"Did you find a boarding place for him?" Susie asked
before the sheriff had a chance to remark that the
unicorn was a strange looking creature. "One with fresh
hay and oats and a carrot every day? Maybe a place where
I can come visit him sometimes, even if it is in town?"
"Susie!" a sharp voice cried from behind her. "I’ve
told you to be staying away from town with all them …
despicable, un-honorable, fornicating ladies running
around!" Susie turned to find Sister Rose stomping down
the hall. "And where did you get that beast and what on
God’s Good Earth is it doing in the…" Sister Rose froze.
Her expression changed from one of pure anger to a
welcoming smile. "Pastor Richards! Sheriff! I didn’t see
you standing there. Surely Susie hasn’t done anything
wrong."
"Oh, no," the Sheriff assured her. "Quite the
contrary. As for this animal, it’s hardly a beast in the
sense you meant. We’re reckoning it must be a unicorn."
"Goodness! I’ve read about them. Must admit I’ve
never heard tell of anyone actually seeing one."
The Sheriff drew in a deep breath and exchanged
glances with Pastor Richards. "Well, admittedly this one
comes from what you might call… questionable origins.
Still, who are we to look a gift horse in the mouth?"
"Whatever do you mean?" Sister Rose asked.
Pastor Richards cleared his throat. "Supposedly, they
only approach virgins. We’re kind of hoping this one
will help find the brothel."
Sister Rose’s forehead wrinkled oddly. "It’s hearsay,
I’m sure. I’m surprised at you for believing such a
thing. Though I got to say it is a right pretty animal."
She reached out to pet him. Snowybritches had other
ideas.
Letting out a high-pitched cry, the unicorn reared
and charged. Sister Rose immediately turned tail and
started running back towards the dorm. Young ladies and
men, in various stages of dress, streamed out into the
hallway to find the origin of the scream. None of the
men were wearing shirts, and most of the women were
wrapped only in blankets.
Susie brought her hands up to her eyes, peeking
through slightly parted fingers as Snowybritches seemed
to go totally, full-moon crazy. He started to charge one
person, then turned to charge another. When the people
saw he wasn’t going to complete any of his threats, they
formed a large circle around him. Susie pushed her way
between two men, revealing all of how they differed from
women. She found the unicorn turning in circles, barely
keeping on his feet. Finally, Snowybritches fell.
"How about that, preacher man?" Susie heard Miss
Ollie comment from the doorway. "I came to see if you’d
brought my cow here and got quite a show. Feel like I
snuck into the moving picture house without buying a
ticket. Sure looks like you got your hussies."
"Yep, can’t argue with that," he agreed softly.
"Sheriff, I reckon you’ll be needing my help handling
all this."
Susie finally found the nerve to go to the unicorn’s
side. She placed her hand on his chest. He wasn’t
breathing. She couldn’t even feel veins pumping blood.
His heart didn’t beat. Feeling Miss Ollie’s gentle touch
on her shoulder, Susie turned and hugged her, sobbing.
"I think he’s dead."
"Fraid so. It’s okay, child." Miss Ollie rubbed
Susie’s back soothingly. "Old Barthy can probably poof
us up another one. Maybe a herd of them if we ask
nicely. Who knows, maybe if I actually ask for one of
these convoluted unicorns, I might get a cow."
"Won’t be the same," Susie whispered. "Won’t be
Snowybritches."
"No, but it’ll be a critter that needs caring for and
petting and loving. Speaking of which, I seem to be
looking at someone who’s going to be needing a home, a
place to lay your head and say your goodnight prayers.
Seeing as I’m getting a might lonely myself, why not
come live with me? Save you from having to sneak over
all the time."
Susie looked up into Miss Ollie’s pale green eyes.
"I…I’d like that. Only, it’s just that Sister Rose
claims you practice the black arts."
Miss Ollie laughed heartily, the sound echoing
through the building. "Not anymore than she does. Fact
is, I’d like to show you just how far from the truth
that is. I’m counting on teaching you just as Great
Uncle Pete taught me, only better. Shoot, if you can
read to me from some of his books, maybe I can conjure
up a smarter demon."
Wiping tears on the hem of Miss Ollie’s dress, Susie
nodded. "Maybe… maybe we can try for a dragon. You know,
like the one St. George killed, only friendlier."
"Goodness sake and snakes, child!" Miss Ollie
exclaimed. "You got to start simple, especially when
dealing with the simple-sort like Barthy. We’ll ask for
alligator luggage!"
Susie jumped up and into Miss Ollie’s waiting arms.
"Then we’ll be bound to get a dragon!"
-end