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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/28966-h.zip b/28966-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..207a744 --- /dev/null +++ b/28966-h.zip diff --git a/28966-h/28966-h.htm b/28966-h/28966-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1de52ec --- /dev/null +++ b/28966-h/28966-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6840 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Dear Little Girl At School, by Amy E. Blanchard. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + font-size: 115%; +} + +h1 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 2em; +} + +h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + font-weight: normal; + margin-top: 3em; +} + + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.5em; +} + +p.desc { font-size: 120%; + margin-top: 1em; + text-indent: 0em; + text-align: center; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum {/* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /*visibility: hidden;*/ + position: absolute; + left: 95%; + font-size: 12px; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + font-style: normal; + letter-spacing: normal; + text-indent: 0em; + text-align: right; + color: #999999; + background-color: #ffffff; +} /* page numbers */ + + +.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} + +.right {text-align: right; text-indent: 0em;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + padding-top: 2em; + padding-bottom: 2em; + clear: both; +} + +ul { + list-style-type: none; + text-align: left; + } + +li { + margin-bottom: 0.5em; + } + + +.tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding: .5em;} + +ins.correction { + text-decoration:none; /* replace default underline.. */ + border-bottom: thin dotted gray; /* ..with delicate gray line */ + } + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's A Dear Little Girl at School, by Amy E. Blanchard + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Dear Little Girl at School + +Author: Amy E. Blanchard + +Release Date: May 25, 2009 [EBook #28966] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DEAR LITTLE GIRL AT SCHOOL *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emanuela Piasentini and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 441px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="441" height="600" alt="A Dear Little Girl at School" title="A Dear Little Girl at School" /> +</div> + + + +<h1>A DEAR LITTLE<br /> +GIRL <small>AT</small> SCHOOL</h1> + +<p class="center"><big><i>Amy E. Blanchard</i></big></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 148px;"> +<img src="images/illus001.png" width="148" height="300" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="center"><big><span class="smcap">Whitman Publishing Co.</span></big><br /> +<small>Racine, Wisconsin</small> +</p> + +<p class="center"><small>Copyright, 1910, by George W. Jacobs & Co.</small><br /> + +Printed in 1924 by<br /> +Western Printing & Lithographing Co.<br /> +Racine, Wis.</p> + +<p class="center">Printed in U. S. A.</p> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<table summary="contents"> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a></td><td class="right"> Page 1</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a></td><td class="right">20</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a></td><td class="right">38</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a></td><td class="right">57</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a></td><td class="right">81</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a></td><td class="right">102</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a></td><td class="right">124</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a></td><td class="right">145</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a></td><td class="right">165</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a></td><td class="right">184</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a></td><td class="right">203</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a></td><td class="right">226</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<p class="desc">COUSIN BEN</p> + + +<p>Edna and Cousin Ben Barker were on +the back porch. It was a favorite place, +for it was always shady there in summer +and out of the wind on cold days. If big +Cousin Ben did not always like to be +where Edna was, on the other hand Edna +invariably sought out Cousin Ben if he +were to be found about the premises.</p> + +<p>On this special afternoon he was doing +something to his wheel, getting it in order +for a long ride which he had planned for +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span>the next day. Edna stood watching him, +ready to hand a tool or run for a piece of +rag to be used in cleaning, or to fill the oil +can from the bottle on the shelf upstairs.</p> + +<p>“Where are you going to-day, Cousin +Ben?” Edna always asked this for +Cousin Ben’s replies were generally so +funny.</p> + +<p>“I’m going to the woods,” he said, “to +see Johnny-jump-up.”</p> + +<p>“Why will he jump up?” asked Edna +in pleased expectancy of something amusing.</p> + +<p>“Because the dog-wood bark, you +know.”</p> + +<p>“I know dog-wood blossoms,” returned +Edna a little doubtfully.</p> + +<p>“Of course, and I dare say you know +the dog-wood bark, too, don’t you?”</p> + +<p>“Ye-es, I suppose so.”</p> + +<p>Cousin Ben went on burnishing the +metal he was at work upon. “You see,” +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span>he continued after a moment, “the catkins +will all be out and when I meet one +I shall say, ‘Pussy, will oh, will you tell +me the way to the elder Berries.’”</p> + +<p>“What do you suppose she will say?” +inquired Edna settling herself well content +to continue this sort of talk, though +thinking it was scarcely the season for +Pussy-willows.</p> + +<p>“She will say: ‘The elder Berry? +My dear boy, any dog ought to know the +way there.’ You see she knows I am a +Barker.”</p> + +<p>Edna laughed. “Go on.”</p> + +<p>“And I will say, ‘Yes, madam, but that +sassy Fras always tries to get in my path. +It is a very easy matter to whip poor Will, +but sassy Fras is another matter.’ Then +she will ask: ‘Did you ever try to haze +L. Nutt?’ and I will reply, ‘Chestnuts!’ +for I don’t like to talk about hazing, being +in a position to expect a little of it any +day. Well, Ande, I must be off or I will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +find Pip’s sis away.” Cousin Ben always +called Edna Ande because he declared +that was what her name really was but +had been turned hind side before. Some +persons, Edna’s sister Celia and Agnes +Evans, for instance, called Cousin Ben a +very silly boy, but Edna thought his kind +of nonsense great fun.</p> + +<p>It was an afternoon in autumn. For +some time past, Edna and her sister had +been going into the city to school every +day, but this was the last week when this +would be done, for after this they would +go only on Mondays returning on Fridays +till the days became long again. +During the winter when it was still dark +at seven in the morning, and when the +afternoons were so short, it had seemed +better that they should not come home +every day. Therefore, as Aunt Elizabeth +Horner and Uncle Justus wanted much +to have them remain, it was so arranged.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +Edna was a great favorite with her Uncle +Justus, for she had spent the winter previous +at his house and had gone to his +school. Then, on account of Mr. Conway’s +business, the family had removed +from the town in which they had formerly +lived and had taken a house a little out +of the city.</p> + +<p>Like most children Edna loved the +country and was glad of the change. A +little further up the road lived her friend +Dorothy Evans and her sister Agnes, the +latter was a little older than Edna’s sister +Celia. All four girls attended Uncle +Justus’ school and so did Margaret MacDonald, +the adopted daughter of good +Mrs. MacDonald who lived in the big gray +stone house with the lovely grounds. +Margaret was having a pretty hard time +of it, as she had never had much opportunity +of going to school and was far behind +the girls of her own age. Edna and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +Dorothy were her staunch defenders, +however and when matters came to a too +difficult pass the older girls were appealed +to and could always straighten out whatever +was wrong. Frank and Charlie, +Edna’s brothers, were almost too large +for Uncle Justus’ school, where only little +fellows went, so they went elsewhere to +the school which Roger and Steve Porter +attended. It was Cousin Ben’s first year +at college, and he was housed at the Conways, +his mother being an elder sister of +Edna’s mother.</p> + +<p>After seeing Cousin Ben start off, Edna +left the porch and stood for a moment +thinking what she would do next. This +being the last time she would be at home +for the entire week, she concluded she +ought to make the most of it, but first she +must get together such things as she +should want for Monday. “Tuesday, +Wednesday and Thursday afternoons,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +and Monday, too. There are only four, +after all,” she said, counting the days on +her fingers. “It seems very much longer +when you first think of it.” And then, as +she continued to think, to her surprise she +discovered that only Tuesdays, Wednesdays +and Thursdays would be the entire +days she would spend away from +home.</p> + +<p>She was so interested in having found +this out that she ran upstairs to her +mother, to tell of it. “Mother,” she said, +“I have made a discovery.”</p> + +<p>“You have, and what is it?” said Mrs. +Conway.</p> + +<p>“Why, here I’ve been thinking I’d be +away from you the whole week all but Saturday +and Sunday, and now I find out I +shall see you every day but three, ’cause, +you know, I don’t start till after breakfast +on Monday, so that’s one day. Then +Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +don’t see you, but I get back in time for +dinner on Friday, so there is Friday, Saturday +and Sunday, three more days. +Isn’t it fine?”</p> + +<p>“Very, I think.”</p> + +<p>“And the funny part is,” Edna went on +busily thinking, “I am at school five days +out of the seven. It’s almost like a +puzzle, isn’t it? I think I shall take Ada +with me and leave her there. She is used +to it, and won’t mind as much as some of +the other dolls, for she was there all last +year and besides, Aunt Elizabeth gave her +to me. Aunt Elizabeth is quite kind +sometimes, isn’t she?”</p> + +<p>“She means to be kind all the time, but +she has rather a stern manner.”</p> + +<p>“Did you used to be afraid of her when +you were a little girl?”</p> + +<p>“No, honey, because I didn’t know her. +She is your papa’s aunt, you know.”</p> + +<p>“And he told me he didn’t see much of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +her, for he lived in quite another place, +and I suppose by the time he grew up he +wasn’t afraid of anybody. Well, anyhow, +I’m glad it won’t be ‘butter or molasses’ +all the week.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean, dearie?”</p> + +<p>“Why, you know we couldn’t have both +and there were never any preserves. +Sometimes there were stewed apples, the +dried kind, and they were not so very bad +when they were sweet enough and had a +lot of lemon flavor in them. I used to ask +Ellen to do them that way and she always +would, except when Aunt Elizabeth was in +the kitchen and then she had to do as +Aunt Elizabeth told her. If you have +more preserves than you can use, don’t +you think you could send her some, +mother? You see we shall not be here to +eat them, Celia and I, and you won’t have +to use so many.”</p> + +<p>“That is an idea. Why, yes, I can send<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +some in every week when you go, and Celia +can tell Aunt Elizabeth to have them +for your supper.”</p> + +<p>“How will she tell her?” asked Edna, +feeling that this was an ordeal that she +would not like to go through.</p> + +<p>“Why, it will be very easy to say, +‘Aunt Elizabeth, here are some preserves +mother thought would be nice for supper +to-night.’ Don’t you think that would +be easy to say?”</p> + +<p>“Ye-es,” returned Edna a little doubtful +if this would have the proper effect. +“I think myself it would be better to let +Ellen have them or Uncle Justus.”</p> + +<p>Her mother laughed. Edna’s awe of +Aunt Elizabeth was so very apparent.</p> + +<p>“There is one thing I wish you would +promise,” the little girl went on, “and +that is, that you will always have hot +cakes on Saturday mornings so I can have +butter and syrup both.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“I promise,” replied her mother smiling.</p> + +<p>“I know Louis is mighty glad not to be +going back,” Edna continued, “and I’m +rather glad he isn’t myself, for this year +I shall have Celia.”</p> + +<p>“I thought you were fond of Louis.”</p> + +<p>“I am pretty fond of him, but I’d +rather have girls about all the time than +boys all the time. Girls fuss with you, of +course. They get mad and won’t speak, +but I’d liefer they’d do that than try to +boss you the way boys do. Mother, there +is another thing I wish you would do, and +that is I wish you would tell Aunt Elizabeth +that she will please let Dorothy come +to play with me sometimes. Dorothy is +my particular friend, you know, and Aunt +Elizabeth will never allow me to have her +visit me unless you say she can.”</p> + +<p>“Did she never allow you to have company +last winter?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>Edna shook her head and a sigh escaped +her.</p> + +<p>“I will arrange that Dorothy shall +come,” said her mother quite firmly.</p> + +<p>“It’s going to be much nicer than last +year,” remarked Edna in a satisfied tone, +“for I shall always have Celia to go to, +and you will be so near, too, and besides I +like Uncle Justus much better than I did +at first.”</p> + +<p>“Of the two I should think you would +have more fear of Uncle Justus than +of Aunt Elizabeth,” said her mother looking +down at her.</p> + +<p>“I did at first, but I found it was +mostly on account of his eyebrows; they +are so shaggy.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Conway smiled. “I have heard it +said that he can be rather terrible,” she +remarked.</p> + +<p>“Oh, well, so he can, but he isn’t all the +time and Aunt Elizabeth is.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“I hope this year you will find out that +it is only Aunt Elizabeth’s eyebrows, +too.”</p> + +<p>“It couldn’t be, for she hasn’t any to +speak of,” returned Edna. As she talked +she was carefully packing the little trunk +in which Ada’s clothes were kept. It was +a tiny trunk, only about six inches long. +Aunt Elizabeth had made it, herself, by +covering a box with leather and strapping +the leather across with strips of wood +glued on. Edna liked the trunk much +better than a larger one which had been +bought at the store. Aunt Elizabeth was +very clever in making things of this kind +and would sometimes surprise her little +niece with some home-made gift which +was the more prized because it was unusual. +The child remembered this now +and began to feel that she had not +shown herself very grateful in speaking +as she had done a moment before.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +“Mother,” she said. “I didn’t mean that +Aunt Elizabeth was frightful all the time. +She is very kind when she gives me things +like this trunk.”</p> + +<p>“You don’t mean frightful,” replied +Mrs. Conway laughing, “you mean she is +rather formidable.”</p> + +<p>But that was too much of a word for +Edna, though she did not say so. Having +stowed away Ada’s belongings, three +frocks, two petticoats, a red hood and +sacque, a blue dressing-gown and apron, +she shut the lid. “I don’t think I’ll take +her furs this week because she’ll not need +them,” she remarked, “and I don’t think +I will take any of my other dolls because +I will be so glad to see them next Friday. +Mother, if you come into town any time +during the week will you come out to see +us?”</p> + +<p>“If I have time I certainly shall.”</p> + +<p>Edna gave a sigh of content. It was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +surely going to be much better than last +year. “Mother,” she said, changing the +subject, “do you think Cousin Ben is +silly?”</p> + +<p>“He can be rather silly but he can also +be very sensible. He is silly only when he +wants to tease or when he wants to amuse +a little girl I know.”</p> + +<p>“I like his silly better than some of the +big girls’s sillies. They giggle so much +and aren’t funny at all. I think he is +very funny. He says such queer things +about the trees and plants in the woods. +He twists their names around so they +mean something else. Like the dog-wood, +bark, you know. Mother, what is hazing?”</p> + +<p>“It is the kind of thing the college boys +do to those in a lower class; they play +tricks on them which sometimes are really +very cruel.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean they really hurt them?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Sometimes they hurt them very much. +I knew of one young man who was forced +into a pond of water on an icy day in the +fall, and who nearly died of pneumonia +in consequence of the cold he took from +having to be in his wet clothes so long.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think they will do anything +like that to Cousin Ben?”</p> + +<p>“I certainly hope not, though no doubt +there will be some tricks played on him +as he is a Freshman.”</p> + +<p>Edna knew what a Freshman was but +the matter of hazing was quite new to her +and troubled her very much. Cousin +Ben had gone out alone to the woods. +Perhaps this very moment someone was +lying in wait for him.</p> + +<p>Hastily setting away the doll and trunk +she ran downstairs, put on her coat and +hat and started up the road toward the +woods nearest. She had no exact plan in +her mind, but she knew Cousin Ben had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +probably gone to see one of his classmates +who lived just beyond this piece of woods. +The college was on the outskirts of the +city and the dormitories were within easy +walking distance, so that one was liable +to see a group of college boys at almost +any time. Edna trotted along hoping to +overtake her cousin. She did not believe +anyone would attack him unless he were +alone, and she meant to keep him company +on his return walk. Just as she reached +the edge of the woods she came upon a +group of Sophomores standing a short +distance away and she heard one say. +“We’ll nab him as he comes out, boys.”</p> + +<p>Who could they mean but Cousin Ben? +She walked slowly that she might, if possible, +hear more.</p> + +<p>“You’re sure he came this way?” she +heard another say.</p> + +<p>“Sure,” was the reply. “We saw him +go in Abercrombie’s gate.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>That settled it in Edna’s mind, for it +was Will Abercrombie whose house +Cousin Ben most frequented. She hesitated +a moment, wondering what path +her cousin would take, and then she remembered +that the short cut was through +the woods; it was much longer by the +road. It was already getting rather late +and it looked grim and gloomy in the +woods, but there was nothing to do but +face any danger and go straight ahead. +She was crafty enough not to turn in at +once for fear the boys might suspect, so +she kept on a short distance to where the +road turned and then she cut into the bit +of forest scrambling up the bank and +scratching her hands, with the brambles, +but reaching the path in a few minutes. +The further she went the darker it grew. +The sun was setting and she could see long +fingers of light between the trees. She +wished she had some one with her, that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +Cousin Ben would appear before she went +much further, but there was no sign of +him and she plodded on, the dead leaves +rustling about her feet or falling from +overhead, giving her little starts of fear. +It seemed a long, long way, and she almost +wished she had not undertaken the +work of rescue, but at last she saw, dimly +ahead of her, a figure approaching and +heard a cheerful whistling which she recognized +as her cousin’s. And she darted +forward to meet him.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<p class="desc">THE SECRET</p> + + +<p>Cousin Ben striding along did not at +first see the little girl, but at her calling +“Cousin Ben, Cousin Ben,” he stopped +short.</p> + +<p>“Why, you little monkey, what are you +doing here?” he said. “The bugaboos +will catch you here in these dark woods.”</p> + +<p>“There isn’t such a thing as bugaboos,” +returned Edna stoutly, “and I should be +very silly to think so, but something will +catch you if you don’t look out.”</p> + +<p>“‘The gob-e-lins will get you if you +don’t look out,’” replied Cousin Ben, +laughing. “Is that what you are trying +to say? If you are not afraid of bugaboos +neither am I afraid of goblins.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +What do you think is going to get a big +fellow like me?”</p> + +<p>“Why,” said Edna at once becoming +serious, “I will tell you; I heard some +college boys talking back there by the edge +of the woods.”</p> + +<p>“You did? and what did they say?”</p> + +<p>“They said: ‘We’ll nab him as he +comes out, boys.’”</p> + +<p>“Humph! What did they look like? +Did you know any of them?”</p> + +<p>“The one who said that was John Fielding, +and there was another that I’ve seen +before. He sits back of our pew at +church.”</p> + +<p>“Sophs, both of them, and did you come +all this way to tell me about it?”</p> + +<p>“Why, yes, I was afraid they wanted +to haze you.”</p> + +<p>“What do you know about hazing?”</p> + +<p>“Mother told me about a young man +who nearly died of pneumonia because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +some of the boys doused him in cold water, +in a pond or something.”</p> + +<p>“And you didn’t want me to have pneumonia. +I won’t on this occasion, I promise +you. I think we can circumnavigate +those fellows. I won’t see Johnny-jump-up +to-day.”</p> + +<p>Edna laughed. “Won’t they be disappointed?”</p> + +<p>“They will that. Now come along and +let’s get out of here.”</p> + +<p>“Which way shall we go?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we will take the back road and +come out there below the MacDonald barn +so they won’t get a hint of our coming +home, for the barn is below the woods, +you know. It is a little further, but I +hope you don’t mind that.”</p> + +<p>“No, indeed, I am so glad to have you +get out of the way of those boys.”</p> + +<p>“If I can manage to side-track them +for a while perhaps they won’t be so keen.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +I thought they had it in for me, and have +been rather expecting an onslaught.”</p> + +<p>They cut through the woods, coming out +the other side and taking a short road not +much used, which brought them out a little +distance from the main road which +was then easily reached. “Now we’re +safe,” said Edna with satisfaction as she +saw her own gate.</p> + +<p>“We? You don’t suppose they’d haze +<a name="tn23" id="tn23"></a>you, <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: original has ' do you?’ '">do you?”</ins></p> + +<p>“Oh, no, but I feel safer when I am +near home.”</p> + +<p>Ben dropped his bantering tone when +they came up to the gate. “I say, Edna,” +he said, “you are a real Trojan to do this +for me, and I shall not forget it in a +hurry. Lots of big girls and boys, too, +would have let the thing go, and not have +taken the trouble. I am a thousand times +obliged to you.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but I wanted to do it, you know.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +I should have been very unhappy if anything +had happened to you.”</p> + +<p>“I believe you would,” returned Ben +seriously; and they went in the house +together.</p> + +<p>This was the last Edna heard of hazing +and if Cousin Ben was ever caught he +did not tell her or anyone else.</p> + +<p>Monday came around quite soon enough +and Edna started off with her sister Celia +to go to the city. It seemed quite +natural to be back in the room which she +had occupied the year before, only now +Celia would share it with her. Ada was +put in her old place on a little chair, her +trunk by her side, and then the two girls +went down to the school-room where a +number of the pupils had already gathered. +One of these was Clara Adams, a +little girl whom Edna was sorry to see +entering the school that year. She was +a spoiled, discontented child who was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +continually pouting over some fancied +grievance, and was what Dorothy and +Edna called “fusty.” For some reason +she was always trying to pick a quarrel +with Edna, and by the whispering which +went on when Edna entered the room and +the sidelong looks which were cast at her, +as two or three girls, with hands to +mouths, nudged one another, she felt sure +that on this special occasion she was being +talked about. However, she paid no +attention to this little group but went +over to where Dorothy was sitting and began +to tell her about the preserves which +Celia had successfully given in Ellen’s +charge.</p> + +<p>At recess the same group of girls which +had been whispering in the morning, +again gathered in one corner and began +their talk in low tones. Clara Adams +was in the centre and it was she to whom +the others were all looking. Clara was a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +favorite because of her wealth rather than +because of her disposition, and she had +followers who liked to have it said that +they were intimate with her.</p> + +<p>“What do you suppose they are talking +about?” said Dorothy after a while.</p> + +<p>“I’m sure I don’t know and what’s +more I don’t care,” replied Edna. “Do +you care, Dorothy?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t know; just a little, I think. +See, they are going over and whispering +to Molly Clark, and she is getting up and +going over there. I wonder what it is all +about.”</p> + +<p>Edna wondered, too, but neither she nor +Dorothy found out that day. The same +thing went on the next day. One by one +most of the girls whom Edna and Dorothy +liked the best were seen to join the little +company of whisperers, and whenever +Clara Adams would pass the two friends +she would give them a look as much as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +<a name="tn27" id="tn27"></a><ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: original has 'to say. Wouldn’t'">to say: Wouldn’t</ins> you like to know what +we know?</p> + +<p>“I think it is just horrid mean of +them,” said Dorothy when the next day +came and they were no nearer to knowing +the secret than they had been in the beginning.</p> + +<p>“I heard Molly say something about to-morrow +afternoon,” said Edna. “They +are all going to do something or go somewhere. +I am going to tell sister, so I +am.”</p> + +<p>“And I’ll tell my sister. Maybe they +know something about it, Edna.”</p> + +<p>They lost no time in seeking out their +sisters to whom they made known the +state of affairs. “And they are getting +hold of nearly all the nicest girls,” complained +Edna. “Molly Clark, and Ruth +Cutting and all those. They haven’t said +anything to Margaret, for I asked her. +She isn’t here to-day.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Have you any idea what they are going +to do?” Dorothy asked her sister.</p> + +<p>“I have an idea, but it may not be +right.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, tell us, do.” The two younger +girls were very eager.</p> + +<p>Agnes leaned over and said in a low +voice, “I believe they are getting up some +sort of club.”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” This idea had never occurred +to either of the little girls before.</p> + +<p>“And they don’t want us in it,” said +Edna, “I wonder why.”</p> + +<p>“It is all that horrid Clara Adams,” declared +Dorothy. “She is jealous of you +because you always know your lessons and +behave yourself, and she don’t like me because +I go with you and won’t give you +up for her.”</p> + +<p>“How do you know?” asked Edna.</p> + +<p>“I know,” returned Dorothy, and then +she shut her lips very tightly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> + +<p>“All the girls used to like us,” said +Edna sadly.</p> + +<p>“Bless your dear heart,” said Agnes +drawing the child to her, “I shouldn’t care. +They will be sorry enough after a while, +you may be sure, and will wish they had +treated you two better. Celia, we mustn’t +let those little whippersnappers have it all +their own way. Never you mind, children, +we’ll do something, too. Celia and +I will talk it over and let you know to-morrow. +You and Celia come up to our +house Saturday afternoon and we’ll see +if we can get Margaret and perhaps one +or two others. Now run along and let us +talk over a plan I have.”</p> + +<p>The two went off joyously, arms around +one another. When Agnes championed +their cause there was no more reason to +be troubled, and they finished their recess +in a corner by themselves quite content.</p> + +<p>There were not more than a dozen little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +girls in the class and when half of these +had gone over to the enemy, and one or +two were absent it left a very small number +for Edna and Dorothy to count upon, +but they did not care after the older girls +had taken up their cause, and they cast +quite as independent looks at Clara as +she did at them. They would have a +secret too. “And it will be a great deal +nicer than theirs,” declared Dorothy. +So when the bell rang they went back +to their seats in a very happy frame of +mind.</p> + +<p>The next day a new pupil appeared and +at recess she was swooped down upon by +one of Clara’s friends and was borne +away, but after a while she left the group +and went back to her seat. Dorothy and +Edna were out in the school yard playing, +but when they came in the new scholar +looked smilingly at Edna and after a +while she made her way to where they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +were standing. “Isn’t this Edna Conway?” +she asked.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I’m Edna,” was the reply from +the little round-faced girl who smiled at +her.</p> + +<p>“I’m Jennie Ramsey, and my mother +told me to be sure to speak to you and tell +you I was at the fair last year and I +was so glad when you got the doll.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, were you there?” Edna looked +pleased. “I am so glad you have come +here to school. This is Dorothy Evans.”</p> + +<p>Jennie and Dorothy smiled at each +other and Edna went on. “Dorothy +don’t you remember about Mrs. Ramsey +who took so much trouble to get Margaret +away from that dreadful woman? She +must be a lovely mother, for she was so +dear to Margaret.”</p> + +<p>“Do tell me about her,” said Jennie. +“I have been so much interested, for +mother told me all about how you ran<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +against her in the street and how you won +the doll for her and all about her being +adopted so I did hope I should know you +some day. I’d like to be friends, if you +will let me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’d love to be,” Edna spoke +heartily, “and I am so glad you know +about Margaret. She comes here to +school, but of course she isn’t very happy +about having to be in the class with such +little girls. Mrs. MacDonald is talking +of getting a governess for her till she can +catch up a little, but we shall be sorry to +have her not come here.”</p> + +<p>“Do you know Clara Adams?” Dorothy +asked. “I mean did you know her +before you came to school?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I know her. She is in my Sunday-school +class,” returned Jennie, but +she said nothing more, yet both the other +two felt quite sure that there was no likelihood +of Jennie’s going over to the other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +faction. Then the bell rang and they all +took their seats.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you like her?” whispered Edna +before Miss Ashurst had taken her +place.</p> + +<p>Dorothy nodded yes, and glanced across +at Clara who curled her lip scornfully.</p> + +<p>When school was dismissed Jennie and +Dorothy walked home together. Agnes +and Dorothy remained in the city during +the week just as the two Conway sisters +had begun to do. Edna sought her sister +Celia after dinner when the two had their +study hour. “Isn’t it nice,” said Edna, +“Jennie Ramsey has come to school, and +she is such a nice little girl. I heard Uncle +Justus say once that Mrs. Ramsey was +much wealthier than Mrs. Adams but that +one never saw her making any pretence +because of her money. What is pretence, +sister?”</p> + +<p>“It is pretending, I suppose. I think<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +he meant she didn’t put on airs because +of having money.”</p> + +<p>Edna nodded. She quite understood. +“Wasn’t it lovely for Jennie to want to +be friends? She said her mother told her +to be sure to speak to me, and, oh, sister, +we saw one of the other girls go over and +try to get her to join Clara’s set and she +didn’t <a name="tn34" id="tn34"></a>stay but came over <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: original has 'to us.” She'">to us. She</ins> +said she knew Clara but I don’t believe +she likes her. Did you and Agnes talk +about, you know what?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and we’ll tell you but you mustn’t +ask me any questions now for I shall not +answer. Now let us get to work or Aunt +Elizabeth will be down on us for talking +in study hour.”</p> + +<p>Edna turned her attention to her books +and in a moment was not thinking of +anything but her geography.</p> + +<p>She could scarcely wait till the next +day, however, when she and Dorothy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +should learn what Agnes had planned, but +alas, she was not allowed this pleasure +for Aunt Elizabeth called her from the +school-room just at recess and took her +down to see Miss Martin, the daughter of +the rector of the church. Of course +Edna was very glad to see Miss Martin, +for she was very fond of her, but she did +wish she had chosen some other day to +call, and not only was Edna required to +remain down in the parlor during the +whole of recess but she was again summoned +before she had a chance to speak a +word to anyone at the close of school. +This time it was to run an errand to the +shop where an order had been forgotten +and Edna was despatched to bring home +the required article, Ellen being too busy +to be spared.</p> + +<p>She felt rather out of sorts at having +both of her opportunities taken from her. +“I don’t see why they couldn’t have sent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +sister,” she said to herself, “or why they +couldn’t do without rice for just this once. +I should think something else would be +better, anyway, for dessert than rice and +sugar.” But there was no arranging +Aunt Elizabeth’s affairs for her and when +the dish of rice appeared Edna was +obliged to eat it in place of any other +dessert. Her ill humor passed away, +however, when Uncle Justus looked at her +from under his shaggy brows and asked +her if she didn’t want to go to Captain +Doane’s with him. This was a place +which always delighted her, for Captain +Doane had been all over the world and +had brought back with him all sorts of +curiosities. Moreover, there was always +a supply of preserved ginger taken from +a queer jar with twisted handles, and +there was also an especially toothsome +cake which the captain’s housekeeper +served, so Edna felt that the feast in store<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +for her, quite made up for the poverty of +a dessert of boiled rice and sugar.</p> + +<p>She wondered that Celia was not also +asked to go, but she remembered that +Celia did not know Captain Doane, and +that probably she would think it very +stupid to play with shells and other queer +things while two old gentlemen talked on +politics or some such dry subject. Therefore +she went off very happily, rather +glad that after all there was a pleasure +for this day and one in prospect for the +morrow.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<p class="desc">A SATURDAY AFTERNOON</p> + + +<p>By Friday, Jennie, Dorothy and Edna +had become quite intimate. Margaret +was still kept at home by a bad cold, so +these three little girls played at recess +together joined by one or two others who +had not been invited, or had not chosen, +to belong to what the rest called “Clara +Adams’s set.” There had been a most interesting +talk with Agnes and Celia and +a plan was proposed which was to be +started on Saturday afternoon. Jennie +had been invited to come, and was to go +home with Dorothy after school to be sent +for later.</p> + +<p>Edna was full of the new scheme when +she reached home on Friday, and she was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +no sooner in the house than she rushed up +stairs to her mother. “Oh, mother,” she +cried, “I am so glad to see you, and I have +so much to tell you.”</p> + +<p>“Then come right in and tell it,” said +her mother kissing her. “You don’t look +as if you had starved on bread and molasses.”</p> + +<p>Edna laughed. “Nor on rice. I hope +you will never have rice on Saturdays, +mother.”</p> + +<p>“Rice is a most wholesome and excellent +dish,” returned her mother. “See +how the Chinese thrive on it. I am thinking +it would be the very best thing I could +give my family, for it is both nourishing +and cheap. Suppose you go down and +tell Maria to have a large dishful for +supper instead of what I have ordered.”</p> + +<p>Edna knew her mother was teasing, so +she cuddled up to her and asked: “What +did you order, mother?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“What should you say to waffles and +chicken?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, delicious!”</p> + +<p>“But where is that great thing you +were going to tell me?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I forgot. Well, when we got to +school last Monday, there was Clara +Adams and all the girls she could get together +and they were whispering in a +corner. They looked over at me and I +knew they were talking about me, but I +didn’t care. Then I went over to Dorothy +and we just stayed by ourselves all +the time, for those other girls didn’t +seem to want to have anything to do with +us. We hadn’t done one single thing to +make them act so, but Clara Adams is so +hateful and jealous and all that, she +couldn’t bear to have us be liked by anybody. +Dorothy told me she heard her say +I was a pet and that was the reason I got +along with my lessons. You know I study<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +real hard, mother, and it isn’t that at all. +Clara said it was just because Uncle +Justus favored me, and told Miss Ashurst +too. Wasn’t that mean?”</p> + +<p>“I think it was rather mean, but you +must not mind what a spoiled child like +Clara says, as long as you know it isn’t +so.”</p> + +<p>“That’s what Agnes says. We told +Agnes and Celia how the girls were doing +and how they had a secret and didn’t +want us to be in it, so Agnes said we could +have a secret, too, and she has planned a +beautiful one, she and Celia. I will tell +you about it presently. Well, then Jennie +Ramsey came.”</p> + +<p>“Jennie Ramsey? I don’t think I ever +heard you speak of her.”</p> + +<p>“No, of course you didn’t, for I +only just became acquainted with her. +Mother, don’t you remember the lovely +Mrs. Ramsey that did so much about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +getting Margaret into the Home of the +Friendless?”</p> + +<p>“I remember, now.”</p> + +<p>“Well, she is Jennie’s mother, and she +told Jennie to be sure to speak to me, because +she knows Aunt Elizabeth, I suppose, +but anyhow, she did. But first the +Clara Adams set tried to get Jennie to go +with them, but she just wouldn’t, and so +she’s on our side. I know Clara is furious +because the Ramseys are richer than +the Adamses.”</p> + +<p>“Oh dear, oh dear,” Mrs. Conway interrupted, +“this doesn’t sound a bit like +my little girl talking about one person +being richer than another and about +one little girl’s being furious about +another’s making friends with whom she +chooses.”</p> + +<p>Edna was silent for a moment. +“Mother,” she said presently, “it is all +Clara Adams’s doings. If she wouldn’t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +speak to us nor let the other girls play +with us, why, what could we do?”</p> + +<p>“I really don’t know, my darling, we’ll +talk of that directly. Go on with your +story.”</p> + +<p>“Well, so Agnes found out they were +getting up a club and didn’t want us in +it, so she said we could have a club, too, +and we’re going to begin this afternoon—no, +to-morrow afternoon. Mrs. Ramsey +let Jennie go home with Dorothy to stay +till to-morrow and she is going to send the +automobile for her. She comes to school +in the automobile every morning. I wish +we had one then we wouldn’t have to stay +in town all the week.”</p> + +<p>“Dear blessed child, I am afraid Clara +Adams is turning your head.”</p> + +<p>“Clara? why she doesn’t even speak to +me.”</p> + +<p>“All the same you are beginning to care +more for the things that are important to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +her than ever you did before. Never +mind, we’ll talk about that later. Is that +all?”</p> + +<p>“It’s about all, for we haven’t had the +club meeting yet. Agnes says she will +start it and be the president for a month. +Celia is going to be the secretary and +when we know just what to do and how +to carry it on then they will resign and +some of us younger girls will be the officers.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Conway smiled to hear all this +grown-up talk, but she looked a little serious +a moment after.</p> + +<p>Edna watched her face. “Don’t you +approve of it, mamma,” she asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>“Of the club? Oh, yes, if it is the right +kind of one. I will ask Celia about it, +but what I don’t like is that you should +start it in a spirit of trying to get the +better of another girl, though I can see<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +that it is the most natural thing in the +world for you to feel as you do, and I can +see that Clara has really brought it on +herself, but I do want my dear little girls +to be charitable and above the petty meanness +that is actuating Clara.”</p> + +<p>“Then what do you think we ought to +do?”</p> + +<p>“I am not sure. I shall have to think +it over. In the meantime by all means +start your club. Where is Celia?”</p> + +<p>“She went out with the boys to look +at the new pigeons, but I wanted to see +you first.”</p> + +<p>Edna enjoyed the prospect of chicken +and waffles too much to long too ardently +for the next day. She hadn’t seen Cousin +Ben yet so she went out to hunt him up, +but discovering that he was hard at work +over his studies she concluded not to disturb +him but to go with the boys to hear +them expatiate upon the qualities of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +new pigeons, of the trade they had made +with another boy and of various things +which had been going on at their school.</p> + +<p>Great preparations were made for the +first meeting of the club. In the Evans +house was a large attic, one corner of +which Agnes and Celia turned into a +club-room. The house was an old-fashioned +one, and the attic window was +small. There was, too, an odor of camphor +and of soap, a quantity of the latter +being stored up there, but these things did +not in the least detract from the place in +the eyes of the girls. What they wanted +was mystery, a place which was out of the +way, and one specially set aside for their +meetings. A small table was dragged out +of the recesses of the attic. It was rather +wobbly, but a bit of wood was put under +the faulty leg, and it did very well. One +perfectly good chair was brought up for +the president, the rest were content to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +seated on whatever came handy, two +chairs very much gone as to backs, one +with the bottom entirely through, and a +rickety camp stool made up the remainder +of the furniture, but Agnes had taken +care that there were flowers on the table +and that pens, pencils and paper were +supplied. She also brought up some +books “to make it look more literary,” +she said, and the organizers of the club +were delighted.</p> + +<p>They came whispering and with suppressed +giggles up the steep stairway, +made their way between piles of trunks +and boxes to where Agnes sat in state, a +call-bell before her. Margaret, much +bundled up, had been permitted to join +them, so they were the respectable number +of six.</p> + +<p>That morning the president and secretary +had been closeted for an hour with +Mrs. Conway and whatever they had de<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span>termined +upon in the beginning which +seemed in the least unworthy was smitten +from the plan.</p> + +<p>The girls disposed themselves upon the +various seats, Celia taking a place at the +end of the table provided for the officers. +There was much stifling of laughter and +suppressed whispers before Agnes tapped +the bell and said in the most dignified +manner, “The meeting is called to +order.” Then each girl smoothed down +her frock and sat up very straight waiting +to hear what should come next. +“The real object of our club,” Agnes began, +“is to find ways of being kind to our +schoolmates, but we are going to do other +things to entertain ourselves, things like +bringing new games into the club and any +new book we find particularly interesting. +If anyone can write a story she is to do +that, and if anyone hears anything particularly +interesting to tell she is to save<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +it up for the meeting. It has been proposed +by Mrs. Conway that we call the +club the Kindly Club or the Golden Rule. +Celia, we’d better take a vote on the +name. You might hand around some +slips of paper and let the members write +their choice. There is one thing about it; +if we call it the Golden Rule Club, we can +always refer to it as the G. R., and that +will be rather nice, I think. However, +you all must vote as you think.”</p> + +<p>There were not quite enough pencils, +but by judicious borrowing they made +out and the slips were handed in and +gravely counted by Celia. “There are +four votes for Golden Rule, and two for +Kindly,” she announced.</p> + +<p>“Then it is a majority for Golden Rule, +so the name of the club is the Golden +Rule Club, or the G. R., whichever you +choose to say when you are speaking of +it. Now, let me see, oh, yes. We are the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +charter members. We haven’t any +charter but we can have one, I reckon. +I’ll get one ready for next time. Now, +we must have rules. I haven’t thought +them all out, but I have two or three. +We begin with the Golden Rule: ‘Do +unto others as ye would they should do +unto you’; Mrs. Conway said we might +head the list with that, for there was +nothing better. Of course we all forget +sometimes, but we mustn’t any more than +we can help. If we see a chance to do a +kindness to any of our schoolmates we +must do it, no matter if we don’t like her, +and we must try not to get mad with any +of the girls. We must be nice to the +teachers, too. You see it is a school club +and affects all in the school. We big +girls mustn’t be hateful to you younger +ones and you mustn’t be saucy to us.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear,” sighed Edna, “it’s going +to be pretty hard, isn’t it?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe it is going to be as +much fun as the other girls’ club,” complained +Dorothy.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes it is. You wait and see,” +said Agnes. “After a while everyone of +them will be dying to come into ours.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Agnes, I don’t believe a bit of +that,” said Dorothy.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but you see we are going to have +very good times, you forget that part. +The kind word part is only when we are +having dealings with our schoolmates +and all that. We don’t have to do just +that and nothing else. For example, I +have the loveliest sort of story to read to +you all just as soon as the business part +of the meeting is over, and then we are +to have refreshments.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, good!” there was emphatic endorsement +of this.</p> + +<p>“There ought to be fines, I suppose,” +Agnes went on. “Let me see, what shall<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +we be fined for? I shall have to get +some light upon that, too, but I think it +would be a good plan that any girl who +voluntarily stirs up a fuss with another +at school must pay a fine of not less than +one cent. What do you think of that, +Celia?”</p> + +<p>“I should think that might be a good +plan though I expect we shall all turn +Quakers if we continue the club.”</p> + +<p>Agnes laughed. “It does look that +way. At all events we are to thank Clara +Adams for it all. Her club is founded +on unkindness and if we want to be a +rival, Mrs. Conway says we must have +ours founded on kindness.”</p> + +<p>“Do you know anything about her +club?” asked Jennie.</p> + +<p>“I know a little. I believe only girls +who live in a certain neighborhood can +belong to it. All others are to be turned +down, and are to be left out of the plays<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +at recess. It is something like that, I was +told. However, we don’t care anything +about those poor little sillies. We shall +enjoy ourselves much more. I think +we’d better not attend to any business +to-day or we shall not have time for anything +else. Have you made the minutes, +Celia?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I think I have, and if I haven’t +everything I can get you to tell me afterwards.”</p> + +<p>“I suppose we should vote for the +officers,” said Agnes, after a moment’s +thought.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, don’t let’s,” said Edna, +anxious for the story. “We all want +you for president and Celia for secretary, +don’t we, girls?”</p> + +<p>“All in favor of making Miss Agnes +Evans president of the club will please +rise,” sang out Celia, and every girl +arose to her feet. “That’s unanimous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +enough,” said Celia. “Now all in favor +of my being secretary will please rise.” +Another unanimous vote followed this +and so the matter was speedily settled.</p> + +<p>Then Agnes produced a manuscript +paper and read them the most delightful +of stories which was received with great +applause. Then she whispered something +to Dorothy who nodded understandingly, +retired to the back of the attic and +returned with two plates, one of delicious +little cakes and the other of caramels to +which full justice was done.</p> + +<p>“What about the places of meeting and +the refreshments?” asked Celia. “It +isn’t fair for you always to furnish them +and don’t you think we should meet at +different houses?”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps so, only you see it would be +hard for us to go into the city on Saturdays +after coming out on Friday, and you +see Jennie lives in town.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but Mack can always bring me +out in the motor car,” said Jennie, +“though of course I should love to have +you all come in to my house and so would +mamma like it.”</p> + +<p>“Well, we’ll meet at your house, Celia, +the next time,” said <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: original has 'Agnes, and after'">Agnes, <a name="tn55" id="tn55"></a>“and after</ins> +that at Mrs. MacDonald’s. We can, can’t +we, Margaret?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, I am sure she will be perfectly +delighted. She is so pleased about +the club, anyhow.”</p> + +<p>“Then in the meantime we can be +making up our minds about your house, +Jennie,” said Agnes.</p> + +<p>“I wish we had some little song or a +sentence to close with,” said Celia.</p> + +<p>“We can have. We can do all those +things later. I think we have done a +great deal for one day, don’t you all think +so?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, my, yes,” was the hearty re<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span>sponse. +“It has been perfectly lovely.”</p> + +<p>“We might sing, ‘Little Drops of +Water,’ for this time,” proposed Edna, +“as long as we haven’t any special song +yet.”</p> + +<p>“That will do nicely, especially that +part about ‘little deeds of kindness.’ +We’re going to sing. All rise.” And +the meeting was closed, the members +groping their way down the attic stairs +which by now were quite dark. But the +effect of the club was to be far-reaching +as was afterward shown, though it was +little suspected at the time of its formation.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<p class="desc">A THANKSGIVING DINNER</p> + + +<p>The first direct effect of the club was +far from pleasant to Edna, for she forgot +all about studying a certain lesson, and +did not remember about it till she and +Dorothy met at school on Monday morning, +and then she was overcome with +fear lest she should be called upon to +recite something of which she knew +scarcely anything. However, by dint of +peeps at the book between whiles, after +devoting to it all the time she had before +school was called to order, she managed +to get through the recitation, yet not +without many misgivings and a rapid +beating of the heart when Miss Ashurst<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +called upon her. Edna was always such +a conscientious child about her lessons +that Miss Ashurst rather overlooked the +fact that upon this occasion she was not +quite as glib as usual, and she took her +seat with a feeling of great relief, determining +that she would not forget her +lessons another Saturday.</p> + +<p>There was more than one opportunity +that day to exercise the rule of the G. R. +Club, and the girls of the Neighborhood +Club, as they called theirs, were a little +surprised at the appearance of good-will +shown by the others.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I know just what they are up to,” +Clara Adams told her friends; “they +want to get in with us and are being extra +sweet. I know that is exactly their trick. +Don’t you girls pay any attention to +them. Of course we could let Jennie +Ramsey in, because she lives on our +street, but the others, we couldn’t any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +more than we could Betty Lowndes or +Jessie Hill.”</p> + +<p>“Well, it seems to me if they are good +enough for Jennie Ramsey to go with +they are good enough for us,” returned +Nellie Haskell.</p> + +<p>“No, I’m not going to have them,” +replied Clara, “and if you choose to go +over to them, Nellie Haskell, you can just +make up your mind that I’ll have no +more to do with you.” So Nellie succumbed +although she did smile upon +Dorothy when the two met and was most +pleasant when Edna offered to show her +about one of the lessons.</p> + +<p>Agnes advised that the girls make no +secret of their club. “It is nothing to be +ashamed of, I am sure,” she said, “and if +any of the girls want to join it I am sure +they are quite welcome to.” And indeed +it did appeal so strongly to some of the +older girls that before the week was out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +several new members were enrolled, and +it was decided to change the time of meeting +to Friday afternoon so that those in +the city might have their convenience considered +while the girls living in the +country could easily stay in till a later +hour.</p> + +<p>The little girls felt themselves rather +overpowered by the coming into their +ranks of so many older members, but on +the other hand they felt not a little flattered +at being important enough to belong +to the same club, so as the rule worked +both ways it made it all right, especially +as Betty Lowndes and others were +admitted and were no older than themselves.</p> + +<p>“They may have more in number,” +said Clara when she was told of how the +club was increasing, “but we are more +exclusive, my mother says.”</p> + +<p>This remark made its impression as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +Clara intended it should, though Nellie +looked wistfully across at where half a +dozen little girls were joyously eating +their lunch and discussing the good times +the elder girls were planning. “You +know,” Agnes had told them, “if you +want to become a junior branch of the +same club it will be perfectly easy for +you to do it. At the end of a month you +can decide, though Helen Darby and +Florence Gittings agree with me that +there is no reason why we shouldn’t all +hang together. It will be more convenient +for one thing and we can take turns +in arranging the entertainment part. I +don’t see why we all shouldn’t enjoy +some of the same kind of things.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we’d much rather stay in,” +replied Edna. “At least I would.”</p> + +<p>“I would! I would!” came from all +the others.</p> + +<p>Although there is a high and marked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +difference between fifteen and eight or +nine, in most matters, in this of the club +there appeared to be a harmony which +put them all on the same footing. The +older sisters were more ready to help the +younger ones with their lessons while the +younger ones were more eager to run on +errands or to wait on the older ones, in +consequence there was a benefit all +around.</p> + +<p>Of course Miss Ashurst and Mr. Horner +were by no means unaware of what +was going on and they smiled to see how +pleasant an atmosphere prevailed in the +school all except in the unfortunate +Neighborhood Club which they would +have gladly disbanded. “It will probably +die of its own discontent,” said Miss +Ashurst to the principal, “I give it just +three months to exist for the girls are +dropping out one by one.”</p> + +<p>Mr. Homer smiled and nodded his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +head. He was a man of few words yet +very little escaped his keen eyes.</p> + +<p>The next meeting of the G. R.’s was +even more successful than the first. A +number of things were discussed and the +little girls learned many things that they +had not known before.</p> + +<p>“Suppose Clara Adams did want to +come into the club or wanted to be friends +I suppose we’d have to be kind to her,” +said Dorothy, a little regretfully.</p> + +<p>“Of course you’d have to be kind to +her,” said Helen Darby, “but you +wouldn’t have to clasp her around the +neck and hang on her words, nor even +visit her. One can be kind without +being intimate.”</p> + +<p>This was putting it in rather a new +light and the little girls looked at one +another. They had not easily distinguished +the difference before this.</p> + +<p>“The same way about Mr. Horner,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span>” +Helen went on, “you don’t have to get +down and tie his shoes, but if you do have +a chance to do something to make things +pleasanter for him, why just trot along +and do it.” And Helen nodded her head +emphatically.</p> + +<p>“Dear oh, me,” sighed Florence, “we +are getting our standards way up. I +should probably fall all over myself if +I attempted to do anything for him. I +am almost scared to death at the mere +thought.”</p> + +<p>“He won’t bite you,” replied Helen, +“and you don’t have to get close enough +to him to comb his eyebrows. What I +mean is that we can ‘be diligent and +studious’ as the old copy-books used to +have it, speak well of his school, and not +carry tales home that will make our +families think we are martyrs and that +he is an ogre, or someone to be feared +constantly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Helen Darby! I’d like to know who +has been giving you all these new ideas,” +said Florence.</p> + +<p>“Why, I think Mrs. Conway started +them by the way she talked to Agnes, and +I have a modest claim to some brains of +my own, so I thought out the rest and +talked it over with father who put things +very clearly before me, and showed me +that school-girls are half the time silly +geese who seem to think their teachers +are created for the mere purpose of making +their lives miserable. Father said +that the shoe was usually on the other +foot, and that the girls were much more +liable to make the teachers’ lives miserable. +That set me a-thinking. Let me +remark in passing that father says he +thinks our club is great, and he wants to +have a hand in furnishing the entertaining +some time.”</p> + +<p>This announcement made quite a ripple<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +of excitement, for Mr. Darby did nothing +by halves and it was expected that there +would be a good time for the G. R.’s when +they met at Helen’s house.</p> + +<p>Edna kept in mind what had been said +about Uncle Justus and before very long +came an opportunity to prove her powers +of doing him a kindness. It was just +before Thanksgiving that Mrs. Conway +came in one Thursday afternoon to see +Aunt Elizabeth and of course her own two +little daughters as well. Edna sat very +close to her mother on the sofa, her hand +stroking the smooth kid glove she wore.</p> + +<p>It was a queer thing to have her mother +for company, but it was very delightful, +too.</p> + +<p>“I hope you and Uncle Justus can +come out to take Thanksgiving dinner +with us,” said Mrs. Conway to her aunt.</p> + +<p>“Thank you, my dear, but I am afraid +it is impossible,” was the response. “I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +long ago promised to go to sister Julia’s, +and hoped Justus would go, too, but he +insists that he cannot possibly take the +time, for it is something of a trip. He +says he has some school papers he must +attend to, and moreover, has promised to +address a meeting in the afternoon, so +that it will be impossible.”</p> + +<p>“I am very sorry,” returned Mrs. Conway, +“for we had quite counted on you +both. Perhaps Uncle Justus can take +the time to come to us even if he cannot +go so far as Aunt Julia’s.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Homer shook her head. “I am +afraid not, but you can ask him. Julia +will be greatly disappointed, but you know +Justus is nothing if not conscientious +and if he has made up his mind he ought +not to go, nothing will alter his decision.”</p> + +<p>“What time is his meeting?” asked +Mrs. Conway.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> + +<p>“At half past two, I believe.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear, then I am afraid it will be +difficult for him to get to us, or rather +to get away. We are to have dinner at +two rather than in the evening, partly +on account of the children and partly on +account of the maids, to whom I have +promised the time after they have finished +the necessary work. There is a train at +two-forty-five, but that would be too late, +and it takes nearly an hour by the trolley +cars.”</p> + +<p>“Then I am afraid he will have to dine +alone,” said Mrs. Horner, “I don’t suppose +he has ever done such a thing in his +life as that, but it cannot be helped. +Julia has few opportunities of seeing her +family and he insists that I must not +think of disappointing her on his account.”</p> + +<p>Edna listened very soberly to all this, +and when it was learned later that noth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span>ing +could alter Uncle Justus’s decision, +she felt very sorry for him. She took +occasion to open up the subject herself +that afternoon. “Uncle Justus,” she +asked, “did you ever eat Thanksgiving +dinner alone?”</p> + +<p>Uncle Justus looked at her over his +spectacles. “Well, no, I cannot say that +I ever did.”</p> + +<p>“Shall you like to do it?”</p> + +<p>“No, I do not believe I shall particularly +enjoy it, but duty must come before +pleasure, you know.”</p> + +<p>“I wish you were going to have dinner +with us.”</p> + +<p>“That would be very agreeable to me, +but I fear I cannot think of it upon this +occasion.”</p> + +<p>Edna sighed. She had hoped he might +reconsider it. When he had left the +room she went out into the kitchen to see +Ellen of whom she was very fond.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +“Ellen,” she said “are you going to stay +in and cook Uncle Justus’s Thanksgiving +dinner for him?”</p> + +<p>“I am thot. It’ll not be much of a job +I’ll be havin’ ayther.”</p> + +<p>“Why! Isn’t he going to have a real +Thanksgiving dinner?”</p> + +<p>“She was tellin’ me this mornin’ thot +it would be aisy, and I cud have me +afthernoon the same as usual, for he’d not +be in. Says she, ’a bit av a chicken will +do and ye can make a pumpkin pie the +day before, so what with a few pertaties +and a taste of stewed tomats he’ll do +bravely.”</p> + +<p>“Oh dear!” Edna sighed again as she +thought of all that would be served at +her own home table. Her little face wore +a very serious and troubled look every +time she looked at Uncle Justus that evening +and the next day at recess she +unburdened her heart to Dorothy and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +Jennie. These three always ate their +lunch together and they took this opportunity +for many a confidence.</p> + +<p>“Girls,” Edna began smoothing down +her frock and folding her hands. “I +have a chance to do Uncle Justus a kindness +and I can’t make up my mind to do +it. I’m afraid I’m awfully selfish.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy laughed. “I’d like to see anybody +who’s less so, wouldn’t you, Jennie?”</p> + +<p>“I certainly would. Edna, tell us +about it.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you see Uncle Justus has things +to do so he can’t go with Aunt Elizabeth +to her sister’s and he hasn’t even time to +come to us for Thanksgiving, and he +will have to eat his dinner all alone, +unless—unless I stay and keep him company.”</p> + +<p>“Oh Edna, and you couldn’t be with +your family last year because you were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +here.” Dorothy’s tones were almost awe-stricken.</p> + +<p>“I know, and of course I am dying to +be at home, and that’s where the being +selfish comes in, I keep thinking how I +should hate to eat my dinner alone and +every time I look at Uncle Justus I feel +so sorry for him I can hardly stand it, +then when I think of not going home I +feel so sorry for myself I can scarcely +stand that.”</p> + +<p>Both girls were silent. They saw the +opportunity for heroic sacrifice as well +as Edna did, but they could not advise her +either way; it was too weighty a question, +though Jennie ventured, “If he is going +to be busy all the time you would be all +by yourself except at dinner.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” Edna nodded, “and Ellen is +going out after she gets the dishes done, +but I suppose I could go home after that. +She could put me on the trolley and I’d<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +get home in an hour. I thought about +that.”</p> + +<p>“So, then it wouldn’t be like staying +all day, would it?” said Dorothy, brightening +a little as she saw this much light +upon the matter.</p> + +<p>“Yes, of course that would make a +great difference,” returned Edna.</p> + +<p>“Or,” Jennie had a sudden brilliant +thought. “Oh, Edna, I wonder if you +couldn’t come to my house and stay all +night with me. I should be so delighted +to have you and I know mother would, +too. We aren’t to have our Thanksgiving +dinner till six, so you could have +two.”</p> + +<p>Edna looked quite happy as this plan +was suggested. What girl of nine does +not delight in such an experience as +spending the night with a friend? The +thought of two Thanksgiving dinners, +though one might be rather a frugal one,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +had its charm, too. “I think that would +be perfectly lovely,” she said, then after +a moment’s thought, “but you must ask +your mother first and I’ll ask mine.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll ask her as soon as I go home and +will tell you at the club meeting this afternoon, +and then you can ask your mother +when you get home and let me know on +Monday. I just know what mother will +say before I ask her.”</p> + +<p>Then the bell rang and recess was over, +but Edna returned to her lessons very +happy at this solution of what had been a +matter of deep thought. It turned out +just as Jennie had prophesied, for she +brought a veritable invitation to Edna +that afternoon in the shape of a little +note, and she further said that Mrs. Ramsey +meant to make sure by writing a +formal request to Mrs. Conway, therefore +Edna considered the matter as good +as settled.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> + +<p>She was full of the subject that afternoon +when she reached home. It was +quite dark although she and the others +had taken the train which brought them +more quickly. The club meetings were +so interesting that it was hard to get away +in time, but Mrs. Conway was on the +watch as the girls came in the gate. Of +course Edna had told Celia about all this, +and indeed it had been talked over at the +club, all the girls agreeing that it was a +perfectly lovely thing for Edna to do, so +she came in quite exalted by all the +approval.</p> + +<p>However, when she told her tale and +her mother saw that it was a case of genuine +desire to do a good deed, and that in +the beginning it had appeared in the light +of a heavier sacrifice than could be made +easily, she felt that she could allow the +child to do as she wished, being sure that +it was not in a spirit of self-righteous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span>ness. +And so, on the evening before +Thanksgiving after Uncle Justus had +returned from seeing Mrs. Horner safely +on her journey to her sister’s, he saw a +little figure watching for him at the window.</p> + +<p>“Well, well, well, little girl,” he said, +“how is this? I thought you would have +been at home before now.”</p> + +<p>“I’m not going till Friday,” replied +Edna smiling up at him. “I’m going to +stay and have Thanksgiving dinner with +you.”</p> + +<p>“What? What? What?” Uncle Justus +frowned and shook his head, but he +took off his spectacles and wiped them +very vigorously.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I am.” Edna was very decided. +“Mother said I might, and oh, Uncle +Justus, she knew Aunt Elizabeth would +be away and she thought maybe you and +I would like some of our Thanksgiving,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +so she has sent some of her goodies, and +we’re going to have a lovely time. I am +going to help Ellen set the table and wipe +the dishes.”</p> + +<p>“But, my child, I cannot allow it. No, +no, no.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but, please.” The more Uncle +Justus denied, the more anxious was +Edna.</p> + +<p>“But, my child, it would be selfish and +inconsiderate of me in the extreme to +take you away from your family on a +holiday. I know what it means to little +people to have such treats, and to an old +fellow like me it will not make such a difference.”</p> + +<p>“But you told me you had never had a +Thanksgiving dinner alone.”</p> + +<p>“That is quite true, but it is no reason +why I should call upon a little girl like +you to give up the holiday to me.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you want me to stay?” asked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +Edna wistfully, and feeling a little hurt +lest after all, her sacrifice was not really +needed.</p> + +<p>Then Uncle Justus did a rare thing. +He sat down, put his arm around her and +kissed her on the cheek. “My dear little +girl,” he replied, “if that is the way you +feel, I can only say that I am delighted +beyond measure that you want to stay, +and you will give me a greater cause for +thanksgiving than I have expected or +deserved,” and he drew her to his knee.</p> + +<p>Edna smiled as she wondered what +Florence Gittings, or any of the other +girls, for that matter, would say if they +could see her then so extremely near the +fierce eyebrows.</p> + +<p>“But what will you do in the afternoon?” +asked Uncle Justus after a +moment. “I must go out early, you see.”</p> + +<p>“I know that. At first I thought I +would get Ellen to put me on the cars to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +go home. It would be quite safe, for I +have gone so many times, but Jennie +Ramsey and her mother have invited me +to come there to stay all night. I’ll come +back here on Friday, if you would like me +to, Uncle Justus. I could stay till Aunt +Elizabeth comes home.”</p> + +<p>Uncle Justus was silent for a moment. +He smoothed her hair thoughtfully and +then he said gently. “Your mother very +kindly has asked me to spend the week +end with you all, so suppose we go out +together on Friday afternoon. I can +take my papers with me and do my necessary +work on Saturday there as well as +here. Your little club meets on Friday +afternoon, doesn’t it? I will meet you +and Celia at the station in time for the +four-thirty train, which is the one you +usually take, isn’t it?”</p> + +<p>Edna was surprised that Uncle Justus +should know all this about the club and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +the time of their going home, but she +didn’t say so. “I think that will be a +very nice plan,” she told him. “I’ll come +back here on Friday morning and have +dinner with you, and then I can go to the +club meeting. It is to be at Helen +Darby’s this time, and that is very near, +you know.” The twilight gathered about +the two and in the dim light Uncle Justus +did not appear in the least a person to +stand in awe of, for when Ellen came to +call them to supper she was surprised to +see the little girl still sitting on the old +man’s knee, his arm around her and her +head on his shoulder.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<p class="desc">IN A BLIZZARD</p> + + +<p>The enjoyment of helping Ellen, of +setting the table and of being consulted +on such important subjects as whether the +best china and the finest tablecloth should +be used almost made up to Edna for being +away from home on Thanksgiving day. +The basket sent by Mrs. Conway contained +several things which made the +dinner much more of a feast than it +would otherwise have been, for there was +a jar of tomato soup, a small chicken pie +with scalloped leaves and little balls of +crust on top, some delicious pickles, a +glass of currant jelly and another of cranberry +sauce. Margaret had brought in a +bunch of cut flowers from Mrs. MacDon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span>ald’s +greenhouse, the day before and +these set in the middle of the table were +a lovely ornament.</p> + +<p>“It’s the foinest lookin’ table iver I +saw in this house,” said Ellen when Edna +called her in to see. “What was it yez +were sayin’ about thim little toasty crusts +for the soup. I’d be afther makin’ thim +if I cud know wanst.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I can tell you just how,” said +Edna, “for I have watched our cook make +them.” She felt very important to be +overseeing this piece of cookery and went +in to call her uncle, feeling very much +pleased at what had been accomplished.</p> + +<p>“Well, well, well,” exclaimed Uncle +Justus, “this does look like holiday times. +Who did all this?”</p> + +<p>“Ellen and I,” Edna told him, “and it +was lots of fun.”</p> + +<p>Uncle Justus nodded. “I dare say,” +he said with a smile, as he sat down.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was really a merrier repast than +Edna had ever eaten under that roof, for +instead of eating his dinner in silence as +he generally did, Uncle Justus was quite +talkative and actually attempted to joke +once in a while. When Ellen was taking +away the plates before she served the +dessert, the old gentleman arose. “I +think,” he said, “that this is just the +occasion to open that jar of ginger Captain +Doane sent me awhile ago.” So he +went to his own special cupboard, unlocked +the door and brought forth the +wicker bound ginger jar which had been +there several weeks, and it is safe to say +Edna was given her share.</p> + +<p>“A famous dinner,” said Uncle Justus +as he rose from the table. “I can’t +remember that I ever had a pleasanter +one, and I have you to thank for it, my +dear. Now, I am afraid I shall have to +go to my meeting, but I know you have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +an agreeable plan for the evening, so I do +not feel the reluctance in leaving that I +should otherwise.”</p> + +<p>Edna helped him on with his overcoat, +handed him his walking stick and saw +him off, standing in the door, and hoping +he would look back. He did this giving +her a smile and nod as she waved her +hand. Then she went back to Ellen and +together they did the dishes very carefully. +After this both must get dressed, +and an hour later they were about to start +when the bell rang and Ellen opened the +door to Jennie Ramsey.</p> + +<p>“I thought I’d just come for you in the +motor car,” she said. “Mother said +Mack could take us for a little ride in the +fresh air so we would have a better appetite +for dinner.”</p> + +<p>This was quite exciting, for Edna’s +opportunities for riding in an automobile +were not many.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p> + +<p>The magnificence of the Ramsey’s +dinner far outdid Aunt Elizabeth’s, but +Edna did not enjoy it one whit the more, +although it was very delightful to be +served by a man in livery, and to have +such exquisite china and glass to look +at during the meal. The child felt a +little shy in the presence of so many +strangers, and had little to say. Moreover, +she had too often been told by Aunt +Elizabeth that “little children should be +seen and not heard” for her not to remember +she must not chatter. Really the best +time came when she and Jennie went up +to bed when Jennie showed her all her +treasures, her pretty room and her rows +of books. They became very confidential +as they snuggled down under the covers, +and when Mrs. Ramsey came in to kiss +them both good-night, Edna felt much +happier than had seemed possible she +could be when she first considered that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +she must spend the day and night away +from her mother.</p> + +<p>The club meeting at Helen Darby’s the +next day was a fine affair, too, for Mr. +Darby had provided an entertainment +which pleased them all. A wonderful +juggler did all sorts of curious tricks and +a young man sang the drollest of songs. +Then, too, the refreshments were unusually +good. It had been made an inviolable +rule that not more than three articles +were to be served, but when there were +ice cream, delicious cakes and bon-bons, +surely these were quite enough.</p> + +<p>“You see,” said Helen in explanation, +after some of the girls had protested, +“father said this was a holiday meeting +and it might be a little more elaborate, he +thought.”</p> + +<p>Uncle Justus took Edna and Celia home +that evening, and if he did not enjoy his +visit it was not the fault of the girls. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +is probable the old gentleman had rarely +had such attentions and such a fuss made +over him. He was invited to the Evans’s +to supper on Saturday and to Mrs. MacDonald’s +to dinner on Sunday. He was +taken to drive; he was invited to walk, +and really was quite overcome by all this +thought of him from the members of the +G. R. Club.</p> + +<p>Monday morning saw everyone but Celia +back at school. Celia having had too +much Thanksgiving, or too much something +was not able to go, and indeed, had +to remain at home for the entire week, +and it seemed very much like the old days +to Edna when she had to stay at Uncle +Justus’s without her sister. Aunt Elizabeth +returned home on Monday afternoon, +quite “smoothed out” Edna told her +mother afterward. So the week sped +along in the old way till Friday afternoon.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span></p> + +<p>It had begun to snow a little when Edna +started out to the club meeting which was +held at Florence Gittings’s. The little +girl had no fear, however, for she expected +to meet Dorothy and Agnes and go home +with them, but for some reason neither +was present. Later on it was learned that +Mr. Evans had called for them at their +aunt’s and had taken them home fearing +a heavy storm would prevent their going +later. A telegram which they sent to +Edna at Florence Gittings’s was not delivered +till after the child had left the +house.</p> + +<p>“You aren’t going off by yourself,” +said Florence when the club meeting was +over. It had seemed rather a poor little +affair after the brilliancy of Helen’s entertainment, +and with both Agnes and Celia +missing. However they had all done +their best, but it broke up rather earlier +than usual.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Oh, I must go,” said Edna. “I am +sure Agnes and Dorothy will be at the +railway station, and we can all go out +together.”</p> + +<p>“But it is snowing so hard and the wind +is making the snow drift,” continued +Florence.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but the cars go all the way to the +station. I won’t have to walk, and very +likely mother will send one of the boys, +Cousin Ben, perhaps, to meet me.”</p> + +<p>“I wish we had a telephone,” said +Florence, “but we haven’t, and I suppose +you can telephone from the station if you +want to.”</p> + +<p>“I might do that,” said Edna.</p> + +<p>“I think you’d better go back to your +Uncle Horner’s,” suggested Helen.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but—” Edna did not want to do +this. A whole week at the school without +Celia was about all she thought she could +stand. “I shall do all right,” she in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span>sisted. +“I’m sure the girls will be at the +station.” So the others saw her depart +without urging her further.</p> + +<p>Owing to the snow which was drifting +heavily, the cars were running much more +slowly than usual, and when Edna reached +the station her train had just gone. It +was the train her father always took and +she had hoped to see him. She decided +to telephone and took out her purse to see +what money she had. Alas! she had but +ten cents, not enough for an out-of-town +toll. She had her school ticket fortunately. +Celia was the one who always +carried the money for the expenses, and +Edna remembered that her mother had +told her to be sure to provide herself with +enough. “If you find you run short,” +she told the child, “either send down to +your father for some change or borrow +it from Aunt Elizabeth.”</p> + +<p>Edna would rather have done almost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +anything than borrow from Aunt Elizabeth +and she had forgotten to look in her +purse anyhow, before starting. “Even if +I had,” she told herself, “I would have +thought I had enough for I didn’t expect +to need anything but car fare.” The next +train would leave at five, but as it was a +short run Edna thought she might venture +to take it, even though it might be +dark when she reached the station. She +could telephone to the house from there, +if necessary. So she waited patiently till +it should be time for her train to be ready +and then she went out and took her seat. +It was snowing desperately hard she +noticed as they moved along, and the train +stopped frequently, but at last she reached +her own station and got off feeling very +thankful to be this near home. She +looked around; not a soul was there to +meet her. She would have to telephone. +She turned toward the waiting-room, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +to her consternation found the door +locked.</p> + +<p>There was not a soul in sight. She +stood still for a while. It was getting +colder, and the snow was drifting and +swirling around at a great rate. What +should she do? The station master had +probably gone home to his supper, for +there were no more trains till nearly six +o’clock from either direction. He had not +counted on his presence being needed between +whiles once he had seen to his +freight and baggage, and he had gone to +the back of the building where he lived.</p> + +<p>It was not more than a ten minutes’ +walk to her home in good weather, and +Edna at last thought she would venture. +She pulled her hat down over her ears +and her coat collar up around her neck +and started. It was desperate walking +here in the country where the sharp wind +seemed to search out every unprotected<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +part of the body. The snow nearly +blinded her, and cut her face like a knife. +Every little while she had to stop to get +breath, and as she found the difficulties +increasing she thought of all the stories +she had heard of persons perishing in the +snow a few yards from their own door-ways. +“I wish I had gone back to Uncle +Justus,” she murmured. “Oh, dear, I +don’t believe I will ever get there.”</p> + +<p>The whiteness of the snow made it +possible for her to see a little of the way +when she first started, but as she went on +and it grew darker she began to wonder +if she were in the road. She brushed +away the stinging flakes and looked +around, peering into the darkness gathering +around her. Through the blinding, +hurrying flakes she could see twinkling +lights here and there, and presently she +located the piece of woods just beyond +her own home, but it was far to the left,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +and she realized that she had turned into +a by-road instead of keeping to the main +one. The tears began to course down her +cheeks when she appreciated how far she +was from her own house. “I can never +go back,” she sobbed. “I can’t. I am +so cold and so tired, I’m afraid I can’t +get there. It would never do to stand +still,” she realized and presently she made +up her mind to struggle on toward the +nearest light a little ahead.</p> + +<p>She bowed her head again and pressed +on through the drifts, feeling her strength +would do no more than get her to this +refuge. At last it was reached, a little +house, by the wayside, a tiny garden in +front and a small cow-shed behind. Managing +to get the gate open, Edna went +upon the porch and knocked at the door.</p> + +<p>It was opened by a little girl about her +own age. “Why,” she exclaimed, “who +is it? I thought you were mother.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +Come right in out of the storm. Isn’t it +a dreadful one?”</p> + +<p>Edna, scarce able to speak, tottered into +the room, warm from a bright fire in a +base-burner stove and cheerful by reason +of a lighted lamp.</p> + +<p>“You are all covered with snow,” the +little girl went on. “Do come to the fire +and take off your hat and coat. You +must be nearly frozen and I expect your +feet are wet and cold. I’ll take off your +shoes.”</p> + +<p>She stooped down and began to unfasten +the snowy shoes after removing +the rubbers Edna had been fortunate +enough to have put on.</p> + +<p>In a moment the wanderer was able to +tell her story, and to thank her little +hostess for her attentions. “I don’t +know what I am going to do,” she said. +“I’m afraid I can’t get home, and there +isn’t any way to send them word to come<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +for me. Of course they will think I have +stayed in the city. If I had known how +bad the storm was going to be I would +never have started, but I did want to see +my mother.”</p> + +<p>“And I want to see my mother,” replied +her hostess. “She went down the +road this morning to see my aunt who is +ill, and she was coming back on this train +that got in a little while ago, the train you +must have come on.”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t see anyone get off,” Edna +told her, “only two or three men who got +into a wagon and drove off before I left +the station. Most everyone I know +comes out on the train before that, but I +missed it, you see.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I am very glad to have you +here,” said the other. “If mother did not +come on that train she won’t come at all, +I am sure, for the next ones don’t stop +at my aunt’s station, and I should have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +been here all alone. What is your +name?”</p> + +<p>“My name is Edna Conway, and I live +on the main road just this side of that +piece of woods you see after you pass +Mrs. MacDonald’s. Hers is the big gray +house with the greenhouses, you know.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes I know it very well. My +name is Nettie Black. My mother and I +live here just by ourselves since my +father died.”</p> + +<p>“Oh,” Edna felt very sorry that Nettie +was fatherless, but she did not know exactly +what to say about it. “Will your +mother be worried about your being here +alone?” she asked after a moment.</p> + +<p>“I s’pose she will, but it can’t be helped. +I know she would have come if she could. +I only hope my aunt isn’t worse. I wish +she could know I am not to be alone.”</p> + +<p>“And I wish, my mother knew I was +safe,” returned Edna. “I am sure,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +though, that she thinks I am at my +uncle’s in the city, and I hope she does +think so.”</p> + +<p>“Are you quite warm, now?” asked +Nettie. “If you are we will have some +supper.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you are very kind,” returned +Edna a little embarrassed. “I think it +is very hard on you to have me come in +this way like a stray cat.”</p> + +<p>Nettie laughed. “I like stray cats, and +we always take them in. There is a +lovely one in the kitchen, now, that we +make a great pet of. He came to us so +thin and miserable, but now he is as fat +as butter.”</p> + +<p>“I’d love to see him,” returned Edna, +“and won’t you let me help you get +supper?”</p> + +<p>“There isn’t so very much to get,” returned +Nettie a little shamefacedly. +“There is only bread and butter and what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +is left of the rice-pudding I had for +dinner. We could toast the bread, and +there’s milk. If you don’t mind my taking +part of the milk for it, I could have +milk-toast and we could drink cambric +tea.”</p> + +<p>“I like cambric tea,” replied Edna, +“and I am very fond of milk-toast. Oh, +dear, I am so thankful to be here instead +of out in the cold.”</p> + +<p>“I am thankful, too. I’ll go out and +make the toast. Will you come?”</p> + +<p>Edna was pleased enough to do this, to +make the acquaintance of the big black +cat, and to help make the toast. “I don’t +see how you will ever know how to make +the dip part,” she said to Nettie.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but I do know. Mother taught +me, and I can do it very well. The great +thing is not to let the milk burn and to +put in only the least little bit of thickening.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>Edna watched the process admiringly. +Nettie was so very expert and bustled +around like an experienced housekeeper. +The house was very small, only two rooms +downstairs and two up, with an attic over +all, but everything was neat and clean, +and the dishes, of course, were set out in +an orderly manner upon a white tablecloth. +The dish of smoking toast flanked +by the rice pudding made an excellent +meal. Nettie poured the tea and served +her guest in the most hospitable way. +They ate their meal in the front room before +the fire, and now that she was +warmed and was no longer hungry, Edna +began to be interested in her surroundings. +It was a plainly furnished room, +a faded carpet on the floor, an old-fashioned +sofa against one wall, a claw-footed +mahogany table against the other, a bookcase +between the windows. One or two +engravings hung on the wall and a dingy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +portrait in an old frame. The chairs +matched the sofa, one being a comfortable +rocker with cover of haircloth.</p> + +<p>After they had washed the supper +dishes, Nettie made ready for the night +by putting more coal on the fires and +carefully barring the shutters and doors +below. Then with a small lamp in her +hand she escorted her guest to the upstairs +room. It was rather chilly and +was also plainly furnished, though the +old-fashioned four-poster bed was made +up neatly, and the high bureau showed a +clean cover. The wind howled and +whistled around the house, the sharp +snow crystals clicked against the panes, +but as Edna crept under the covers she +could feel only thankful that she had this +shelter and was soon asleep with Nettie +beside her already in the land of Dreams.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<p class="desc">COUSIN BEN TO THE RESCUE</p> + + +<p>The next morning when Edna opened +her eyes she saw a white world. Trees, +fences, roofs, were covered with snow. +It was banked up in great drifts along +the road. The path to the gate was so +deeply snowed under that it was an impossibility +to think of getting from the +house. At the back it was no better. +The two little girls looked rather sober.</p> + +<p>“I wonder if mother can get home to-day,” +was the first thought in Nettie’s +mind, and, “I wonder if I can get home +to my mother,” was that in Edna’s.</p> + +<p>It seemed rather forlorn to think of +facing the day without some older person, +but Nettie bravely went to work to do her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +best. First she went down into the cellar +for coal which she lugged up to put on the +two fires. Edna came down to find her +busily taking up the ashes.</p> + +<p>“Oh, how do you know what to do to +make the fires burn?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I know, for mother has told me, +and I often do this for her. The kitchen +fire is easy enough but it is hard to lift the +coal bucket up high enough to get the +coal into the other stove.”</p> + +<p>“I can help,” said Edna. So together +they managed.</p> + +<p>“Now, I must see what there is for +breakfast,” said Nettie. “I think there +are two eggs, and the hens must have laid +more, but I can’t get out to hunt them till +a path is made. I think there is still a +little milk, for it didn’t take much for +the cambric tea, and we can have more of +that. Then there is bread enough and +butter. We can boil the eggs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>This they did, Edna watching the clock +very carefully to see that they were not +over done. They concluded to toast the +bread, and made a pretty fair breakfast, +though it was not a very hearty one, Edna +thought. There was a little of the milk +toast left which they warmed up to give +to the cat who must miss his morning’s +milk, as the milkman had not appeared.</p> + +<p>“I don’t suppose he will get here at +all,” said Nettie a little anxiously. She +was wondering what she could give her +guest for dinner if it should be so that +her mother did not return. She set to +work in a very housewifely way to tidy up +the house, Edna helping all she could. +Then they stationed themselves by the +window to see if by any chance there +might be someone coming along whom +they could hail. But the road was not +much frequented and there was not a footstep +nor a track in the deep snow. Only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +the smoke from neighboring chimneys +gave any evidence of life. Once they +heard sleigh-bells in the distance and concluded +that the main road was being used.</p> + +<p>“I wish I could get out to feed the +chickens,” said Nettie after a while. “I +am afraid they will be hungry.” She +went to the back door to view the prospect, +and tried to shovel away some of +the snow, but it was slow work. Edna +brought another shovel and together they +managed to clear a few feet of the path, +but it was very wearying and they soon +had to give it up.</p> + +<p>Then they went back to the window, +but the monotony was not relieved by any +change in the face of things and so they +determined that it was rather stupid to +stand there. Nettie brought down her +two dolls and they played with these for +a while, but keeping house in a make believe +way was not so exciting when there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +was the reality close at hand, and they +decided that paper dolls would be more +entertaining.</p> + +<p>“I think there is a fashion book upstairs +in the garret,” said Nettie, “and +we can take that. Mother said I might +have it.”</p> + +<p>Edna followed her up into the attic and +they found the book, took it down into the +front room and began to make their selections +and cut out paper dolls till it suddenly +dawned upon Nettie that it was time +for another meal. She laid down her +scissors with a sigh. “I really don’t +know what we shall have for dinner,” she +said. “Mother was going to bring something +back with her. I shall have to +rummage.”</p> + +<p>She went into the little pantry, Edna +following. “There are two potatoes, but +they aren’t very big,” she said, “and +there is some codfish. I might make some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +codfish balls if I knew how. Do you +know, Edna?”</p> + +<p>“I think they are made of fish and +potatoes, aren’t they?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, but I don’t know how much fish +and how much potato, besides I am afraid +there aren’t potatoes enough. I suppose +we shall have to give that up. Oh, here +are some more eggs; that is fine. If I +could find some ham or some bacon we +could have ham and eggs, and that would +be very good.” But nothing of this kind +could be discovered and Nettie brought +out the potatoes, laid them on the table +and said rather ruefully, “It seems to me +that we aren’t going to have much dinner. +There isn’t another thing except sugar +and tea and such things.”</p> + +<p>“There might be rice,” said Edna with +a sudden thought of Aunt Elizabeth’s +desserts.</p> + +<p>“Why, of course, and rice and brown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +sugar are very good indeed. I am so glad +you thought of it. I know there must be +rice.” She went back to the pantry and +presently came out with a box in which +she had discovered the rice. “I’ll get the +eggs and we can have them fried,” she +remarked, “they will seem more like +meat that way.”</p> + +<p>“And we can have the potatoes baked +because they will be easier to do,” said +Edna.</p> + +<p>Nettie made another visit to the pantry. +“I’ve found something else,” she called.</p> + +<p>“What?” asked Edna going to the +door.</p> + +<p>“Two apples. Now, I am sure that is +every blessed thing.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Edna cheerfully, “I think +we are very lucky to find so much.”</p> + +<p>“I must put the potatoes in the oven +right away,” <a name="tn108" id="tn108"></a>declared <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: original has 'Nettie, for it'">Nettie, “for it</ins> takes +them a good while to bake. I will put on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +some water for the rice, too. I wonder +how much rice I should take. Have you +any idea?”</p> + +<p>“No, I haven’t, but I should think we +will want quite a good deal, we haven’t +very much else, have we?”</p> + +<p>“No, we have not. I will take a large +cupful. It swells up so, I should think +that might do. You soak it first, I think.” +She measured out a full cup of the rice, +poured some water over it, washed it and +then set it to soak till the water should +boil. The potatoes were put in the oven +and then the two went back to the next +room. “It won’t take the rice as long as +it does the potatoes, I am sure,” said +Nettie, “and the water will have to boil +first.”</p> + +<p>They returned to the paper-dolls, becoming +quite interested in them till presently +they heard a great sputtering, and +running out found the water was boiling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +over. “I’ll put on the rice now,” said +Nettie, “for I am getting hungry, aren’t +you?”</p> + +<p>“Well, yes, a little,” acknowledged +Edna.</p> + +<p>Nettie was rather uncertain as to what +she should cook the rice in, and next, how +much water she should pour over it, but +after some discussion it was decided, and +they went back to set the table. “Doesn’t +it seem funny to be keeping house just +like grown-ups?” said Edna. “I never +knew how much trouble it was before, did +you, Nettie?”</p> + +<p>“I knew, but I didn’t think about it, I +suppose,” returned Nettie. “We will +pile up our dolls and papers over here +on this other table and then they will be +easy to get at when we want them. I +wish the milkman had come, for I really +don’t know what to give to Tippy. We +haven’t any meat. To be sure he will eat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +most anything, but I am afraid he will +go hungry to-day.”</p> + +<p>“Couldn’t you give him an egg and +some bread or some rice, if we have +enough.”</p> + +<p>“I could do that, I suppose. I hope +there will be rice enough, but it is very +hard to tell when you aren’t acquainted +with such a thing as the boiling and swelling +of it.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I smell something burning,” cried +Edna, “and something is making a +funny popping noise.” They flew to the +kitchen to see that the rice had burst all +bounds and was dancing out of the saucepan +all over the hot stove, puffing and +popping at a great rate.</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear,” exclaimed Nettie. “I +never saw so much rice come from one +cupful. Could you believe it? Why, it +has taken up all the water and the saucepan +is full up to the top besides all that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +is on the stove. Oh, dear, I wish I knew +just how to cook it.”</p> + +<p>“Haven’t you a cook book?” asked +Edna with a quick suggestion of what +might help out the question.</p> + +<p>“Why, of course mother has one. I +will set this off and go hunt it up.”</p> + +<p>The book was found on the shelves and +the two put their heads together to discover +the best way to boil rice. “I think +this seems the easiest way,” said Nettie, +pointing to one of the pages of the book, +“but I hope it won’t hurt it to wait, for +I’ll have to put on more water to boil. It +says to have a great deal of water and +keep it boiling like mad.”</p> + +<p>After some time the rice was transferred +to another and larger saucepan +and was soon boiling “like mad,” then +the eggs were fried and after a somewhat +anxious and laborious period of time the +dinner was pronounced ready.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Oh, dear me, but it is hard work,” +said Edna sighing as the two sat down to +partake of the meal which they had prepared +after so much difficulty.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it is hard work,” agreed Nettie, +“but we did it all ourselves, and the potatoes +are really done and the rice looks +all right.”</p> + +<p>“It looks fine,” said Edna, “and so do +the eggs. I don’t mind their being +broken a little; I don’t see how you could +dish them up without.”</p> + +<p>They had been so long in preparing the +meal that they were quite starved and ate +with a relish. “I’m glad there is more +rice,” said Nettie, “for now that I know +what a little it takes to make a big dish +I shan’t be afraid of our starving while +it lasts.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear,” Edna put down her spoon, +“you don’t think we shall have to stay +here alone for days, do you? The snow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +will have to melt after a while and the +roads be cleared.”</p> + +<p>“It doesn’t look much like it yet,” returned +Nettie.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but it never, never, never could +keep on like this.” Edna was determined +to be hopeful. “I’m going to believe +someone will come this very afternoon, +either your mother or somebody.”</p> + +<p>Her faith was not without foundation +for along in the middle of the afternoon +they heard jangling bells, and ran to the +front window to see the milkman in a +huge sleigh, his milk cans in the body of +it. He plowed his way to the front door +which was opened to him before he could +knock.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Mr. Snyder,” said Nettie, “I am +so glad you have come. We are all alone +and we haven’t a drop of milk.”</p> + +<p>“That so?” said Mr. Snyder. “I +thought as much. It’s pretty hard trav<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span>elling +and I’ve been hours getting around +to my customers, but now the road is +broken it won’t be quite so hard getting +back. I’d better leave you double quantity +in case I’m late to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you are our milkman, too, aren’t +you?” said Edna. “You leave milk at +Mrs. Conway’s, don’t you?”</p> + +<p>“To be sure I do.”</p> + +<p>“And have you been there yet?”</p> + +<p>“No, I’m on my way now. You’re out +a bit, you know, but what are you doing +down here?”</p> + +<p>Edna told him her tale in which he was +much interested. “Well, I declare,” he +said. “Want me to take you home with +me? I can bundle you in there with the +milk cans, and I reckon you wouldn’t +freeze.”</p> + +<p>For a moment Edna thought she must +accept this invitation, then she looked at +Nettie. Suppose her mother should not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +come that evening, and she should be +there at night all alone. “Couldn’t you +take Nettie, too?” she said.</p> + +<p>“Why, certainly. The two of you +aren’t much more than two milk cans, and +I’m sure you’re not so big round.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but suppose mother should come,” +said Nettie. “She would be so worried, +and I must be here to keep up the fires.”</p> + +<p>“Then,” said Edna firmly, setting her +face against the temptation of the cheerful +supper table at home, the dear mother +arms, the greetings of the boys and all +the rest of it. “I will tell you what I +can do. I will write mother a little note +and ask her if she can send somebody or +find some way to get us something to eat, +and I’ll stay till your mother comes, +Nettie.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I think you are lovely to do that,” +answered Nettie.</p> + +<p>“Could you wait a minute, Mr. Sny<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span>der?” +asked Edna. “I won’t write +much.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll wait,” he <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: original has 'said, and if'">said, <a name="tn117" id="tn117"></a>“and if</ins> you will +give me a shovel I’ll make a path to your +gate. I reckon you’re right about staying, +sissy. I’ve got two little girls of my +own and I know I shouldn’t like them to +be left alone either one of them.”</p> + +<p>Edna hurried through her note which +said: “Dear mother, I am with Nettie +Black. She lives in the first little house +on the side road on the way to the old +mill. We are all alone for her mother +hasn’t come back. Please send us something +to eat if you can, for we have nothing +left but rice and milk. There may +be eggs in the hen-house, but we can’t +get at them. I want to come but I’d +better not. Your loving Edna.”</p> + +<p>The little note was safely stowed away +in Mr. Snyder’s pocket with a promise +of sure delivery, and he went off, his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +horses plunging through the deep drifts +up to their middles.</p> + +<p>“I think you are just as good as you +can be,” said Nettie. “I don’t feel as +if I ought to let you stay, but I do hate +the idea of being left all alone.”</p> + +<p>“I’d want you to stay with me if I were +in your place,” returned Edna remembering +the G. R. Club. To be sure +Nettie did not belong to her school, but +she was quite as much one of those +“others” to whom one should do as he +would be done by.</p> + +<p>“It really looks as if something had +happened,” remarked Edna. “When we +see the path to the gate. I wish he had +had time to make one at the back, too.”</p> + +<p>It was almost dark and they were about +to turn from the window to light the lamp, +when ploughing through the deep snow +they saw someone coming down the road. +They watched him eagerly. Except the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +milkman he was the first person they had +seen that day. “He is coming this way,” +said Edna hopefully. “Oh, Nettie, I believe +it is Cousin Ben. He has a basket +and see how he has taken to the road +where Mr. Snyder’s sleigh went along.” +She watched for a few minutes longer. +“It is Cousin Ben,” she cried joyfully. +“He is coming here. Light the lamp, +Nettie, while I go let him in.”</p> + +<p>She hurried to the door to see Ben +stamping off the snow from his feet. +“Whewee!” he exclaimed, “but isn’t this +a sockdolager? I never saw such a +storm? How are you Ande, my honey. +Of all things to think of your being this +near home and none of us knowing it.”</p> + +<p>“Then mother did think I was still at +Uncle Justus’s,” said Edna.</p> + +<p>“Just what she did. You rung a surprise +on the whole of us, I can tell you.”</p> + +<p>He came in and set down the basket,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +took off his cap and overcoat and looked +down at the two little girls with a smile.</p> + +<p>“This is Nettie Black,” Edna told him. +“She has been so nice to me, and I don’t +know what would have happened if I had +not been able to get to her house.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t speak of it,” returned Ben with +a little frown and a shake of his head. +“I’ll sit down and warm myself and then +you can tell me how this all happened.”</p> + +<p>He drew up to the fire, took Edna on +his knee and she poured forth her tale. +“Pretty tough,” he said when she had +completed her story. “I’m glad your +mother didn’t know you had started. +Now, Miss Nettie if you will let me sleep +on that big sofa I am going to stay right +here till we can dig you out and your +mother comes. There’s a lot of provender +in that basket and we’ll be as jolly as they +make ’em.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but you can sleep upstairs,” re<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span>turned +Nettie. “There is plenty of +room.”</p> + +<p>“Good! Then upstairs be it. What +was that about hens and eggs and things, +Ande?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we can’t get out to the hen-house, +you know. We tried to make a path but +it was too hard work for us so we gave +it up.”</p> + +<p>“I should remark. Well, that will be +done first thing in the morning, and I’ll +go see what I can find. Eggsactly, as it +were. What about the fires? Any coal +up here?”</p> + +<p>“A little,” Nettie told him. “We +have carried up all we could at a time, +but we couldn’t bring enough for the +fires to-night. We are going down to get +more.”</p> + +<p>“You are going to do no such thing. +Got a candle? Where are the coal +scuttles? One of you hold the light and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +show me your coal bin and up comes your +coal.” Cousin Ben was already making +for the cellar door.</p> + +<p>Of course no one was going to be left +out of this expedition and all three descended +to the cellar, from which they +presently came forth all laughing. It +was certainly a cheering thing to have +someone so willing to come to their aid. +Next the basket was unpacked and it goes +without saying that there were neither +eggs nor rice for supper that night. +Moreover, Tippy had such a feast of +milk as well as other things as he had +not seen for several days. Ben kept the +little girls in such a state of giggle that +they could scarcely do the dishes, but +what with the labors of the day and the +later excitement they were ready for bed +early, and went up leaving Cousin Ben +with a book before him. Later his light +half wakened Edna, but as he closed the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +door between the rooms and she realized +that he was there, she turned over with a +sigh of content, feeling very safe and +sleepy.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<p class="desc">DISTURBANCES</p> + + +<p>Sunday morning was bright and clear. +It was so dazzlingly bright when the little +girls arose that they thought it must be +much later than it was. Cousin Ben, +however, was already up and dressed and +had been down some time when the two +finally descended to the lower floor. This +was made known by reason of the fires +burning brightly and of there being a +path cleared to the hen-house, while as +many as a dozen eggs were in a bowl on +the kitchen table.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Cousin Ben,” cried Edna, “what +a lot you have done. It is so cosey and +warm down here, and we won’t have to +wait at all for breakfast.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“I hope not,” he returned, “for I’m +hungry, for one. What are you going to +have?”</p> + +<p>Edna turned to Nettie who considered +the question. It was a great occasion +when there were two guests to be provided +for. “As long as there are so many +eggs,” she said, “we can have muffins or +something and some eggs. I could have +some kind of breakfast food, too, I believe +there’s some oat-meal.”</p> + +<p>“Never mind the oat-meal,” said Ben. +“You get me out the flour and stuff and +I’ll make the muffins. There is a royal +fire and I’ll get them ready in three +shakes of a sheep’s tail.”</p> + +<p>“You?” Nettie looked amazed.</p> + +<p>“Of course. Did you never hear of a +man cook? I’ve served my apprenticeship, +I can assure you. I’ll make the +coffee, too, if you have any.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, there is some already ground, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +the basket mother sent,” Edna assured +him. “We don’t drink it, but we can +have cambric tea.”</p> + +<p>“All right, you go along and set the +table, and I’ll do the rest.”</p> + +<p>Nettie was rather glad to have the responsibility +taken off her hands in this +summary manner, though she said to +Edna, “Do you think it is polite to let him +do it all?”</p> + +<p>“Why, certainly,” replied Edna. “He +does those things at home for his mother +sometimes, for he has no sisters, and the +boys have to pitch in and help when the +servant goes out. He has told me all +about it. And as for its being polite, I +remember mother said it was always more +polite to let your company do the thing +which made them comfortable than to insist +upon doing something for them that +would make them uncomfortable.”</p> + +<p>Nettie considered this for some time be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span>fore +she quite took in the sense of it. +She was a thin, demure little girl, not at +all pretty, but with a kind face, big blue +eyes and sandy hair. She was dressed +very plainly, but her clothes were neat and +simply made. She was not the kind of +child Edna might have expected to find +in such a little house.</p> + +<p>The muffins turned out a great success, +and Ben said his coffee just suited him. +“I never saw fresher eggs than your hens +lay,” he said, looking at Nettie with a +serious face.</p> + +<p>“Of course, they are fresh,” she returned, +“when they were only laid yesterday.”</p> + +<p>“That’s what I said,” returned Ben, +with gravity.</p> + +<p>Edna laughed. She was used to Cousin +Ben’s ways, but Nettie was a little puzzled.</p> + +<p>The breakfast was as merry an affair<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +as the supper had been, and after it +was cleared away there was a consultation +upon what should be done next. +“There’s no use in thinking of church,” +said Ben. “We couldn’t get there if we +tried.”</p> + +<p>“And there are so few trains I don’t +suppose I can expect mother this morning,” +said Nettie.</p> + +<p>“Better not expect her at all,” replied +Ben, “that is, not while the roads are so +snowy. There is scarcely any use in even +a sleigh while these drifts are so high. +Ande, what is the use of a sleigh, anyhow?” +he asked, turning to his cousin +who saw a joke.</p> + +<p>“You tell,” she answered.</p> + +<p>“Snow use” he replied. “Now, I’ll +go out and feed the hens, and then I’ll +put on my boots and start on the road +again. I’ll see what’s going on at the +house, and then I’ll come back again.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span>” +They watched him ploughing through +the snow, but because he had been there +and was coming back it seemed not lonely +at all, though Nettie said, wistfully, she +did hope her mother could come that day, +and Edna hoped she could find a way of +getting home.</p> + +<p>Toward noon they saw a queer box-sleigh +coming from the main road. They +watched it interestedly from the window +as it approached nearer and nearer. “I +do believe it is mother,” exclaimed Nettie, +joyfully. And sure enough the sleigh did +stop before the door, a man got out, +and then helped a slight woman in black +to alight. “It is mother,” cried Nettie, +running to the door, and presently she +was in her mother’s arms.</p> + +<p>Then there were great explanations. +Like the little girls, Mrs. Black had been +snowed in, for her sister lived quite a +distance from the station, but she had at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +last been able to get some one of the +neighbors to bring her across, as he had +to go to the doctor’s, and was willing to +take her the short distance further.</p> + +<p>“If I had known how well cared for +you would be,” she told her daughter, +“and that you were not alone at all, I +should have been much less anxious. +Certainly, we have a great deal to be +thankful for.”</p> + +<p>Edna felt that she certainly had a great +deal to be thankful for when a little later +she saw a big black sleigh stop before the +door. She recognized it as Mrs. MacDonald’s, +for it was driven by her coach-man, +though in it sat Cousin Ben. He +had come back as he promised, but +in great state. And because Nettie’s +mother had returned he bore Edna off +alone, after many good-bys and promises +to see her new friend as often as she +could.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> + +<p>“How did you happen to come in Mrs. +MacDonald’s sleigh?” she asked her +cousin.</p> + +<p>“Well, I will tell you. When I reached +the house I found that Mrs. MacDonald +had telephoned over to ask about all of +you, and to see how Celia was. When +she heard where you were and all about +it, she said she would send over her sleigh +and I could go for you and Nettie in it, +and so as that seemed a good arrangement +I was going to put it into execution. +We had decided to leave a note for Mrs. +Black in case she should get back to-day, +so she wouldn’t be worried.”</p> + +<p>“It’s really much better this way,” returned +Edna, “for now she has her +mother, and I will have mine.”</p> + +<p>It seemed a delightful home coming, and +because the snow was still so deep there +was the extra holiday on Monday, but by +Tuesday all started off to school again.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +Mrs. MacDonald knew all about Mrs. +Black, and said she was a very good +woman, who had taken this little house in +the country because she could live there +more cheaply, and because in such a place +as she could afford in the city her little +daughter would not be surrounded by +pleasant influences. Nettie went to the +district school, and was such a little girl +as Edna’s parents would select as a companion +for their daughter. So, Edna felt +she had made quite a discovery, and +planned all sorts of times with Nettie +when the winter was over.</p> + +<p>Matters went on at school uninterruptedly, +until just before Christmas, +when it was suddenly made known that +Miss Ashurst was to be married, and that +another teacher would take her place +after the holidays. The G. R.’s got up a +linen shower for the departing teacher, +but the Neighborhood Club did nothing.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +Its numbers were dwindling, for when +it was learned what good times the rivals +had at their meetings, there was more +than one deserter. For some reason, +Clara Adams had picked out Edna as the +prime cause of all this. She had never +forgiven her for winning the doll at the +fair the year before, and was likewise +furiously jealous of her friendship for +Jennie Ramsey. If Edna had been a less +generous and sweet-tempered child, matters +might have been much worse, but +even as it was they were made bad +enough.</p> + +<p>No sooner had the new teacher appeared +than Clara set to work to do +everything in her power to make Edna +appear to disadvantage, by all sorts of +mean innuendoes, by sly hints, by even +open charges, till the child was almost in +tears over the state of affairs.</p> + +<p>“I would just tell Miss Newman, so I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +would,” said Dorothy indignantly, when +a specially mean speech of Clara’s came +to her ears.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but I couldn’t be a tattle-tale,” +declared Edna.</p> + +<p>“She’d better not say anything about +you to me,” returned Dorothy. “She +knows better than that. I’d tell her a +thing or two.”</p> + +<p>“If Uncle Justus knew, he would believe +me and not Clara,” said Edna. “I +don’t cheat in my lessons, and he knows +I don’t, whatever Clara may say, and +I’m not the one who sets the girls up to +mischief, you know I’m not.”</p> + +<p>“I know mighty well who it is,” declared +Dorothy, “and if this keeps up I +shall tell, so I shall.”</p> + +<p>It did keep up till one morning the climax +was reached when Miss Newman +came into her school-room to find on the +board a very good caricature of herself,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +with under it written: “Ugly, old Miss +New,” in scrawling letters. Clara came +into the school-room late, and slipped into +her seat after the exercises had begun. +Miss Newman left the drawing on the +board and made no reference to it, using +a smaller board for what was necessary. +She was far less attractive than Miss +Ashurst, and had a dry little way with +her, which many of the girls thought oldmaidish, +but she was a good teacher, if +not a very beautiful one. When the girls +returned from recess, in place of Miss +Newman at the desk stood Mr. Horner, +his eyes fairly snapping with indignation, +and his eyebrows looking fiercer than +ever.</p> + +<p>“Oh,” whispered Dorothy, as she sank +down into her seat by Edna’s side. The +rest of the girls looked pale and awe-stricken. +Never before had they any +recollection of Mr. Horner’s coming into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +the room. Offenders were sometimes +sent to him in the larger room, but this +was a new experience.</p> + +<p>There was complete silence, while Mr. +Horner looked from one to the other as +if he would search their very hearts. +Some of the girls returned his gaze pleadingly, +some dropped their heads, Clara +Adams, with a little smile of indifference, +began to play with her pencil. Mr. +Horner glared at her. “Put that down!” +he said, and she dropped it, though still +wearing her impertinent little smile. “I +wish to know,” said Mr. Horner, “who +was the first to arrive in this room this +morning?”</p> + +<p>“I was the last,” spoke up Clara.</p> + +<p>“You were not asked that,” said Mr. +Horner, turning upon her.</p> + +<p>After quite a silence, Margaret arose. +“I think I was the first, Mr. Horner,” +she said, and then sat down again.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> + +<p>“There was no one in the room when +you came?”</p> + +<p>“No, Mr. Horner.”</p> + +<p>“And was this on the board?” He +pointed to the drawing.</p> + +<p>“Yes, Mr. Horner.”</p> + +<p>“You did not do it?”</p> + +<p>“No, Mr. Horner,” then with a little +catch of her breath, “I wouldn’t do such +a mean thing, not for nothing.”</p> + +<p>“Not for anything, I think you mean, +Margaret,” said Mr. Horner in gentler +tones.</p> + +<p>“Not for anything,” repeated Margaret, +meekly.</p> + +<p>“Then, I shall have to ask each separately, +and I expect a truthful answer,” +said Mr. Horner. He began putting the +question, going from one to the next till +every girl in the room had been questioned.</p> + +<p>“It might have been one of the older<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +girls,” said Miss Newman, in an undertone +to him.</p> + +<p>Clara caught the words, as she was +nearest. “I should think it would be +very easy to know who did it,” she said, +“when there is only one of us girls who +stays in the house.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by that?” asked +Mr. Horner severely.</p> + +<p>Clara was not daunted. “I mean that +there is only one girl who can come into +the school-room before the others can get +here.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean my niece? I should as +soon think of suspecting Miss Newman +herself.” He looked over at Edna with +a little reassuring smile. “However, +as we do not seem to be making much +headway I shall take other means of finding +out who did this very unladylike and +unkind thing.” Then he gave them such +a lecture as none of them forgot and if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +the G. R.’s did not have their motto +brought home to them on that occasion +they never did. Then Mr. Horner +returned to his own school-room and +Miss Newman called one of the girls to +clean off the board.</p> + +<p>Nothing further was said of the matter, +and Miss Newman went on as if it had +never happened; but one day the last +of the week, the girls were asked to +illustrate in pencil drawings a story from +their history lesson.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Miss Newman, I couldn’t possibly +do it,” exclaimed Dorothy. “I don’t +expect finished drawings,” she replied, +“and you may even make them as humorous +as you choose, but I want some little +attempt, no matter how slight. Mr. +Horner has asked that you do your best, +and I shall expect you to hand in something +beside blank paper.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy and Edna both sighed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +Neither one had the slightest idea of +drawing and knew that their results +would be absurd, but they labored away +and finally with half deprecating, half +amused expressions showed their drawings +to one another. It was as much as +they could do to keep from laughing outright, +they were so very funny, but they +signed their names in the corner as Miss +Newman directed them to do, and handed +them in. Then, Miss Newman took +them into the next room. At the close +of school, she said, “Mr. Horner wishes +Clara Adams to stay after school; he +wishes to see her about her drawing.”</p> + +<p>Clara perked up and looked around +with a little smirk. So she was the prize +draughtsman, and she remained with a +perfectly good grace. However, it was +a very different looking Clara who was +led into the room the next morning by +Mr. Horner. Her eyes were swollen with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +crying and she wore a rebellious expression +when Mr. Horner announced, +“Clara Adams wishes to make a public +acknowledgment of her part in the rudeness +directed against Miss Newman by +the drawing you all saw on the board, +and she will also make a public apology +both to her teacher and to my niece.”</p> + +<p>Clara murmured something unintelligible +and burst into tears. The only +words the girls could make out were “I +did it.” It was the most terrible thing +that had ever happened to any of them +and Edna felt so sorry for the culprit +that all resentment vanished altogether. +She forgot entirely that she was included +in the apology, if apology there was, and +all morning she cast the most sympathetic +looks across the room at Clara.</p> + +<p>It came out later that the drawings +were the proof of the child’s guilt, for +they were done in the same style as the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +caricature and because they were so much +better than the rest it was evident that +only Clara could have made the figure on +the board. She had come very early, +had slipped upstairs before anyone else +and had gone out again to return later +and thus hoped to avoid any suspicion. +It happened, too, that Ellen saw her come +in and go out again and this of course +clinched the matter when she was brought +face to face with the Irish girl who did +not know her name but recognized the +hat and coat she wore.</p> + +<p>The affair made a great impression +but somehow did not increase Miss Newman’s +popularity, for the idea of the +drawings was hers and Clara could not +forgive her for the position into which +she had forced her, therefore she lost no +opportunity of making it as unpleasant +for her teacher as she could in the thousand +and one ways a sly and unprincipled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +girl can, and her little pin-pricks were +so annoying, that finally Dorothy and +Edna, who had not particularly cared +for the new teacher, began to stand up for +her and to do as many kind things as they +could. Perhaps the G. R. Club was +mainly responsible for this, but at all +events it made matters a little happier +for the teacher.</p> + +<p>As for Clara, Dorothy set her face +against any sort of friendship with her, +but it was not within Edna’s heart to be +unkind to anyone, and she made up her +mind that she would meet Clara half way +if ever the chance came.</p> + +<p>Uncle Justus never mentioned the +affair of the caricature to her, but she +knew he had never the slightest belief +that she had done it and his open +approval of her before the whole class +was very much valued. She had won her +way into the hearts of most of the girls,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +and there were only two or three of +Clara’s most adoring adherents who still +called her “a pet” and said she was at +the bottom of all Clara’s trouble. This +seemed a very strange way to look at it, +but poor Clara was so blinded by jealousy +and rage that she saw nothing in +the right light. Edna wondered if she +would ever cease to dislike her, and +insisted to Dorothy that they ought to try +to persuade her to come into the club. +“You see,” she said, “if she could once +find out what doing to others really +means she maybe would get over all her +hatefulness. Mother thinks so, and I’m +not going to give up being nice to her +if I get a chance.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you don’t catch me,” returned +Dorothy. “I don’t want to go with +such a horrid story-teller as she is. I +shouldn’t think you would, either.”</p> + +<p>Edna said not a word, but still hoped.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<p class="desc">THE FRIENDLESS FRIENDS</p> + + +<p>Margaret came to school in great +excitement one Monday morning. “I’m +going to have a party,” she said to Edna. +“I’ll tell you all about it at recess.”</p> + +<p>The idea of Margaret’s really having a +party was most interesting when Edna +remembered that it had been just a year +since she was adopted by Mrs. MacDonald. +She had improved very much +in this time, both in speech and manner, +and no happier child could be found than +she. To be sure she had everything to +make her happy, as Dorothy often said, +a beautiful home, a kind mother and +friends who took pains to make her forget +how forlorn she had once been. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +was very grateful for all these things, and +rarely asked for anything more than was +offered to her, so that Mrs. MacDonald +was all the more ready to give her pleasures +which she did not ask for.</p> + +<p>Jennie and Dorothy were admitted into +the little group which gathered to hear +about the party. “Tell us all about it, +Margaret,” said Edna. “Just begin at +the beginning.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Margaret, “mother was +saying to me on Saturday evening, ‘Margaret, +do you know it is almost a year +since you became my own little daughter? +Now I think we ought to celebrate the day +of your coming to your home. What +would you like to do?’ So I thought and +thought, and then I said, ‘I never had a +party in all my life, would it be too much +to celebrate by having one?’ and she said, +‘Not at all, though I should first like to +know what girls you would like to invite,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span>’ +and I told her all the G. R. Club. ‘Anyone +else?’ she asked, and I thought of +Nettie Black. ‘I’d like to have Nettie,’ +I said, and then I remembered how +lonely I used to be even at the Friendless, +and how glad I used to be when you came +to see me, Edna, and I thought of two or +three who were still there, girls who +haven’t been adopted, and I said I’d like +to have them. Then mother said, ‘Very +well, only the others may not want to +come if you have poor children like them, +and you’d better ask the girls, and if they +refuse you can make up your mind which +you would rather have, the girls of the +club or the Friendlessers.’”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Margaret, you know we won’t +care,” said Edna earnestly.</p> + +<p>“I knew <i>you</i> wouldn’t, but I didn’t +know about them all. I shall have to +ask, you see, because it seems to me that +of all the people I know, the Friendless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span>ers +are the very ones who ought to come +when it is to celebrate my coming away +from there, and then, too they don’t have +good times like we do.”</p> + +<p>The girls all called the Home of the +Friendless “The Friendless” and the +children there, “The Friendlessers” so +they knew quite well whom Margaret +meant.</p> + +<p>“How soon is the party to be?” asked +Jennie.</p> + +<p>“Next Saturday afternoon. The +Friendlessers can come then better than +any other time, and besides we live out of +town, and it will be easier for everyone +to come in the afternoon.”</p> + +<p>“I shall come,” said Dorothy decidedly, +“and I think it is a beautiful idea +for you to have the Friendlessers.”</p> + +<p>“And of course I shall come,” put in +Jennie.</p> + +<p>“I know my sister will,” said Edna.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> + +<p>“And mine,” echoed Dorothy.</p> + +<p>“There is one thing I hope you won’t +mind my saying,” said Margaret; +“mother says please not to wear party +frocks, and not to dress up much, on account +of the Friendlessers, you know, for +of course they won’t have any.”</p> + +<p>“Of course not,” agreed the girls.</p> + +<p>“Mother says we can have just as good +a time if we are not dressed up and as +long as it is going to be in the daytime it +won’t make so much difference.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s go tell the other girls,” suggested +Edna.</p> + +<p>They hunted up Agnes, Celia and the +rest of the club members and did not find +one who objected to the presence of the +“Friendlessers.”</p> + +<p>However, when the news of Margaret’s +party was noised abroad, there was much +scorn on the part of the Neighborhood +Club. “The idea,” said Clara, “of going<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +to a party with orphan asylum children! +I’d like to see my mother allowing me to +associate with such creatures. I can’t +think what Jennie Ramsey’s mother can +be thinking of to allow her to go. Besides, +Margaret is an orphan asylum girl +herself and no better than the rest! I’m +sure I wouldn’t be seen at her party.”</p> + +<p>“And they’re not even going to wear +party frocks, nor so much as white ones,” +said Gertrude Crane. “I don’t see what +fun it will be.”</p> + +<p>“And I suppose there are to be no +boys,” put in Clara.</p> + +<p>“I haven’t heard whether there are to +be or not,” returned Gertrude.</p> + +<p>The question of boys did come up later +when Mrs. MacDonald asked Margaret if +she did not think it would be well to invite +Frank and Charley Conway, as one of +the “Friendlessers” was a boy. The two +Porter boys who came out often to play<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +with the Conway boys, were thought of +and were invited, and when Edna +returned home on Friday evening Cousin +Ben informed her that he, too, was going.</p> + +<p>“Why, Cousin Ben,” she said in +pleased surprise, “how does that happen, +when you are such a big boy, really a +man, you know?”</p> + +<p>“I must confess I fished for an invitation,” +he told her. “Mrs. MacDonald +was over here to ask if Charlie and Frank +could come and I said, ‘What’s the +matter with asking me, too?’ and so I got +my invite. I wouldn’t miss it for a six-pence.” +Cousin Ben and Mrs. MacDonald +were great friends and he was +quite intimate at the big gray house so it +was no wonder that he wanted to be at +Margaret’s first party.</p> + +<p>It was as Ben said “a queer mix-up.” +The first to arrive were the four children +from the Home of the Friendless, three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +little girls and one little boy. One of the +teachers brought them out and remained +in order to take them back again. The +big gray house looked cheerful and more +attractive than usual, for flowers were +Mrs. MacDonald’s great pleasure and +they were everywhere, making up for the +plainness of the furnishings, for Mrs. +MacDonald did not believe in showiness. +Her house was thoroughly comfortable +but not elegant.</p> + +<p>These first arrivals were very shy, quite +awe-stricken and sat on the edges of their +chairs scarce daring to move until Margaret +took them out to see the greenhouses. +After that they were a little +more at their ease for each came back +with a flower. By a little after three all +had arrived, the Porter boys with their +Punch and Judy show which they had +promised to bring, and Ben with his +banjo. All the girls wore plain frocks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +with no extra ornaments, Margaret herself +being not much better dressed than +her friends from the Home.</p> + +<p>The Punch and Judy show was given +first as a sort of prelude to the games +which were to follow, and in these even +the older girls joined with spirit. The +main idea seemed to be that everyone +should do his or her best to make the +party a success and to give the poorer +children as good a time as possible. +Ben, be it said, was the life of the occasion. +He kept everyone going, never +allowed a dull moment, and if nothing +else was planned, he would pick up his +banjo and give a funny coon song, so that +it was no wonder Mrs. MacDonald was +glad to have invited him.</p> + +<p>Probably in all their lives the Friendlessers +never forgot the wonderful table +to which they were led when refreshments +were served, and which they talked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +of for weeks afterward. Here there was +no stint and the decorations were made +as beautiful as possible. There were +pretty little favors for everyone, and +such good things to eat as would have +done credit to any entertainment. It was +all over at six o’clock, but not one went +away with a feeling of having had a +stupid time, for even the older girls +agreed among themselves that it had +been great fun.</p> + +<p>“Did you ever see anything like those +children’s eyes when they saw that +table,” said Agnes smiling at the recollection.</p> + +<p>“It must have been like a fairy tale +to them, poor little things,” replied Helen +Darby. “I think it was a perfectly +lovely thing for Mrs. MacDonald to do. +Won’t I have fun telling father about +it, and how interested he will be. He has +been quizzing me all day about my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +orphan asylum party, but I know he +liked my going.”</p> + +<p>“I liked that little Nettie Black,” +Florence remarked. “She has such a +nice quaint little face, like an old-fashioned +picture. Her name ought to be +Prudence or Charity or some of those +queer old names. Where did you pick +her up, Edna?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, she is the little girl that I kept +house with at the time of the blizzard,” +Edna told her. “She lives just a short +way up the side road, and she is a very +nice child.”</p> + +<p>“I found that out,” returned Florence. +“Why doesn’t she belong to our club?”</p> + +<p>“Because she doesn’t go to our school.”</p> + +<p>“To be sure, I forgot that. Well, she +could be made an honorary member or +something, couldn’t she Agnes?”</p> + +<p>“Why, I should think so. We’ll have +to bring that up at our next meeting.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +Would she like to belong to the club, do +you think, Edna?”</p> + +<p>“She would just love to, I know.”</p> + +<p>“Then we’ll have to fix it some way. +I’ll ask mother or Mrs. Conway what we +can do.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know how we could all get into +their parlor,” said Edna doubtfully; “it +is so very tiny.”</p> + +<p>“We don’t have to,” Agnes told her, +“for you know the general club-room is +up in our attic and I’m sure that is big +enough for anyone. If Nettie comes into +the club, when her turn comes for a meeting +it can be held in the general club-room.”</p> + +<p>This was very satisfactory, but it did +not do away with another difficulty which +came to Edna’s mind. She knew that +Mrs. Black had barely enough means to +get along on with the utmost economy and +how Nettie could ever furnish even simple<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +refreshments for a dozen or more girls +she did not know. However, she would +not worry about that till the time came. +As yet Nettie was not even a member of +the club.</p> + +<p>Margaret’s party was talked about at +school almost as much after as before it +came off. Those who had been present +discoursed upon the good time they had +had, and those who were not there wished +they had been. But to offset it, there came +the report that Clara Adams was going to +have a party and that it would be in the +evening and was expected to be a +gorgeous affair. Jennie Ramsey was +invited but had not made up her mind +whether she wanted to go or not. As +most of those who would be invited were +the children of Mrs. Adams’s friends and +were not schoolmates of Clara’s it did not +seem to Jennie that she would have a +very good time.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span></p> + +<p>“It will be all fuss and feathers,” she +told Dorothy and Edna, “and I won’t +know half the children there, besides I +shall hear so much talk about what I shall +wear and all that, I believe I’d rather +stay at home.”</p> + +<p>“Clara is going to wear a lace frock +over pink silk, I heard her say,” Dorothy +told them.</p> + +<p>“I should think that would be very +pretty,” declared Edna admiringly.</p> + +<p>“I’d rather be dressed as we were at +Margaret’s,” Jennie returned, “for then +we could romp around and not care +anything about what happened to our +clothes.” Jennie hadn’t a spark of +vanity and cared so little for dress as to +be a surprise to the others.</p> + +<p>“Of course that was nice, but I should +like the pretty clothes, too,” rejoined +Edna with honesty.</p> + +<p>“They won’t do anything, either, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +dance and sit around and look at each +other,” continued Jennie. “I’d much +rather play games like ‘Going to Jerusalem’ +and ‘Forfeits’ and all those things +we did at Margaret’s. I have all the +dancing I want at dancing-school. No, I +shall tell my mother I don’t want to go.” +Jennie had made up her mind, and that +was the end of the matter for her.</p> + +<p>Therefore the others heard very little +of what went on at Clara’s party. That +it came off they knew, and there was +much talk of what this one or that one +wore, of how late they stayed and how +many dances they had, but that was all, +and the stay-at-homes decided that, after +all they had not missed much, and if +Clara’s intention was to rouse their envy +she failed of her purpose.</p> + +<p>At the next meeting of the club Nettie +was voted in as an honorary member. +“That seems to be about the only thing we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +can do,” Agnes announced, “and everyone +seems to want her.” So the thing +was done.</p> + +<p>If there was one thing above another +which Nettie did long for it was to become +a member of the club whose wonderful +doings she had heard so much of from +Edna. The two had seen each other +often, and now that the spring was nearing, +rarely a Saturday came but that they +met. It was Edna who took her the joyful +news on Friday evening.</p> + +<p>“I’ve something perfectly lovely to +tell you,” she announced as soon as she +was inside the door of the little house.</p> + +<p>“What?” asked Nettie with a quick +smile of interest.</p> + +<p>“You’re going to be a member of our +club.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Edna, how can I be? I don’t +go to your school.”</p> + +<p>“I know, and that is why we had to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +make you an <a name="tn161" id="tn161"></a><ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: original has 'honorary member, Agnes said.”'">honorary member,” Agnes +said.</ins></p> + +<p>“Oh, I think you are all the dearest +things I ever knew,” cried Nettie. Then +her face fell, “But, oh, Edna, how can we +get all of you girls in this little bit of a +house?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you can meet in the general club-room +at the Evanses,” Edna told her. +“Agnes says so and it is in their attic, you +know. When a girl can’t very well have +the meeting at her house we have it there. +Once it was to be at Betty Lowndes’s +house and her little sister had the chicken-pox +so we couldn’t meet there and we had +it in the attic.”</p> + +<p>Nettie’s face cleared, but presently a +new difficulty presented itself, one which +she hesitated to speak of but which was +a very serious one. How should she tell +Edna what was in her mind? But she +remembered that Edna had seen the pov<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span>erty +of the family stores and that there +was no need to make any pretence to her. +“There’s another thing,” she began, “I +haven’t any money, and I couldn’t ask +mother for refreshments.”</p> + +<p>“I thought of that,” answered Edna; +“we might give them rice,” and then they +both laughed. “If there were only some +way you could earn some money and I +could help you,” continued Edna with +more seriousness. “Perhaps we could +think of some way. If it were something +we could both do, I could help you.”</p> + +<p>“You are always so good that way,” +replied Nettie gratefully.</p> + +<p>“Well, anyhow,” said Edna, “it won’t +be for some time yet that you have to have +the meeting and perhaps we can think of +something. If we can’t would you mind +if I ask mother what we could do?”</p> + +<p>“I’d rather not,” replied Nettie doubtfully, +“not unless you have to.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Then I won’t unless I have to.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps my mother can think of a +way, only I don’t want to say anything +to her, for she will feel badly because she +can’t let me have the money, and I know +I ought not to ask her for it. I won’t +ask, of course, but if I tell it will be the +same as asking, and it will make her feel +so unhappy if she must say no, she can’t.”</p> + +<p>“Then we must try very hard to think +of a way without telling anyone. You +wouldn’t need so very much, you know, +Nettie, for we can have real cheap things +like peanuts and gingerbread, or something +like that. I believe fifty cents +would be enough to spend, and a dollar +would be plenty.”</p> + +<p>This seemed like a large amount to +Nettie, though she did not say so, and the +thought of earning that much weighed +heavily upon her after Edna had gone +home.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> + +<p>Edna’s thoughts, too, were busy all the +evening, and she was so absorbed in Nettie’s +dilemma that she sat with arms on +the table and doing nothing but looking +off into space so that at last her father +said. “What’s the matter, little girl? +You haven’t even asked for your favorite +children’s page of my evening paper,” +and he handed it over to her.</p> + +<p>This was something that Edna always +asked for and she took it now with some +little interest, and roused herself to +look down the columns. Presently she +breathed softly. “Oh!” She had seen +something which gave her an idea for +Nettie, and she went to bed that night full +of a hope which she meant her friend +should know as soon as possible the next +day.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<p class="desc">THE PUZZLE</p> + + +<p>When Edna awoke on Saturday morning +her first thought was of Nettie and +she scrambled out of bed that she might +not lose a moment’s time in telling her of +the discovery she had made the night before. +She hurried through her breakfast +and was off to the little house as soon as +she had been given leave by her mother. +She carried the page of her father’s paper +safely folded in her hand, and ran nearly +all the way, arriving breathless. She +could scarcely wait for Nettie to open to +her knock, and her words tumbled over +each other as she replied to Nettie’s greeting +of “How nice and early you are,” by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +saying, “Oh, I have something so nice to +tell you.”</p> + +<p>“You had something nice to tell me +when you came last evening,” returned +Nettie; “you don’t mean to say there is +anything more.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I’ve found a way that maybe you +can make some money, a dollar.”</p> + +<p>This was exciting, “Oh, do tell me +quick,” returned Nettie.</p> + +<p>Edna hastily began to open the paper +she carried, and then she thrust it before +Nettie, pointing to a line and saying, +“There, read that.”</p> + +<p>Nettie did as she was told, her eyes +eagerly running over the words. “Oh, +Edna,” she said, “do you believe we could +do it?”</p> + +<p>“Why, of course, but you see the main +thing is to get it done as quickly as possible, +for the one who gets the answer to +the puzzle the quickest and who has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +the clearest answer will get the first prize. +Maybe we couldn’t get the very first, but +we could get the second, and that’s a dollar. +We must set to work right away. +I thought we’d do the best we could and +then we’d get Cousin Ben to fix it up for +us.”</p> + +<p>“Would that be right?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I think so, for it doesn’t say you +mustn’t have any help; it just says the +one who sends it in the soonest. I left a +note for Cousin Ben to stop here if he had +<a name="tn167" id="tn167"></a>time <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: missing closing bracket in the original text">this morning.”</ins></p> + +<p>“Do you think he will?”</p> + +<p>“If he has time. I told him it was +something very particular. You don’t +mind his knowing, do you, Nettie? He +won’t tell, I am sure. You don’t know +how well he can keep a secret.”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t mind,” Nettie replied, +“because he has been here and knows all +about everything.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Then let’s go at it.”</p> + +<p>“I must finish the dishes first.”</p> + +<p>“Then would you rather I should help +you with them or start on the puzzle?”</p> + +<p>“I think you’d better start on the puzzle.”</p> + +<p>“Very well. I’ve been thinking a little +about it, and I believe I’ve guessed part. +They are in the paper every week on Fridays, +and I often do them, but this is the +first time I’ve noticed that a prize has +been offered.”</p> + +<p>She took off her coat and hat, sat down +at the table and spread out the paper before +her. Nettie furnished paper and +pencil and then went back to her work in +the kitchen. The two were busying their +brains over the puzzle when Ben appeared +an hour later.</p> + +<p>“Hallo,” he said, “what’s up, kiddies?”</p> + +<p>“Why you see,” Edna began, “Nettie<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +has been taken into the club, and when her +time comes to have the club meeting she +won’t have any way of getting the refreshments, +so we thought and thought of +what we could do to get some money, and +last night I saw in the Children’s Corner +of the <i>Times</i> that they would give prizes +for guessing a puzzle, you know those +puzzles, Cousin Ben.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, my child, I knew them of yore.”</p> + +<p>“Well, don’t you see if we can only +guess this one quick and can send in the +answer right away we might get a dollar, +anyhow. We have guessed a lot of it, but +I thought maybe you could help us a little +and tell us how to fix it up very nicely. +Have you very much to do to-day?”</p> + +<p>“Not so much but that I can spare you +a little time for such laudable ambition. +Where’s your puzzle?”</p> + +<p>Edna produced the paper and then +showed him what they had already done.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +“Do you think it is right as far as we’ve +gone?” she asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>He looked over the page she offered +him. “Pretty good so far. Let me see. +I think that must be John B. J on B. +you see.”</p> + +<p>“Of course, it is, why didn’t we think +of that? And this one, what do you think +that can be?”</p> + +<p>Ben looked at this thoughtfully, and +presently declared he had it. So bit by +bit the puzzle was completed and within +an hour was in such shape as pleased the +girls immensely.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Ben, “I’ll tell you what I +can do. I want to take the noon train to +town and I’ll get this right down to the +newspaper office myself; I have to go near +there, and so it will reach them much +quicker than if it were sent by mail, you +see.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Cousin Ben, you are a perfect<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +dear!” cried Edna. “I think that is just +lovely of you. We are so much obliged, +aren’t we, Nettie?”</p> + +<p>“I am very much obliged to both of +you,” returned Nettie sedately. Edna’s +interest was so great that she forgot she +was not doing this for herself at all.</p> + +<p>“Shall we tell your mother?” asked +Edna when Ben had gone, promising that +he would attend to the puzzle the very +first thing.</p> + +<p>“Why—” Nettie hesitated, “I’d like +to have her know and yet I would love +dearly to have it for a surprise if we did +win. When do you suppose we will +know?”</p> + +<p>“Not before next Friday, I suppose, but +that will be soon enough, won’t it?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, except that I can scarcely wait +to know, and it is hard to keep a secret +from your mother that long.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you tell her that you have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +a secret and that you can’t tell her till +Friday?”</p> + +<p>“I might do that, but then suppose I +shouldn’t win; we would both be disappointed.”</p> + +<p>“What did you tell her just now that +we were all doing?”</p> + +<p>“I told her we were doing a puzzle, and +she said as long as I had done my morning’s +work I could stay with you. I have +still my stockings to darn, but I can do +those this afternoon. Mother always lets +me do them when I choose; so long as I +get them done before Sunday, that is all +she asks.”</p> + +<p>Edna looked very sympathetic. She +did not have to do her stockings nowadays, +though she remembered that it had been +one of the week’s tasks when she was +staying with Aunt Elizabeth, and it was +one she much disliked. She stayed a little +while longer and then returned home,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +for Dorothy was coming that afternoon +and they were both going over to see Margaret +to make what Dorothy said was +their party call.</p> + +<p>The weather was quite mild; already +the buds were beginning to swell on the +trees, and the crocuses were starting up +in the little grass plot in front of Nettie’s +home. Edna stopped to look at them +as she passed out. She was full of Nettie’s +secret but she had promised not to +tell. She wished Cousin Ben would come +back so she could talk it over with him, +but he was not to return till late in the +day and meantime she must occupy herself +and not say a word of what was uppermost +in her mind.</p> + +<p>She found Celia and Agnes in the library +talking earnestly. There was a +pleasant aroma of gingerbread pervading +the house, and the fire in the open grate +looked very cheerful. What a dear place<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +home was, and how glad she was always +to get back to it. Agnes held out her +hand as she came in. “Well, chickabiddy,” +she said, “where have you been? +You are as rosy as an apple.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve been down to Nettie’s. I’m glad +I don’t have to darn my stockings.”</p> + +<p>“Does Nettie have to?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and she has to wash the dishes, +too. I did darn my stockings last year, +but Katie does them all this year, so I +don’t even have to be sorry for mother +and think of her doing them, for Katie is +paid to do them.”</p> + +<p>Agnes laughed. “But I have no doubt +you would do them just as cheerfully as +Nettie does, if you had to do them.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know about the cheerful part, +but I wouldn’t yell and scream.”</p> + +<p>“Let us hope you would not,” said Celia. +“I should hope you knew better +than to behave like that.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Of course,” said Edna. “What were +you talking about, you two?”</p> + +<p>“Shall we tell her, Agnes?” asked Celia.</p> + +<p>“Why not? It will soon be talked over +by all of us.”</p> + +<p>“Well, we were talking of having something +very special for the last meeting of +the club, after school closes. You see +most of the girls go away for the summer, +and we shall have to give the club +a holiday, too.”</p> + +<p>“What nice special thing were you +thinking of?”</p> + +<p>“We thought if we could have some +nice little fairy play and have it out of +doors, it would be lovely. We would invite +our parents and the teachers and +have a real big affair.”</p> + +<p>“How perfectly lovely. What is the +play?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear, we haven’t come to that yet.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +We did think some of having ‘Alice in +Wonderland,’ but that has been done so +often. We were wishing for something +original.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you get Cousin Ben to help +you? He has so many funny things to +say about the woodsy creatures.”</p> + +<p>“The very one. Why didn’t we think +of him before, Agnes? He may be silly +about some things, but he would certainly +have ideas about that. Where is he, +Edna?”</p> + +<p>“He has gone in town, and won’t be +back till late in the afternoon.”</p> + +<p>“Trust you for keeping track of his +movements,” said Celia laughing. “I +don’t believe Ben yawns but Edna knows +it. Well, we will see what he says this +evening.”</p> + +<p>“Couldn’t you and he come to our house +after supper?” asked Agnes.</p> + +<p>“I’ll find out and ’phone you when he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +comes in. He doesn’t generally have +anything special on hand Saturdays, unless +something is going on at the Abercrombies’.”</p> + +<p>This gave Edna a new theme to think of +and in consequence she did not find it hard +to keep from talking of Nettie’s secret +when she and Dorothy met that afternoon.</p> + +<p>They took the news of the probable +play to Margaret who wanted at once to +tell Mrs. MacDonald about it. She +showed great interest and asked all sorts +of questions. “Why couldn’t you have it +here in my grounds?” she asked. “There +is a good place just back of the house +where the terrace is. I hope you will let +it be Margaret’s meeting and let me +furnish everything.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Mrs. Mac, there will be ever and +ever so many people, for we are going to +ask our families and the teachers and all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +those.” Edna was quite overpowered.</p> + +<p>“Well, what of that? Haven’t I as +much right to entertain them as any of +the others have, and have I less room than +my neighbors?”</p> + +<p>“Why, no, you have more.”</p> + +<p>“Very well, then. I put in my plea +the first one and I hope you will lay it before +your next meeting.” She spoke almost +as if she were angry but there was a +merry little twinkle in her eyes which +the girls had come to know well. The +next words were, “Go out, Margaret, and +ask Lizzie to send in some of the day’s +baking for your friends. There must be +scones, or something of that kind.” The +girls liked the Scotchy things, as they +called them, that Mrs. MacDonald had for +them, and the hot scones, with a “wee +bittie” of honey or jam were generally +as pleasant a treat as they found anywhere.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> + +<p>When Edna had returned from her +visit she told Celia of what Mrs. MacDonald +had offered and before they had +finished talking of it, Cousin Ben came in, +and was immediately set upon, though +Edna ran out to meet him in the hall that +she might whisper, “Did you leave it all +right?”</p> + +<p>“First thing,” he returned. “It +couldn’t have been an hour from the time +I left you before it was at the office.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, goody, goody!” exclaimed Edna +softly, patting her hands together. +“Agnes has been here, Cousin Ben, and +Celia wants to ask you something. Come +into the library, please.”</p> + +<p>He followed her in and the subject was +opened to him of the little fairy play.</p> + +<p>He shook his head. “Can’t promise. +That’s a good deal to spring on a fellow +unbeknownst. I’ll have to think about +it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“But can’t you go over to Agnes’s this +evening to talk it over?” asked Celia.</p> + +<p>Now Ben admired Agnes very much, +though he would not have it known for +the world. “I was going to Abercrombies,” +he said with apparent reluctance.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but you see Will Abercrombie +every day,” said Celia coaxingly, “and +we do so want to have your help, Ben.”</p> + +<p>“Well, perhaps I can ’phone to Will not +to expect me,” said Ben giving in. “But +if I take hold of this thing you girls will +all have to do your part.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we will,” Celia promised earnestly. +“We are none of us up to an +original play, but you are.”</p> + +<p>“Such flattery,” laughed Ben. “Well, +if I am going to call on ladies I must go +up and make myself look respectable.”</p> + +<p>“He’ll do it,” said Celia, as soon as her +cousin had left the room. “He has as +good as promised.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>Whatever was said that evening was +not reported, but it is enough to say that +Ben had promised to see what he could +do, and would let them know later when +he had gone over the subject more thoroughly, +so with this the girls had to be +satisfied.</p> + +<p>There was no more to be heard of either +puzzle or play during the week while +school was occupying them all, but on +Friday Mrs. MacDonald’s offer was presented +to the club and unanimously accepted +with thanks.</p> + +<p>There was no delay in Edna’s demand +for the evening paper on that Friday, but +to her great disappointment her father +found that he had left it in the car, and +there was no way to get another copy till +the next day. Edna was almost in tears, +for she had so counted on letting Nettie +know the very first thing in the morning.</p> + +<p>“I am so sorry,” said her father. “I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +forgot entirely that the Friday issue was +the one in which you are always so interested. +I will bring you out a copy to-morrow, +daughter. I will try not to +forget it, but I give you leave to call me +up on the long distance, or rather the out-of-town +line and get you to remind me. +If you will call, say, at about ten o’clock, +I will send one of the boys out for it from +the office.”</p> + +<p>This was certainly more than Edna had +any right to expect, and she thanked him +as heartily as she could, though deep down +in her heart the disappointment still +lingered and she felt that it would be +harder still for Nettie to wait another day.</p> + +<p>However, she went early to the little +house as she had promised, and saw Nettie +at the window on the watch for her. She +looked so pleased when she saw her friend +that Edna was all the more grieved at +having to tell her she must wait till even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span>ing. +“Oh, I am so glad you have come,” +cried Nettie as she met her at the door. +“I have been watching for you for ages.” +And she drew her inside.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<p class="desc">A DOWNFALL OF PRIDE</p> + + +<p>“Oh, Edna, Edna!” Nettie jumped up +and down and fairly hugged her friend in +her joy.</p> + +<p>“Why, why,” Edna began, but Nettie +interrupted her with “I have it! I have +it!”</p> + +<p>“Have what?” Edna was still mystified.</p> + +<p>“The prize! The prize! I won it. +The money came in the mail this morning.”</p> + +<p>Edna had not counted on this possibility +and it was as much of a surprise +to her as it had been to Nettie. “Oh! +Oh! Oh!” she cried, and she, too, began<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +to dance up and down hugging Nettie as +fervently as Nettie had hugged her. +“Have you told your mother?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, I couldn’t possibly keep it.”</p> + +<p>“Do show me what they said.” So +Nettie took her in and showed her the +precious letter with the enclosed order for +a dollar, which made it seem a very real +thing.</p> + +<p>“Ben will be so pleased,” said Edna +with satisfaction. “It is really owing to +him that it got there soon enough.”</p> + +<p>“And to you for helping me and for +telling me in the first place. I think I +ought to divide with you.”</p> + +<p>“Why, Nettie Black, you won’t do any +such thing. Don’t you know that it was +all on your account that we did it in the +first place?”</p> + +<p>“Ye-es, but after your doing so much it +doesn’t seem fair for you to have none of +it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“I’ll have some of the refreshments, +won’t I?”</p> + +<p>Nettie laughed. “I hope so.”</p> + +<p>“Have you decided what you will +have?”</p> + +<p>“Not exactly. I thought I would wait +till you came to talk it over with mother. +You said something about gingerbread +and my mother can make the nicest you +ever saw.”</p> + +<p>“Would she make some for you? I +wonder if it would cost very much. None +of the girls have had gingerbread, and I +am sure it would be liked.”</p> + +<p>“Then let’s go see what mother says.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Black was in the kitchen making +bread for her Saturday baking. She +smiled on the two children’s eager faces +which showed that something of unusual +interest was going on. “Mother,” began +Nettie, “you know I am to have the club +meeting after a while, and it is to be at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +general club-room at Miss Agnes Evans’s +house, and you know we always have refreshments,” +Nettie spoke as if she had +already attended every meeting, when that +of the afternoon before had been her very +first.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I remember you told me, dear,” +said her mother.</p> + +<p>“And I told you that was why we tried +for the puzzle prize, so that I could pay +for my refreshments. Does gingerbread +cost very much?”</p> + +<p>“No, my dear, it costs less than any +other kind of cake.”</p> + +<p>“But how much? I mean how much +would it cost to make enough for—for +fourteen girls?”</p> + +<p>“Why, not a great deal. I could bake +them in the little scalloped pans so they +would be more crusty. I don’t believe it +would cost more than twenty-five cents, +for you know we have our own eggs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Good! Then what else could I have? +We can’t have more than three things.”</p> + +<p>“Let me think for a minute and I will +perhaps be able to suggest something.” +She went on kneading her bread while +the children watched her. Presently she +said: “I have a bottle of raspberry shrub +that your Aunt Henrietta gave me and +which we have never used. Would you +like to have that? I can recommend it as +a very nice drink, and I should be very +glad to donate it.”</p> + +<p>“Would it be nice?” Nettie looked at +Edna for endorsement.</p> + +<p>“I think it would be perfectly delicious,” +she decided, “and nobody has had +anything like that. We have had ginger +ale and lemonade, and chocolate and such +things.”</p> + +<p>“Then, mother, that will be very nice, +thank you,” said Nettie, as if Edna were +at the other end of a telephone wire.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +“Now for number three. I shall have +ever so much to spend on that, so I could +have most anything.”</p> + +<p>“What have the other girls had?” Mrs. +Black asked Edna.</p> + +<p>“Oh, different things. Some have had +sandwiches and chocolate and some kind +of candy, and some have had ice cream +and cake and candy; some have had—let +me see—cake and lemonade and fruit, but +the third thing is generally some kind of +candy.”</p> + +<p>“Do you remember what Uncle David +sent us last week?” Mrs. Black asked +Nettie.</p> + +<p>“The maple sugar? Oh, yes, but would +it be nice to have just little chunks of +maple sugar?”</p> + +<p>“No, but don’t you know what delicious +creamy candies we made by boiling and +stirring it? Why not do some of it that +way? It would be a little out of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +usual run, and quite unlike what is bought +at the shops.”</p> + +<p>“What do you think, Edna?” Nettie +again appealed to her friend.</p> + +<p>“I think it would be fine. Oh, Nettie +you will have things that aren’t a bit like +anyone else has had and they will all be +so good. I am sure the girls will say +so.”</p> + +<p>Nettie beamed. This was such a pleasant +thing to hear. “But I haven’t spent +but twenty-five cents of my prize money,” +she said.</p> + +<p>“Are you so very sorry for that?” her +mother asked.</p> + +<p>“No, but—Is it all mine, mother, to +do what I choose with, even if I don’t +spend it for the club?”</p> + +<p>“Why, of course, my dear. You earned +it, and if I am able to help you out a little +that should make no difference.”</p> + +<p>“Then I think I know what I should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +like to do with it. I shall make two +secrets of it and one I shall tell you, +mother, and the other I can tell Edna.”</p> + +<p>“Tell me mine now,” said Edna getting +down from the chair.</p> + +<p>Nettie took her off into the next room +where there was much whispering for the +next few minutes. “I shall get something +for mother,” Nettie explained. “I don’t +know exactly what but I will find out what +she needs the most.”</p> + +<p>“I think that is a perfectly lovely +plan,” agreed Edna. “Now I must go +back and tell Ben, for he will want to +know. You come up this afternoon, Nettie, +won’t you?”</p> + +<p>Nettie promised, and after Edna had +gone she said to her mother, “Mother, I +think I will spend part of my money on a +birthday gift for Edna. It was all her +doings about the puzzle and I would like +to have her have something I could buy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +with the money. Will you help me?”</p> + +<p>“Indeed I will, my dear, and I think +that is an excellent plan.”</p> + +<p>So Nettie had her two secrets and in +time both gifts were given.</p> + +<p>Her meeting was an interesting one. +The girls always liked the old attic and it +was seldom that a meeting there did not +turn out to be one which was thoroughly +enjoyed. The refreshments received even +more praise than Edna had predicted, for +not a crumb of gingerbread, not a single +maple-sugar cream, nor a drop of raspberry +shrub was left, and the honorary +member went home in an exalted frame of +mind.</p> + +<p>On the very evening of this meeting, +while Edna was looking over her favorite +page of her father’s paper, she heard him +say to his wife. “Humph. That was a +bad failure of Green and Adams to-day. +Adams was a pretty high-flyer, and a good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +many of the men on the ’Change have +been prophesying this crash.”</p> + +<p>“What Adams is that?” asked Mrs. +Conway.</p> + +<p>“Oliver Adams. He lives on the +square, you know, in that large white +house with the lions in front.”</p> + +<p>Edna pricked up her ears. “Is it +Clara Adams’s father?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“Does she live on the square?” asked +her mother.</p> + +<p>“Yes, in a big white house with lions in +front just like father said.”</p> + +<p>“Then, of course, it is the same.”</p> + +<p>“What has happened to him, mother?”</p> + +<p>“He has lost a great deal of money, +dear?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, poor Clara.”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid she will be poor Clara sure +enough,” returned her father. “He can’t +keep up that way of living very long. +His wife is as extravagant as he is, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +I doubt if there is much left out of the +estate.”</p> + +<p>Edna wondered if Clara would have to +live in a tiny, little house like Nettie’s +and if she would be very unhappy. +Would she leave school, and—There +were so many wonderings that she asked +her mother a great many questions, and +went off on Monday morning feeling quite +ready to give Clara all the sympathy she +needed.</p> + +<p>But Clara was not at school on Monday, +but on the next day she appeared. The +news of her father’s failure was common +talk so that every girl in school had heard +of it, and wondered if it would have any +effect on Clara. For a time it did not, +but in a short time it was whispered about +that the Adamses had removed to another +street and into a much smaller house. +Clara no longer came to school in the +automobile, and those girls who had clung<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +to her on account of the powers of riches +now openly deserted, declared that she +had left their neighborhood and in consequence +could no longer belong to their +club. Then in a little while it was announced +that the club had disbanded, and +the remaining members came in a body +and begged that they might be taken into +the G. R.’s. There was much discussion. +Some were for, some were against it, but +finally the rule of the club was acted upon +and the five new members took their +places, leaving Clara in lonely grandeur. +She treated this desertion with such open +scorn and was so very unpleasant to those +who had formerly been her friends, that +they turned their backs upon her utterly, +declaring that they would rather pay a +fine every day in the week than be nice +to Clara Adams.</p> + +<p>“Hateful thing!” Edna heard Nellie +Haskell say one day quite loud enough<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +for Clara to hear. “She’s kept us out of +a lot of fun and we were geese to keep +in with her so long. I’m sorry I ever +had anything to do with her. I think she +is the most disagreeable girl that ever +was.”</p> + +<p>Edna looked over at Clara who was +sitting very still by herself on a bench in +one corner of the playground. She looked +after the three girls who had just passed +and were now walking down the path +with their arms around one another. +So had she seen them with Clara not so +very long before. She thought she would +go over and say something to her old +enemy, but what to say—She had no +good excuse. Then she remembered an +exceedingly pretty paper-doll which had +been sent her by her Cousin Louis Morrison. +His aunt had painted it and it was +much handsomer than one ordinarily +saw. Edna had it in the book she car<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span>ried. +She drew in her breath quickly, +then started over to Clara’s corner.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you want to see my paper-doll?” +she asked. “It is such a beauty.” And +without waiting for an answer she +opened her book and held out the doll for +Clara to see. It was given rather a +grudging glance, but it was really too +pretty not to be admired and Clara replied +with a show of indifference, “It is +quite pretty, isn’t it?”</p> + +<p>Edna sat down by her. “I will show +you some of her dresses,” she went on. +Clara loved paper-dolls, and she could not +but be a little interested. Anything which +was painted or drawn was of more interest +to her than most things. She had +shown her talent in that way by the fatal +caricature.</p> + +<p>“Somebody told me you could make +mighty pretty paper-dolls,” Edna went +on, bound to make herself agreeable.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span></p> + +<p>“I do make them sometimes,” replied +Clara a little more graciously, “but I +could never make any as pretty as this. +I can copy things pretty well, but I can’t +make them up myself.”</p> + +<p>For a moment Edna struggled with herself. +The doll was a new and very precious +possession, but—She hesitated +only a moment and then she said: +“Would you like to copy this? I will +lend it to you if you would like to.”</p> + +<p>There was a time when Clara might +have spurned even this kind offer, setting +it down as “trying to get in” with her, +but her pride and vanity had received a +blow when the Neighborhood Club was +broken up and she cast forth, and she took +the offer in the spirit in which it was +meant. “Oh, would you do that?” she +said. “I should love to copy it and I will +take awfully good care of the doll.”</p> + +<p>“You can take it now,” said Edna lay<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span>ing +the doll on the other’s lap. There +should be no chance for her to change her +mind. Clara slipped the doll into one of +her books and just then the bell rang, +so they went in together.</p> + +<p>After school Dorothy clutched her +chum. “Edna Conway,” she cried, “did +I see you talking to Clara Adams?”</p> + +<p>“Um-huh,” returned Edna.</p> + +<p>“Well, you are the greatest one. I +should think after all she has done that +you would want to keep as far away from +her as possible.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Edna. “I said I was going +to be nice to her if ever I had the +chance and I had the chance.”</p> + +<p>“If you are going with her, I can tell +you that all the girls will turn their backs +on you.”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t say I was going with her all +the time, but I don’t see why I can’t speak +to her if I want to.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I suppose you can speak, but I +shouldn’t do much more than that.”</p> + +<p>Edna made no reply. She had her own +ideas of what she meant to do.</p> + +<p>“Where is your paper-doll?” asked +Dorothy, “I want to show it to Agnes.”</p> + +<p>“I haven’t it with me,” returned Edna +a little confusedly.</p> + +<p>“You had it when we went down to +recess. Is it in your desk? Go on and +get it, that is a dear. Agnes wants to see +it.”</p> + +<p>“It isn’t in my desk. I haven’t it,” returned +Edna bluntly.</p> + +<p>“You don’t mean to say you have +given it away? Edna Conway, you can’t +have given it to Clara Adams!” Dorothy’s +voice expressed horror and dismay.</p> + +<p>“No, I haven’t <i>given</i> it to her; I only +lent it to her,” replied Edna.</p> + +<p>“Well, of all things!” Dorothy was +stricken dumb for a moment. Then she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +put her arms around her friend and +hugged her. “You are an angel,” she +said. “I couldn’t have done such a thing +to save me, and I don’t believe there is +another girl in the school who could. +I’m going to tell Agnes.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, please don’t,” begged Edna.</p> + +<p>But Dorothy was off and presently +Agnes came over to where the two had +been standing. “What did you lend +Clara your doll for, Edna?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“Because I didn’t want to pay a fine,” +replied she.</p> + +<p>Agnes laughed. “That is one way out +of it. I suppose the next thing we know +you will be proposing that we ask Clara +Adams into our club. Half the girls will +leave if you do, I can promise you that.”</p> + +<p>This was something very like a threat, +and it had the effect Agnes meant it +should, though it did not prevent Edna +from making plans of her own concerning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +Clara. She smiled at her as she took her +seat in class the next morning, and for +the very first time in all her life she +received from Clara a smile in return.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<p class="desc">A NEW MEMBER</p> + + +<p>During this time Miss Newman had not +won more than respect from her girls. +She was an excellent teacher and kept +good order, but she had too severe a manner +to call forth affection. Nevertheless +she did appreciate any little kindness +done her, and was not unwilling to repay +when the opportunity came. Dorothy +and Edna had always stood up for her, +and had brought her the small gifts which +children like to take their teachers, a particularly +large and rosy apple, a bunch +of flowers, a more important present at +Christmas and a growing plant at Easter. +They did not know much about her home +life, for she was not the affable person<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +Miss Ashurst had been. Uncle Justus +had told Edna that she lived with an +invalid sister in quite a different quarter +of the city, and that she had a long way +to come to school.</p> + +<p>One spring afternoon as Celia and +Edna were starting forth, a sudden shower +overtook them. They were going home +every day now as they had done in the +early fall, and were hurrying for their +train when they saw Miss Newman just +ahead of them without an umbrella. +“There’s Miss Newman,” said Edna to +her sister, “and she has no umbrella; I’m +going to give her mine and come under +yours, Celia,” then before Celia could +say a word she ran on ahead. “Please +take my umbrella, Miss Newman,” she +said. “I can go under Celia’s.”</p> + +<p>“But you may need it before Monday,” +said Miss Newman.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, I won’t, for I am going<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +straight home. We are to have a club +meeting at the Evanses this afternoon, or +I should not be in such a hurry.”</p> + +<p>“And I am in a hurry, too,” said Miss +Newman, “for I am very anxious to get +home to my sister. Thank you very +much for the umbrella. I should have +had to go in somewhere, it is pouring so, +and that would have delayed me.”</p> + +<p>By this time Celia came up and Edna +slipped under her sister’s umbrella. +They took their car at the next corner, +but they saw Miss Newman standing on +the other side waiting for the car which +should come along somewhat later. +“Poor thing,” said Edna as she looked +from the car window; “she would have +been soaked, Celia, if she had had to +stand there without an umbrella, and she +has a cold now.”</p> + +<p>Celia smiled. “I believe you would +love a chimpanzee, or a snake, Edna.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“I think little green snakes are very +pretty,” returned Edna calmly. “Cousin +Ben likes them, too. He showed me one +in the grass last Sunday. I felt sorry +for it because nearly everybody hates +snakes, and Cousin Ben said this one was +perfectly harmless.”</p> + +<p>“I draw the line at snakes,” returned +Celia. “I suppose you feel sorry for +Miss Newman.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I do; she is so unpretty.”</p> + +<p>Celia laughed. “That is a delicate way +of putting it, I am sure. Well, I am glad +she has one friend; no doubt she needs it. +Most of the girls aren’t so ready to say +nice things of her as they were of Miss +Ashurst.”</p> + +<p>“I know it,” replied Edna, “and that +is one reason Dorothy and I stand up for +her. We say suppose we were as—as +ugly as that, and had to go a long, long +way to school every day to teach horrid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +girls who didn’t be nice to us, how would +we like it?”</p> + +<p>“She looks like a cross old thing,” +returned Celia rather flippantly.</p> + +<p>“She isn’t exactly cross, but she isn’t +the kind you can lean up against and say +‘what a pretty tie you have on,’ as we did +with Miss Ashurst. Celia, I am afraid +Miss Newman never will get married.”</p> + +<p>Celia laughed. “Perhaps she doesn’t +want to. Everyone doesn’t, you know.”</p> + +<p>This was rather beyond Edna’s comprehension, +and she sat pondering over +the extraordinary statement till the car +reached the station. She arrived early +in the school-room on Monday morning to +find Miss Newman already there. She +looked up with a smile as the little girl +entered. “I brought back your umbrella,” +she said. “I don’t know what I +should have done without it. I left my +sister rather worse than usual and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +wanted very much to get home as soon as +possible.”</p> + +<p>“Is your sister ill?” asked Edna</p> + +<p>“She is never very well. When she +was a little girl, younger than you, she fell +and hurt her spine. She has never been +well since, and at times suffers very +much.”</p> + +<p>“How was she this morning?” asked +Edna sympathetically.</p> + +<p>“She was much better. I left her sitting +on the porch in the sun. She can +walk only a few steps, you see, and sometimes +has to be lifted from place to +place.”</p> + +<p>“Who lifts her?” Edna was much +interested at this peep into Miss Newman’s +life.</p> + +<p>“I do when I am there, for I know just +how to do it without hurting her.”</p> + +<p>“Will she sit there all day where you +left her?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, for she has a wheeling chair +and the old woman who lives with us can +wheel her in when she is ready to go.”</p> + +<p>“Tell me some more.” Edna leaned +her elbows on the table and looked at her +teacher with a wistful look. She did feel +so very sorry for this poor sister who +could not walk.</p> + +<p>“She is a very cheerful, bright person,” +Miss Newman went on, “and everyone +loves her. She is very fond of children +and is continually doing something for +those in the neighborhood. It is far from +being a wealthy street, and back of us +there are many very poor people. At +Christmas we had a tree for the ones who +couldn’t have one at home, and my sister +made nearly everything on it, such pretty +things they were, too. There was a +present for each child.”</p> + +<p>“I think that was perfectly lovely,” +said Edna. This was the kind of thing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +that appealed to her. “What is your +sister’s name?”</p> + +<p>“Her name is Eloise.”</p> + +<p>“I think that is a beautiful name. I +should like very much to see her.”</p> + +<p>“She would like very much to see you, +for she knows every one of my class, and +asks about each one when I go home. +You see she cannot go out into the +world where I go, I have to take what I +can of it to her.” It was evident that +this was the subject which was nearest to +the teacher’s heart, and that when talking +of it she showed the gentlest side of her +nature. “How would you like to go +home with me this afternoon to see her, +you and Dorothy Evans?”</p> + +<p>“I would love to go, but are you sure +she would like to have us come?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know of anything that would +please her more. She has never seen one +of my pupils and has often longed to, for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +as I told you she has to see the world +through my eyes, and anything that interests +me interests her.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell Dorothy as soon as she comes +and I will ask Celia if I may go. Thank +you, Miss Newman for inviting us.” +Then a number of girls came in and +school was called to order before Edna +had a chance to speak to her sister.</p> + +<p>At recess, however, the matter was +talked over, both Agnes and Celia listening +attentively. “I don’t think they +ought to go home with Miss Newman,” +decided Agnes, “for she probably has +dinner as soon as she gets home and it +would make extra trouble. If they could +go later it might be all right. I’d better +go and talk to Miss Newman myself, +then we can tell better what can be done.” +She went off and soon came back to say +that she had arranged to go with the little +girls later in the afternoon. “We can<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +take a car from there which will connect +with our line and in that way we shall not +have to come all the way back into the +city.”</p> + +<p>But a better arrangement than that was +made, for when Margaret and Jennie +heard of the affair they were so eager to +be included in the party, that Miss Newman +noticing their wistfulness, asked if +they, too, would come. “There is nothing +my sister likes better than to have +a company of children around her to +whom she can tell some tale. She is a +great one for that, and often has as many +as a dozen children on the porch,” she +told them.</p> + +<p>“Then, I will tell you what we can do,” +said Jennie. “I know mother will say +we may all go in the motor-car, and I can +take you girls home just as well as not. +I will call mother up now and tell her all +about it.” So in a few minutes the whole<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +matter was arranged by telephone. The +three little girls, Edna, Dorothy and Margaret +were to go home with Jennie to +luncheon and then they would make the +start from there.</p> + +<p>“That is just like the Ramseys,” said +Agnes, “they always come forward at +just the right moment and do the thing +that makes it pleasantest all around. +Now we can go home at the usual time, +Celia feeling perfectly safe about the +girls.”</p> + +<p>Therefore about three o’clock on this +bright afternoon in May they set forth +in the automobile which was to take them +to Miss Newman’s and call for them later. +Through a very unfamiliar part of the +city they went till they came to a short +street with a row of small houses on each +side. Each house had a garden in front +and a porch. In the very last one which +had more ground around it than the rest,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +Miss Newman lived. The porch was +covered with vines and in the garden +there was a perfect wealth of flowers. A +bird-cage in which a canary was singing, +hung near the window. One end of the +porch was screened by a bamboo shade. +It was a very pretty nesty little place. +Huddled down in a chair, with her head +supported by pillows was Miss Eloise who +smiled up at the girls as Miss Newman +brought them forward one after another. +Miss Eloise had a much more lovely face +than her sister. Her eyes were beautiful, +she had quantities of wavy dark hair, a +sweet mouth and a delicate nose. The +hand she held out was so small and fragile +that when Edna clasped it in her plump +fingers it seemed almost as if she were +holding the claws of some bird.</p> + +<p>“So this is Edna,” she said. “She +looks just as I thought she did. Dorothy +I know her by her hair, and Margaret<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +because she is the tallest of them, so of +course the one left must be Jennie. I am +so pleased to see you all. Sister, will you +wheel me just a little further back so +there will be more room for us all?”</p> + +<p>Miss Newman was quick to spring to +her sister’s side, wheeling the chair at just +the right angle, settling the pillows, and +then passing her hand caressingly over +Miss Eloise’s dark locks. The girls +could not imagine her so tender.</p> + +<p>“I hope you are feeling well to-day,” +began Edna to start the conversation.</p> + +<p>“Who wouldn’t feel well in such glorious +weather. It is such a beautiful +world, and has so many interesting things +in it. How is your sister, Edna?”</p> + +<p>“She is very well,” replied Edna, surprised +that Miss Eloise should know she +had a sister.</p> + +<p>“And yours, Dorothy? I hear she is +such a sweet, pretty girl.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>Dorothy likewise surprised, made +answer that Agnes was very well and +would have come with them but that the +four of them came in the Ramseys’ motor-car.</p> + +<p>“And wasn’t it fun to see it come whirling +up?” said Miss Eloise. “It was the +very first time a motor-car ever came to +our door, and I was excited over it. I +think it was very sweet of Mrs. Ramsey +to give me this pleasure, and, Margaret +I cannot tell you how I enjoyed the +flowers you used to bring to sister in the +winter. Your mother must have the loveliest +greenhouse. I never saw such fine +big stalks of mignonette. We shall have +mignonette a little later, for our flowers +are coming on finely. As for the books +you all gave sister at Christmas they have +been a perfect feast. I am so glad to +have you here and to be able to thank +you for all the things you have done to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +make the long winter go more quickly for +me.”</p> + +<p>The girls looked at one another. If +they had known what their little gifts +were to mean, how many times they +could have added to them. They had not +a word to say for they had not understood +how a little ripple of kindness may widen +till it touches an unknown shore.</p> + +<p>“Now tell me about your club,” Miss +Eloise went on. “I should so like to hear +what you did at the last meeting. Sister +tells me all she can, but she doesn’t have +a chance to learn as much as I should +like. I am so greedy, you see. I am like +a child who says when you tell it a story, +and think you have finished, ‘Tell on.’ I +am always crying ‘Tell on.’ It is the +most beautiful club I ever heard of and I +am sorry I am not a little girl at your +school so I could belong to it and enjoy +the good times with you.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“But, darling, you have your own little +club,” said her sister, “and you are always +thinking of what you can do for others.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I know, but I live in such a tiny +little world, and my ‘little drops of water, +little grains of sand’ are such wee +things.”</p> + +<p>“They mean a great deal more than you +imagine,” said her sister gently. “I am +sure I could never live without them.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that is because you make so much +of me and what I do. She is a great +sister,” she said nodding to the girls. +“She is a regular Atlas because she has +to bring her world home on her back every +day to me. Yes, indeed. Perhaps you +don’t think I am aware of all that goes on +in that school-room. Why I even know +when one of you misses a lesson, and if +you will let me tell you a secret, I actually +cried the day Clara Adams did the caricature.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear, oh, dear,” Edna could not +help sighing aloud while the other girls +looked as much ashamed as if they had +done the thing themselves. However, +when Miss Eloise saw this she broke into +a laugh and began to tell them of some +very funny thing she had seen from the +porch that morning, then followed one +funny tale after another till the girls +were all laughing till the tears ran down +their cheeks. Miss Eloise had the drollest +way of telling things, and the merriest +laugh herself. After a while Miss Newman +went inside and presently came out +with a tray on which were glasses of +lemonade and a plate of small cakes. +These were passed around, and much enjoyed.</p> + +<p>“Now tell them one of your stories,” +said Miss Newman to her sister.</p> + +<p>“Shall I make up a new one or shall I +tell them one of the old ones?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Tell them the one the Maginnis children +like so much.”</p> + +<p>The children settled themselves in +pleased anticipation, and a marvelous +tale they listened to. Miss Eloise had a +wonderful gift of story-telling and made +every incident seem real and every character +to stand out as vividly as if he or +she were actually before them. The +children listened in wrapt attention. She +was a wonder to them.</p> + +<p>The tale was scarcely over when up +came the motor-car with Mrs. Ramsey in +it. She stepped out and came in the gate +and up to the porch. “I wanted to come, +too, Miss Newman,” she said. “I hope +you don’t mind.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, mother,” cried Jennie, “you are +just too late to hear the most beautiful +story ever was.”</p> + +<p>“Now isn’t that too bad?” said Mrs. +Ramsey. “I feel guilty to interrupt this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +pleasant party, but I am afraid I shall +have to take these girls home for it is +getting late.”</p> + +<p>However, she did not hurry them and +there was time for her to have a little talk +with both Miss Newman and Miss Eloise. +Just as she was about to take her leave +she asked, “Do you think you would be +able to take a little ride in the motor-car, +Miss Eloise, if I were to come for you +some day?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, sister, could I?” Miss Eloise +turned to Miss Newman, her eyes like +stars. “I haven’t been off this street for +years,” she said to Mrs. Ramsey.</p> + +<p>“We would be very careful,” said Mrs. +Ramsey, seeing that Miss Newman looked +doubtful. “The man could wheel the +chair out to the car and could lift her in. +It runs very smoothly and we would not +go too fast nor on any of the streets which +are not asphalt.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, sister!” Miss Eloise looked as +pleadingly as any child.</p> + +<p>“I have never wheeled her further than +the corner,” said Miss Newman, “for fear +of the jolting when we had to go over the +curb, but some day when she is feeling her +best—”</p> + +<p>“You will let me know—” put in Mrs. +Ramsey eagerly. “Of course you will go, +too, Miss Newman, and as soon as you +think she has gone far enough we can +come back. You know it is quite smooth +and the riding easy going even as far as +Brookside.”</p> + +<p>“Why that is our station,” spoke up +Edna.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ramsey nodded and smiled, and +they said their good-bys leaving Miss +Eloise feeling as if a new world were to +open to her.</p> + +<p>Of course Mrs. Ramsey listened to a +full account of all that had gone on dur<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span>ing +the afternoon, and was deeply interested +in the two sisters. “I just love Miss +Newman,” declared Dorothy. “She is +the sweetest thing to her sister.”</p> + +<p>“They just adore one another,” Jennie +told her mother. “Miss Newman seems +like some one else when I think of her +now. I am so glad we went.”</p> + +<p>“So am I,” replied her mother.</p> + +<p>“And Miss Eloise knows all about our +club and is so interested in it,” Edna +remarked. “Girls, we must always tell +Miss Newman about the meetings after +this so she can tell Miss Eloise all that +goes on.”</p> + +<p>“Of course we must,” they agreed.</p> + +<p>“I know something better than that you +could do,” Mrs. Ramsey told them. +“Why not make Miss Eloise an honorary +member as you did Nettie Black? I think +you could stretch your rule far enough not +to make it out of the way to have one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +grown up person, when it is such a character +as Miss Eloise. She could be the +exception who will prove the rule.”</p> + +<p>“But, Mrs. Ramsey, she couldn’t come +to the meetings.” Dorothy reminded +her.</p> + +<p>“No, but you could take turns in going +to her; I mean you could appoint a committee +of two to go to her each week and +tell her about the previous meeting, then +once in a while when she felt able, you +could meet at her house.”</p> + +<p>“What a perfectly fine plan,” cried +Edna. “Will you tell Agnes and Celia +about it, Mrs. Ramsey?”</p> + +<p>“Why certainly, if you like.”</p> + +<p>“Now? This afternoon when you take +us to our houses, Dorothy and me?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see any objection.”</p> + +<p>The upshot of this was that Miss Eloise +was admitted to the club to her intense +delight. After Agnes and Celia had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +to see her they were so enthusiastic that +all the girls in the club by twos and threes +paid her visits, and she came to know +them every one.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<p class="desc">THE FLOWER PLAY</p> + + +<p>As the time approached for the flower +play to be given attention there was considerable +anxiety on the part of those who +had taken it in hand. Ben declared that +while he could do the main part of the +work all right, he must have help of the +girls in certain directions. “I’m no good +at all when it comes to dialogue,” he told +them. “I can do the mechanical part, +get the thing into shape for the stage, give +you the general plot and all that, but +you’ll have to do the dialogue.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but Ben,” said Agnes, “suppose +we can’t.”</p> + +<p>“Then it will have to fall through.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>The girls looked very sober over this; +they realized that Ben was giving them +more than they had any right to expect, +and they could not ask him to give his +studies second place. “Well,” said +Agnes rather dolefully, “we’ll have to do +the best we can.”</p> + +<p>“Angels can do no more,” returned Ben, +“and since you are so near to that class of +beings you ought to be able to do something +pretty fine.”</p> + +<p>The compliment had the effect of bringing +a smile to Agnes’s face and so the +matter rested for that day. However, it +was a subject which could not be allowed +to rest for very long as the time was fast +approaching when the parts must be given +out for the girls to study. “And there +will have to be ever so many rehearsals,” +said Agnes woefully to Celia as they were +talking it over together on the Conways’ +porch.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span></p> + +<p>“We don’t seem to make a bit of headway,” +said Celia. “What we have +written sounds so silly and flat. I’m +afraid it will never be the kind of thing +we hoped for.”</p> + +<p>“Ben has a lovely little plot and all the +ideas he has given us about the scenes and +the dressing of the characters and the +funny situations are mighty good,” returned +Agnes, “it does seem as if between +us all we ought to be able to do the rest +when we have eighteen regular members +in the club and two honorary ones.”</p> + +<p>Edna who was sitting on the top step +listening attentively to all this, looked up. +“Why don’t you ask Miss Eloise to help +you? She would love to, and she tells +such beautiful, beautiful stories, you +know.”</p> + +<p>“That is a brilliant idea,” returned +Agnes, “but she says she can never write +them, she can only tell them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“But couldn’t she tell what to say and +one of you write it down?”</p> + +<p>Agnes looked at Celia and Celia looked +at Agnes. “She has struck it, I do believe,” +cried Celia.</p> + +<p>“Edna, honey, you are a child worth +knowing,” said Agnes. “The idea of your +thinking of such a simple way out of the +trouble when the rest of us were fumbling +around for ideas. Of course that can be +done, and as you say, I have no doubt but +that Miss Eloise will be perfectly delighted +to do anything she can for the club. +Where is Ben? Do hunt him up, Edna, +that’s a good child.”</p> + +<p>As Edna generally knew Ben’s haunts +she was not long in finding him. He was +much interested in what she had to say, +threw down the book he was studying and +went with her to join the girls. He was +really very anxious to please them all and +would go to almost any lengths to do it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Ben,” cried Agnes as he came up on +the porch. “Isn’t that a fine scheme that +Edna has thought of?”</p> + +<p>“I should smile, and I have thought of +just the stunt to get it in shape the quickest. +If one of you girls will go with me +to present me to the lady, I can take down +what she says in shorthand and knock it +off on the type-writer afterward. Then +we’ll all get together, you two girls, Miss +Eloise and yours truly, and we’ll put the +whole thing into shape in double-quick +time. How does that strike you?”</p> + +<p>“Ben, you have saved our lives. When +can you go to see Miss Eloise? This afternoon? +It is Saturday and you haven’t +anything on hand more important than +foot-ball, have you?”</p> + +<p>“Do not speak slightingly of my +athletic sports, if you please. However, +I can forego the delights of being mauled +for one afternoon, I reckon, and am at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +your service, fair lady. When shall you +want to start?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, right after luncheon, I think; as +early as possible so as to have a good long +afternoon. I do hope Miss Eloise is feeling +fairly well to-day.”</p> + +<p><a name="tn231" id="tn231"></a><ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: missing opening bracket in the original text">“Miss Newman</ins> says she is better all the +time nowadays, since she has so much +more to interest her,” piped up Edna. +“She told me yesterday that she had not +had one of those dreadful attacks for ever +so long.”</p> + +<p>“Then let us hope for the best,” answered +Ben.</p> + +<p>It was exactly as Edna had predicted; +Miss Eloise entered into the plan with the +greatest eagerness, and when Ben had +opened up his plot to her and had showed +her how he had planned the scenes she +said she would take a few minutes to think +it over and then she thought she could +give him some of the needed dialogue, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> +before they left Ben had taken down as +much as was necessary for this first time, +promising to come back for the rest.</p> + +<p>“I’ll get this into shape and bring it +with me,” he told Miss Eloise.</p> + +<p>“And we can make copies so as to give +out that much for the girls to learn,” said +Agnes.</p> + +<p>They returned in high spirits, and for +some time Ben’s type-writing machine +was heard clicking away. The characters +had already been talked over and the +principle ones given out. Ben had +chosen very pretty fantastic names for +the various flowers who were to be represented. +Jennie was to be Pussy Willow; +Edna, Pinky Blooms; Dorothy, Daisy +White; Agnes, Rose Wild; Celia, Violet +Blue, while Ben, himself was to be the old +giant, Pine Knot, who lived in a swamp. +It had been found necessary to introduce +some of the boys into the play so Charlie<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> +and Frank Conway, Steve and Roger +Porter were pressed into service. Charlie +was to be Sassy Fras; Frank, +Winter Green; Steve, Cran Berry, while +Roger was to be the giant’s henchman, +Pine Needles.</p> + +<p>The play was not to be for a week after +school closed that they all might have +plenty of time for its preparation without +interfering with their school work. +There was never very much fuss made +over the closing by Uncle Justus, so there +was not that excitement. Mr. Horner +did not believe in showy commencements, +and when the girls were graduated they +simply received their diplomas after a few +simple exercises, and then the school was +dismissed. Therefore, the play was the +great subject of conversation among the +scholars. The girls who were already in +the club were triumphantly sounding its +praises to those who were not, while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> +those who were not in were clamoring for +entrance. However, it had been decided +that no more new members would be admitted +until fall, as there was already +enough heart-burning over the players +and their parts. The giving out of these +had been left entirely to Miss Eloise who +had chosen as she thought best, so there +was at least no one of the girls to accuse of +partiality. Margaret in the very beginning +announced that her mother did not +want her to take part and that she did +not care to herself, as she was to have the +fun of entertaining them all at her house, +and moreover, she “couldn’t act any more +than a broomstick.”</p> + +<p>Of all the girls who felt the most bitter +probably Clara Adams was the one who +was chief among them. It was the greatest +grievance she had ever known, in the +first place not to take part in such a thing +and in the second not even to be invited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> +to the entertainment. Each girl in the +club was allowed to ask two persons, and +each one taking part in the play was allowed +the same privilege, therefore, with +her two brothers among the characters +and her sister as well, Edna was free to ask +anyone she chose. Mr. and Mrs. Horner +had received an invitation from the whole +club, so had Miss Newman, and the other +teachers, and many of the pupils who +were outside the charmed circle were invited +by their schoolmates who were free +to give invitations, only Clara Adams was +not considered for a moment by anyone, +and she was very miserable over the fact. +If ever she regretted her past disagreeable +treatment of her school fellows, it +was now, but she would not have admitted +this even to herself, although in her heart +of hearts she was conscious of it being +so.</p> + +<p>“I’m not coming back here to school<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> +next year,” she announced to Edna one +day. The two had little chats once in +a while and, to do Clara justice, she did +her best to be pleasant whenever Edna +gave her the chance.</p> + +<p>“Oh, aren’t you? Why not?” asked +Edna.</p> + +<p>Clara was silent for a moment, then +she said, quite honestly, “My father can’t +afford to send me to such an expensive +school. I suppose I shall have to go to +the public school.” Then in a new accession +of pride, “Anyhow, father likes the +public school better.”</p> + +<p>“Oh,” Edna could not truthfully say +she was sorry, for the fact, though she +was sorry for the girl. She told the other +girls what Clara had said and the gist of +most of the responses was “Good riddance +to bad rubbish.” So it did not +look very favorable for an enthusiastic +farewell to poor Clara in the way of at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span>tentions +to a departing friend. If anyone +thought of her at all it was Edna, and +she was too busy with all her other interests +to give much regret to Clara.</p> + +<p>It was only when her mother asked her +one day, “Has anyone invited Clara +Adams to the great meeting of the club +when you are to wind up the year with +such a flourish?” that her conscience began +to prick her.</p> + +<p>“Nobody has asked her,” she answered, +“and she is dying to come. She isn’t +coming back to school next year, you +know.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I think you told me that. I feel +very sorry for her. Of course, she is not +at all the kind of child I should choose +for a companion for my little girl, but I +am very glad you have tried to be kind to +her, though I cannot say I regret her leaving +the school you attend.”</p> + +<p>Edna was silent for a moment and so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +was her mother who presently asked: +“Have you given out all your invitations, +dear?”</p> + +<p>“No, mother, I still have one.”</p> + +<p>“Whom did you send the other to?”</p> + +<p>“Miss Martin. She and her father +were so nice to me at the fair you know, +but one of the other girls has invited Mr. +Martin.”</p> + +<p>“I see. That was certainly a very +good choice for you to make.”</p> + +<p>“I can’t quite decide about the other +one,” Edna went on. “I want to give it +to the one who wants it most, of the two +girls at school who would love to have +it.”</p> + +<p>“Is one of them Clara Adams?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, mother, no. Nobody wants her.” +Then after a silence, “I suppose she +wants to come badder than anyone else, +but—mother, do you think, do you really +think I ought to invite her?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Why, my dear, that is for you to +decide.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear,” Edna gave a long sigh. +Never in her life had she been more put +to it to make up her mind. “I don’t +want to one bit,” she declared after a +moment’s thought. “All of the girls will +be down on me and say I am a silly goose +and all that.”</p> + +<p>“It is probably your very last chance +of doing her a kindness as she will possibly +not cross your path again,” Mrs. +Conway reminded her.</p> + +<p>Edna drew a longer sigh than before. +The situation was getting harder and +harder. “Mother,” she said with a woebegone +face, “why do the rightest things +always be the hardest ones?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t think they always are, dear +child. Is this so very hard?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes. I think it is the hardest +thing I most ever had to do. Even last<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +year when those things about Louis worried +me so, I didn’t mind so much, for I +was really fond of Louis. He was my +cousin and it seemed more as if I ought +to.”</p> + +<p>“Well, dearie, suppose you think over +it a while. You can keep back your invitation +till the very last minute, you know, +for if you do decide to let Clara have it, +she will be glad to accept even at the +eleventh hour, I am sure.”</p> + +<p>“Suppose she should say horrid mean +things and stir up a fuss as she does so +many times, I should feel so badly.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe she would do that because +she would be enjoying herself and +would probably be on her best behavior. +If you like, I will see that she sits next +to me which would be quite right if she +should be your guest, and it will not spoil +my pleasure if she should make disagreeable +remarks.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>Edna went over and leaned her elbows +on her mother’s lap, looking up in her +face and asking. “What would you say +to yourself if she made disagreeable remarks?”</p> + +<p>“I should say, ‘Never mind; I am so +happy that my own darling little girl +made the sacrifice of asking her that nothing +else matters much.’”</p> + +<p>“And you wouldn’t say anything to +her?”</p> + +<p>“I should, no doubt, say several things +to her,” replied Mrs. Conway kissing the +eager face uplifted toward hers.</p> + +<p>Edna went over to the window and +stood there a long time, but she saw none +of the things she looked out upon. She +was having a sharp struggle. Clara and +her mother against all the girls in the +club, that was the way it seemed to be, +but finally the former conquered and she +went back to where her mother still sat.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +“Mother,” she said firmly, “I am going +to invite Clara. I have made up my +mind. Will you please ask Agnes and +Celia to take my part?”</p> + +<p>“My blessed child, of course I will. +What sort of a Golden Rule would it be +that allowed a little girl to be chidden for +carrying out its precepts. <a name="tn242" id="tn242"></a><ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: original has 'As president, of your club'">As president +of your club</ins>, Agnes will surely see that +you are acting upon its principles, and +Celia, too, must see it. They must not +let their enjoyment and their love of +harmony make them forget that part.”</p> + +<p>Then Edna snuggled very close to her +mother and felt comforted. “I am not +going to keep her from knowing,” she +said. “I’ll tell her first thing, so she can +have the fun of looking forward to it.” +When Edna did a thing there was no +doing it by halves.</p> + +<p>Therefore it was a surprised and delighted +Clara who received her invitation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +the next day, and to Edna’s great satisfaction +all the good in the girl rose to the +occasion. “I think you are the very +sweetest girl I ever knew, Edna Conway,” +she said, “and I am sorry, I really am, +that I haven’t always been friends with +you. I was horrid, often I was,” and this +was Edna’s compensation.</p> + +<p>Such a flutter and flurry and whispering +and giggling there was on that afternoon +when everything was in readiness for the +little flower play. There was quite a large +audience gathered on the smooth green +lawn where seats had been placed for +them. The shrubs and flower beds with +trees beyond made a fine background for +the stretch of terrace, which became a +stage for the occasion. Jennie in a fuzzy +grayish brown frock with a hood, made +a dear little Pussy Willow, Edna in pink +with her rosy cheeks was the very picture +of Pinky Blooms, Dorothy’s golden head<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +made a lovely centre for Daisy White, +while as for Ben, the big giant, he was the +roughest, toughest old Pine Knot one +could imagine.</p> + +<p>“If only Miss Eloise could be here to +see us,” said Edna as she peeped from +behind the leafy screen which hid the +flower fairies from view.</p> + +<p>Dorothy was peeping, too, and presently +she exclaimed, “She is here! Oh, +Edna, she is here! See, they are bringing +her now!” And sure enough, there +in her wheeled chair was Miss Eloise, her +lovely face all smiles as her sister and +Mr. Ramsey pushed her chair along.</p> + +<p>“I do believe Mrs. Ramsey brought her +out,” cried Edna.</p> + +<p>“She did,” Jennie told them, “I didn’t +tell, because I thought it would be such +a nice surprise for everybody.”</p> + +<p>A surprise it was indeed, and because +of her presence, or because it is generally<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +so, they all did much better than at any +of their rehearsals and received such applause +as quite overpowered them. Then +Mr. Ramsey raised a call for “Author! +Author!” So after some little delay +Ben, still in his giant’s dress, was brought +around and wheeled Miss Eloise out to +the very front where she was given +another round of applause and more +flowers than she could hold. She quite +forgot herself in her anxiety that Ben +should receive what was due to him and all +unmindful of the large audience, she +cried out, “Oh, but I did so little; it is +all Ben’s plan!”</p> + +<p>Then Ben was cheered, and in the midst +of such very special demonstrations he +beat a retreat.</p> + +<p>Clara established by Mrs. Conway’s +side had not a word of anything but +praise and delight, and after the little +players came out to mix with their friends<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +she sought out Edna. “It was the loveliest +thing I ever saw,” she told her, “and +I do thank you for letting me come.”</p> + +<p>“She was really very decent,” said the +girls, looking after her as she started for +home with her mother who called for her.</p> + +<p>Edna watched her out of sight, a feeling +of pity mingled with gladness in her +heart. And so Clara Adams passed out +of her life, for before another year the +entire family had moved out west, and +the places which saw Clara Adams saw +her no more.</p> + +<p>The stars were coming out before they +all left Mrs. MacDonald’s. The guests +had taken their departure earlier and had +been as complimentary as anyone could +desire. Miss Eloise, tired but very +happy, had gone off with the Ramseys +in their motor-car. Edna, Dorothy and +Margaret walked down to the gate to +watch the sunset, all yellow and glowing.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Miss Newman looked almost pretty,” +said Dorothy. “She had such a dear +frock on and her hair is much nicer the +way she wore it to-day. I shall feel so +very different about having her for a +teacher next year.”</p> + +<p>“So shall I,” agreed Edna.</p> + +<p>Moggins, Margaret’s cat had sought +them out and was rubbing up against his +little mistress. “Oh, you poor dear, I +don’t believe anyone has thought to give +you your milk,” said Margaret. So she +went off with the cat in her arms.</p> + +<p>Then “Where are you, Dorothy?” +cried her sister, and Dorothy scampered +off that she might not be left behind on +the homeward walk.</p> + +<p>Edna walked slowly toward the house. +Halfway up the walk she met Uncle Justus. +“I was just coming for you to walk +home with me,” he told her. “Your aunt +and I are going to stay all night.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“I’m glad of that,” Edna replied slipping +her hand into his.</p> + +<p>They walked on toward the road, quite +silent for a few moments, till Edna looking +up, said, “Uncle Justus, I think you +have a perfectly lovely school.”</p> + +<p>He smiled down at her.</p> + +<p>“I have some perfectly lovely pupils,” +he answered with a smile.</p> + + +<p class="desc">THE END</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="tnote"> +<h2><a name="TRANSCRIBERS_NOTE" id="TRANSCRIBERS_NOTE"></a>TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE</h2> + + +<p>The original language, punctuation and spelling have been retained, +except where noted. A Table of Contents has been added at the beginning of the book.</p> + +<p>The following changes were made to the original text (the original text +is on the first line, the correction is on the following line):</p> + +<ul> +<li><a href="#tn23">Page 23</a>: you, do <b>you?’</b><br /> +<i>changed into</i>: you, do <b>you?”</b></li> + +<li><a href="#tn27">Page 27</a>: to <b>say. Wouldn’t</b> you like to know what<br /> +<i>changed into</i>: to <b>say: Wouldn’t</b> you like to know what</li> + +<li><a href="#tn34">Page 34</a>: didn’t stay but came over to <b>us.” She</b><br /> +<i>changed into</i>: didn’t stay but came over to <b>us. She</b></li> + +<li><a href="#tn55">Page 55</a>: the next time,” said <b>Agnes, and</b> after<br /> +<i>changed into</i>: the next time,” said <b>Agnes, “and</b> after</li> + +<li><a href="#tn108">Page 108</a>: right away,” declared <b>Nettie, for</b> it takes<br /> +<i>changed into</i>: right away,” declared <b>Nettie, “for</b> it takes</li> + +<li><a href="#tn117">Page 117</a>: “I’ll wait,” he <b>said, and</b> if you will<br /> +<i>changed into</i>: “I’ll wait,” he <b>said, “and</b> if you will</li> + +<li><a href="#tn161">Page 161</a>: make you an honorary <b>member, Agnes said.”</b><br /> +<i>changed into</i>: make you an honorary <b>member,” Agnes said.</b></li> + +<li><a href="#tn167">Page 167</a>: time this <b>morning.</b><br /> +<i>changed into</i>: time this <b>morning.”</b></li> + +<li><a href="#tn231">Page 231</a>: <b>Miss</b> Newman says she is better all the<br /> +<i>changed into</i>: <b>“Miss</b> Newman says she is better all the</li> + +<li><a href="#tn242">Page 242</a>: precepts. As <b>president, of</b> your club,<br /> + <i>changed into</i>: precepts. As <b>president of</b> your club,</li> +</ul> +</div> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Dear Little Girl at School, by Amy E. Blanchard + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DEAR LITTLE GIRL AT SCHOOL *** + +***** This file should be named 28966-h.htm or 28966-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/9/6/28966/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emanuela Piasentini and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Blanchard + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Dear Little Girl at School + +Author: Amy E. Blanchard + +Release Date: May 25, 2009 [EBook #28966] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DEAR LITTLE GIRL AT SCHOOL *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emanuela Piasentini and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + A DEAR LITTLE + GIRL AT SCHOOL + + _Amy E. Blanchard_ + + [Illustration] + + WHITMAN PUBLISHING CO. + Racine, Wisconsin + + + Copyright, 1910, by George W. Jacobs & Co. + + Printed in 1924 by + Western Printing & Lithographing Co. + Racine, Wis. + + Printed in U. S. A. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +COUSIN BEN + + +Edna and Cousin Ben Barker were on the back porch. It was a favorite +place, for it was always shady there in summer and out of the wind on +cold days. If big Cousin Ben did not always like to be where Edna was, +on the other hand Edna invariably sought out Cousin Ben if he were to be +found about the premises. + +On this special afternoon he was doing something to his wheel, getting +it in order for a long ride which he had planned for the next day. Edna +stood watching him, ready to hand a tool or run for a piece of rag to +be used in cleaning, or to fill the oil can from the bottle on the shelf +upstairs. + +"Where are you going to-day, Cousin Ben?" Edna always asked this for +Cousin Ben's replies were generally so funny. + +"I'm going to the woods," he said, "to see Johnny-jump-up." + +"Why will he jump up?" asked Edna in pleased expectancy of something +amusing. + +"Because the dog-wood bark, you know." + +"I know dog-wood blossoms," returned Edna a little doubtfully. + +"Of course, and I dare say you know the dog-wood bark, too, don't you?" + +"Ye-es, I suppose so." + +Cousin Ben went on burnishing the metal he was at work upon. "You see," +he continued after a moment, "the catkins will all be out and when I +meet one I shall say, 'Pussy, will oh, will you tell me the way to the +elder Berries.'" + +"What do you suppose she will say?" inquired Edna settling herself well +content to continue this sort of talk, though thinking it was scarcely +the season for Pussy-willows. + +"She will say: 'The elder Berry? My dear boy, any dog ought to know the +way there.' You see she knows I am a Barker." + +Edna laughed. "Go on." + +"And I will say, 'Yes, madam, but that sassy Fras always tries to get in +my path. It is a very easy matter to whip poor Will, but sassy Fras is +another matter.' Then she will ask: 'Did you ever try to haze L. Nutt?' +and I will reply, 'Chestnuts!' for I don't like to talk about hazing, +being in a position to expect a little of it any day. Well, Ande, I must +be off or I will find Pip's sis away." Cousin Ben always called Edna +Ande because he declared that was what her name really was but had been +turned hind side before. Some persons, Edna's sister Celia and Agnes +Evans, for instance, called Cousin Ben a very silly boy, but Edna +thought his kind of nonsense great fun. + +It was an afternoon in autumn. For some time past, Edna and her sister +had been going into the city to school every day, but this was the last +week when this would be done, for after this they would go only on +Mondays returning on Fridays till the days became long again. During the +winter when it was still dark at seven in the morning, and when the +afternoons were so short, it had seemed better that they should not come +home every day. Therefore, as Aunt Elizabeth Horner and Uncle Justus +wanted much to have them remain, it was so arranged. Edna was a great +favorite with her Uncle Justus, for she had spent the winter previous at +his house and had gone to his school. Then, on account of Mr. Conway's +business, the family had removed from the town in which they had +formerly lived and had taken a house a little out of the city. + +Like most children Edna loved the country and was glad of the change. A +little further up the road lived her friend Dorothy Evans and her sister +Agnes, the latter was a little older than Edna's sister Celia. All four +girls attended Uncle Justus' school and so did Margaret MacDonald, the +adopted daughter of good Mrs. MacDonald who lived in the big gray stone +house with the lovely grounds. Margaret was having a pretty hard time of +it, as she had never had much opportunity of going to school and was far +behind the girls of her own age. Edna and Dorothy were her staunch +defenders, however and when matters came to a too difficult pass the +older girls were appealed to and could always straighten out whatever +was wrong. Frank and Charlie, Edna's brothers, were almost too large for +Uncle Justus' school, where only little fellows went, so they went +elsewhere to the school which Roger and Steve Porter attended. It was +Cousin Ben's first year at college, and he was housed at the Conways, +his mother being an elder sister of Edna's mother. + +After seeing Cousin Ben start off, Edna left the porch and stood for a +moment thinking what she would do next. This being the last time she +would be at home for the entire week, she concluded she ought to make +the most of it, but first she must get together such things as she +should want for Monday. "Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, +and Monday, too. There are only four, after all," she said, counting the +days on her fingers. "It seems very much longer when you first think of +it." And then, as she continued to think, to her surprise she discovered +that only Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays would be the entire days +she would spend away from home. + +She was so interested in having found this out that she ran upstairs to +her mother, to tell of it. "Mother," she said, "I have made a +discovery." + +"You have, and what is it?" said Mrs. Conway. + +"Why, here I've been thinking I'd be away from you the whole week all +but Saturday and Sunday, and now I find out I shall see you every day +but three, 'cause, you know, I don't start till after breakfast on +Monday, so that's one day. Then Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I don't +see you, but I get back in time for dinner on Friday, so there is +Friday, Saturday and Sunday, three more days. Isn't it fine?" + +"Very, I think." + +"And the funny part is," Edna went on busily thinking, "I am at school +five days out of the seven. It's almost like a puzzle, isn't it? I think +I shall take Ada with me and leave her there. She is used to it, and +won't mind as much as some of the other dolls, for she was there all +last year and besides, Aunt Elizabeth gave her to me. Aunt Elizabeth is +quite kind sometimes, isn't she?" + +"She means to be kind all the time, but she has rather a stern manner." + +"Did you used to be afraid of her when you were a little girl?" + +"No, honey, because I didn't know her. She is your papa's aunt, you +know." + +"And he told me he didn't see much of her, for he lived in quite +another place, and I suppose by the time he grew up he wasn't afraid of +anybody. Well, anyhow, I'm glad it won't be 'butter or molasses' all the +week." + +"What do you mean, dearie?" + +"Why, you know we couldn't have both and there were never any preserves. +Sometimes there were stewed apples, the dried kind, and they were not so +very bad when they were sweet enough and had a lot of lemon flavor in +them. I used to ask Ellen to do them that way and she always would, +except when Aunt Elizabeth was in the kitchen and then she had to do as +Aunt Elizabeth told her. If you have more preserves than you can use, +don't you think you could send her some, mother? You see we shall not be +here to eat them, Celia and I, and you won't have to use so many." + +"That is an idea. Why, yes, I can send some in every week when you go, +and Celia can tell Aunt Elizabeth to have them for your supper." + +"How will she tell her?" asked Edna, feeling that this was an ordeal +that she would not like to go through. + +"Why, it will be very easy to say, 'Aunt Elizabeth, here are some +preserves mother thought would be nice for supper to-night.' Don't you +think that would be easy to say?" + +"Ye-es," returned Edna a little doubtful if this would have the proper +effect. "I think myself it would be better to let Ellen have them or +Uncle Justus." + +Her mother laughed. Edna's awe of Aunt Elizabeth was so very apparent. + +"There is one thing I wish you would promise," the little girl went on, +"and that is, that you will always have hot cakes on Saturday mornings +so I can have butter and syrup both." + +"I promise," replied her mother smiling. + +"I know Louis is mighty glad not to be going back," Edna continued, "and +I'm rather glad he isn't myself, for this year I shall have Celia." + +"I thought you were fond of Louis." + +"I am pretty fond of him, but I'd rather have girls about all the time +than boys all the time. Girls fuss with you, of course. They get mad and +won't speak, but I'd liefer they'd do that than try to boss you the way +boys do. Mother, there is another thing I wish you would do, and that is +I wish you would tell Aunt Elizabeth that she will please let Dorothy +come to play with me sometimes. Dorothy is my particular friend, you +know, and Aunt Elizabeth will never allow me to have her visit me unless +you say she can." + +"Did she never allow you to have company last winter?" + +Edna shook her head and a sigh escaped her. + +"I will arrange that Dorothy shall come," said her mother quite firmly. + +"It's going to be much nicer than last year," remarked Edna in a +satisfied tone, "for I shall always have Celia to go to, and you will be +so near, too, and besides I like Uncle Justus much better than I did at +first." + +"Of the two I should think you would have more fear of Uncle Justus than +of Aunt Elizabeth," said her mother looking down at her. + +"I did at first, but I found it was mostly on account of his eyebrows; +they are so shaggy." + +Mrs. Conway smiled. "I have heard it said that he can be rather +terrible," she remarked. + +"Oh, well, so he can, but he isn't all the time and Aunt Elizabeth is." + +"I hope this year you will find out that it is only Aunt Elizabeth's +eyebrows, too." + +"It couldn't be, for she hasn't any to speak of," returned Edna. As she +talked she was carefully packing the little trunk in which Ada's clothes +were kept. It was a tiny trunk, only about six inches long. Aunt +Elizabeth had made it, herself, by covering a box with leather and +strapping the leather across with strips of wood glued on. Edna liked +the trunk much better than a larger one which had been bought at the +store. Aunt Elizabeth was very clever in making things of this kind and +would sometimes surprise her little niece with some home-made gift which +was the more prized because it was unusual. The child remembered this +now and began to feel that she had not shown herself very grateful in +speaking as she had done a moment before. "Mother," she said. "I didn't +mean that Aunt Elizabeth was frightful all the time. She is very kind +when she gives me things like this trunk." + +"You don't mean frightful," replied Mrs. Conway laughing, "you mean she +is rather formidable." + +But that was too much of a word for Edna, though she did not say so. +Having stowed away Ada's belongings, three frocks, two petticoats, a red +hood and sacque, a blue dressing-gown and apron, she shut the lid. "I +don't think I'll take her furs this week because she'll not need them," +she remarked, "and I don't think I will take any of my other dolls +because I will be so glad to see them next Friday. Mother, if you come +into town any time during the week will you come out to see us?" + +"If I have time I certainly shall." + +Edna gave a sigh of content. It was surely going to be much better than +last year. "Mother," she said, changing the subject, "do you think +Cousin Ben is silly?" + +"He can be rather silly but he can also be very sensible. He is silly +only when he wants to tease or when he wants to amuse a little girl I +know." + +"I like his silly better than some of the big girls's sillies. They +giggle so much and aren't funny at all. I think he is very funny. He +says such queer things about the trees and plants in the woods. He +twists their names around so they mean something else. Like the +dog-wood, bark, you know. Mother, what is hazing?" + +"It is the kind of thing the college boys do to those in a lower class; +they play tricks on them which sometimes are really very cruel." + +"Do you mean they really hurt them?" + +"Sometimes they hurt them very much. I knew of one young man who was +forced into a pond of water on an icy day in the fall, and who nearly +died of pneumonia in consequence of the cold he took from having to be +in his wet clothes so long." + +"Do you think they will do anything like that to Cousin Ben?" + +"I certainly hope not, though no doubt there will be some tricks played +on him as he is a Freshman." + +Edna knew what a Freshman was but the matter of hazing was quite new to +her and troubled her very much. Cousin Ben had gone out alone to the +woods. Perhaps this very moment someone was lying in wait for him. + +Hastily setting away the doll and trunk she ran downstairs, put on her +coat and hat and started up the road toward the woods nearest. She had +no exact plan in her mind, but she knew Cousin Ben had probably gone to +see one of his classmates who lived just beyond this piece of woods. The +college was on the outskirts of the city and the dormitories were within +easy walking distance, so that one was liable to see a group of college +boys at almost any time. Edna trotted along hoping to overtake her +cousin. She did not believe anyone would attack him unless he were +alone, and she meant to keep him company on his return walk. Just as she +reached the edge of the woods she came upon a group of Sophomores +standing a short distance away and she heard one say. "We'll nab him as +he comes out, boys." + +Who could they mean but Cousin Ben? She walked slowly that she might, if +possible, hear more. + +"You're sure he came this way?" she heard another say. + +"Sure," was the reply. "We saw him go in Abercrombie's gate." + +That settled it in Edna's mind, for it was Will Abercrombie whose house +Cousin Ben most frequented. She hesitated a moment, wondering what path +her cousin would take, and then she remembered that the short cut was +through the woods; it was much longer by the road. It was already +getting rather late and it looked grim and gloomy in the woods, but +there was nothing to do but face any danger and go straight ahead. She +was crafty enough not to turn in at once for fear the boys might +suspect, so she kept on a short distance to where the road turned and +then she cut into the bit of forest scrambling up the bank and +scratching her hands, with the brambles, but reaching the path in a few +minutes. The further she went the darker it grew. The sun was setting +and she could see long fingers of light between the trees. She wished +she had some one with her, that Cousin Ben would appear before she went +much further, but there was no sign of him and she plodded on, the dead +leaves rustling about her feet or falling from overhead, giving her +little starts of fear. It seemed a long, long way, and she almost wished +she had not undertaken the work of rescue, but at last she saw, dimly +ahead of her, a figure approaching and heard a cheerful whistling which +she recognized as her cousin's. And she darted forward to meet him. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE SECRET + + +Cousin Ben striding along did not at first see the little girl, but at +her calling "Cousin Ben, Cousin Ben," he stopped short. + +"Why, you little monkey, what are you doing here?" he said. "The +bugaboos will catch you here in these dark woods." + +"There isn't such a thing as bugaboos," returned Edna stoutly, "and I +should be very silly to think so, but something will catch you if you +don't look out." + +"'The gob-e-lins will get you if you don't look out,'" replied Cousin +Ben, laughing. "Is that what you are trying to say? If you are not +afraid of bugaboos neither am I afraid of goblins. What do you think is +going to get a big fellow like me?" + +"Why," said Edna at once becoming serious, "I will tell you; I heard +some college boys talking back there by the edge of the woods." + +"You did? and what did they say?" + +"They said: 'We'll nab him as he comes out, boys.'" + +"Humph! What did they look like? Did you know any of them?" + +"The one who said that was John Fielding, and there was another that +I've seen before. He sits back of our pew at church." + +"Sophs, both of them, and did you come all this way to tell me about +it?" + +"Why, yes, I was afraid they wanted to haze you." + +"What do you know about hazing?" + +"Mother told me about a young man who nearly died of pneumonia because +some of the boys doused him in cold water, in a pond or something." + +"And you didn't want me to have pneumonia. I won't on this occasion, I +promise you. I think we can circumnavigate those fellows. I won't see +Johnny-jump-up to-day." + +Edna laughed. "Won't they be disappointed?" + +"They will that. Now come along and let's get out of here." + +"Which way shall we go?" + +"Oh, we will take the back road and come out there below the MacDonald +barn so they won't get a hint of our coming home, for the barn is below +the woods, you know. It is a little further, but I hope you don't mind +that." + +"No, indeed, I am so glad to have you get out of the way of those boys." + +"If I can manage to side-track them for a while perhaps they won't be so +keen. I thought they had it in for me, and have been rather expecting +an onslaught." + +They cut through the woods, coming out the other side and taking a short +road not much used, which brought them out a little distance from the +main road which was then easily reached. "Now we're safe," said Edna +with satisfaction as she saw her own gate. + +"We? You don't suppose they'd haze you, do you?" + +"Oh, no, but I feel safer when I am near home." + +Ben dropped his bantering tone when they came up to the gate. "I say, +Edna," he said, "you are a real Trojan to do this for me, and I shall +not forget it in a hurry. Lots of big girls and boys, too, would have +let the thing go, and not have taken the trouble. I am a thousand times +obliged to you." + +"Oh, but I wanted to do it, you know. I should have been very unhappy +if anything had happened to you." + +"I believe you would," returned Ben seriously; and they went in the +house together. + +This was the last Edna heard of hazing and if Cousin Ben was ever caught +he did not tell her or anyone else. + +Monday came around quite soon enough and Edna started off with her +sister Celia to go to the city. It seemed quite natural to be back in +the room which she had occupied the year before, only now Celia would +share it with her. Ada was put in her old place on a little chair, her +trunk by her side, and then the two girls went down to the school-room +where a number of the pupils had already gathered. One of these was +Clara Adams, a little girl whom Edna was sorry to see entering the +school that year. She was a spoiled, discontented child who was +continually pouting over some fancied grievance, and was what Dorothy +and Edna called "fusty." For some reason she was always trying to pick a +quarrel with Edna, and by the whispering which went on when Edna entered +the room and the sidelong looks which were cast at her, as two or three +girls, with hands to mouths, nudged one another, she felt sure that on +this special occasion she was being talked about. However, she paid no +attention to this little group but went over to where Dorothy was +sitting and began to tell her about the preserves which Celia had +successfully given in Ellen's charge. + +At recess the same group of girls which had been whispering in the +morning, again gathered in one corner and began their talk in low tones. +Clara Adams was in the centre and it was she to whom the others were all +looking. Clara was a favorite because of her wealth rather than because +of her disposition, and she had followers who liked to have it said that +they were intimate with her. + +"What do you suppose they are talking about?" said Dorothy after a +while. + +"I'm sure I don't know and what's more I don't care," replied Edna. "Do +you care, Dorothy?" + +"Oh, I don't know; just a little, I think. See, they are going over and +whispering to Molly Clark, and she is getting up and going over there. I +wonder what it is all about." + +Edna wondered, too, but neither she nor Dorothy found out that day. The +same thing went on the next day. One by one most of the girls whom Edna +and Dorothy liked the best were seen to join the little company of +whisperers, and whenever Clara Adams would pass the two friends she +would give them a look as much as to say: Wouldn't you like to know +what we know? + +"I think it is just horrid mean of them," said Dorothy when the next day +came and they were no nearer to knowing the secret than they had been in +the beginning. + +"I heard Molly say something about to-morrow afternoon," said Edna. +"They are all going to do something or go somewhere. I am going to tell +sister, so I am." + +"And I'll tell my sister. Maybe they know something about it, Edna." + +They lost no time in seeking out their sisters to whom they made known +the state of affairs. "And they are getting hold of nearly all the +nicest girls," complained Edna. "Molly Clark, and Ruth Cutting and all +those. They haven't said anything to Margaret, for I asked her. She +isn't here to-day." + +"Have you any idea what they are going to do?" Dorothy asked her sister. + +"I have an idea, but it may not be right." + +"Oh, tell us, do." The two younger girls were very eager. + +Agnes leaned over and said in a low voice, "I believe they are getting +up some sort of club." + +"Oh!" This idea had never occurred to either of the little girls before. + +"And they don't want us in it," said Edna, "I wonder why." + +"It is all that horrid Clara Adams," declared Dorothy. "She is jealous +of you because you always know your lessons and behave yourself, and she +don't like me because I go with you and won't give you up for her." + +"How do you know?" asked Edna. + +"I know," returned Dorothy, and then she shut her lips very tightly. + +"All the girls used to like us," said Edna sadly. + +"Bless your dear heart," said Agnes drawing the child to her, "I +shouldn't care. They will be sorry enough after a while, you may be +sure, and will wish they had treated you two better. Celia, we mustn't +let those little whippersnappers have it all their own way. Never you +mind, children, we'll do something, too. Celia and I will talk it over +and let you know to-morrow. You and Celia come up to our house Saturday +afternoon and we'll see if we can get Margaret and perhaps one or two +others. Now run along and let us talk over a plan I have." + +The two went off joyously, arms around one another. When Agnes +championed their cause there was no more reason to be troubled, and they +finished their recess in a corner by themselves quite content. + +There were not more than a dozen little girls in the class and when +half of these had gone over to the enemy, and one or two were absent it +left a very small number for Edna and Dorothy to count upon, but they +did not care after the older girls had taken up their cause, and they +cast quite as independent looks at Clara as she did at them. They would +have a secret too. "And it will be a great deal nicer than theirs," +declared Dorothy. So when the bell rang they went back to their seats in +a very happy frame of mind. + +The next day a new pupil appeared and at recess she was swooped down +upon by one of Clara's friends and was borne away, but after a while she +left the group and went back to her seat. Dorothy and Edna were out in +the school yard playing, but when they came in the new scholar looked +smilingly at Edna and after a while she made her way to where they were +standing. "Isn't this Edna Conway?" she asked. + +"Yes, I'm Edna," was the reply from the little round-faced girl who +smiled at her. + +"I'm Jennie Ramsey, and my mother told me to be sure to speak to you and +tell you I was at the fair last year and I was so glad when you got the +doll." + +"Oh, were you there?" Edna looked pleased. "I am so glad you have come +here to school. This is Dorothy Evans." + +Jennie and Dorothy smiled at each other and Edna went on. "Dorothy don't +you remember about Mrs. Ramsey who took so much trouble to get Margaret +away from that dreadful woman? She must be a lovely mother, for she was +so dear to Margaret." + +"Do tell me about her," said Jennie. "I have been so much interested, +for mother told me all about how you ran against her in the street and +how you won the doll for her and all about her being adopted so I did +hope I should know you some day. I'd like to be friends, if you will let +me." + +"Oh, I'd love to be," Edna spoke heartily, "and I am so glad you know +about Margaret. She comes here to school, but of course she isn't very +happy about having to be in the class with such little girls. Mrs. +MacDonald is talking of getting a governess for her till she can catch +up a little, but we shall be sorry to have her not come here." + +"Do you know Clara Adams?" Dorothy asked. "I mean did you know her +before you came to school?" + +"Yes, I know her. She is in my Sunday-school class," returned Jennie, +but she said nothing more, yet both the other two felt quite sure that +there was no likelihood of Jennie's going over to the other faction. +Then the bell rang and they all took their seats. + +"Don't you like her?" whispered Edna before Miss Ashurst had taken her +place. + +Dorothy nodded yes, and glanced across at Clara who curled her lip +scornfully. + +When school was dismissed Jennie and Dorothy walked home together. Agnes +and Dorothy remained in the city during the week just as the two Conway +sisters had begun to do. Edna sought her sister Celia after dinner when +the two had their study hour. "Isn't it nice," said Edna, "Jennie Ramsey +has come to school, and she is such a nice little girl. I heard Uncle +Justus say once that Mrs. Ramsey was much wealthier than Mrs. Adams but +that one never saw her making any pretence because of her money. What is +pretence, sister?" + +"It is pretending, I suppose. I think he meant she didn't put on airs +because of having money." + +Edna nodded. She quite understood. "Wasn't it lovely for Jennie to want +to be friends? She said her mother told her to be sure to speak to me, +and, oh, sister, we saw one of the other girls go over and try to get +her to join Clara's set and she didn't stay but came over to us. She +said she knew Clara but I don't believe she likes her. Did you and Agnes +talk about, you know what?" + +"Yes, and we'll tell you but you mustn't ask me any questions now for I +shall not answer. Now let us get to work or Aunt Elizabeth will be down +on us for talking in study hour." + +Edna turned her attention to her books and in a moment was not thinking +of anything but her geography. + +She could scarcely wait till the next day, however, when she and +Dorothy should learn what Agnes had planned, but alas, she was not +allowed this pleasure for Aunt Elizabeth called her from the school-room +just at recess and took her down to see Miss Martin, the daughter of the +rector of the church. Of course Edna was very glad to see Miss Martin, +for she was very fond of her, but she did wish she had chosen some other +day to call, and not only was Edna required to remain down in the parlor +during the whole of recess but she was again summoned before she had a +chance to speak a word to anyone at the close of school. This time it +was to run an errand to the shop where an order had been forgotten and +Edna was despatched to bring home the required article, Ellen being too +busy to be spared. + +She felt rather out of sorts at having both of her opportunities taken +from her. "I don't see why they couldn't have sent sister," she said to +herself, "or why they couldn't do without rice for just this once. I +should think something else would be better, anyway, for dessert than +rice and sugar." But there was no arranging Aunt Elizabeth's affairs for +her and when the dish of rice appeared Edna was obliged to eat it in +place of any other dessert. Her ill humor passed away, however, when +Uncle Justus looked at her from under his shaggy brows and asked her if +she didn't want to go to Captain Doane's with him. This was a place +which always delighted her, for Captain Doane had been all over the +world and had brought back with him all sorts of curiosities. Moreover, +there was always a supply of preserved ginger taken from a queer jar +with twisted handles, and there was also an especially toothsome cake +which the captain's housekeeper served, so Edna felt that the feast in +store for her, quite made up for the poverty of a dessert of boiled +rice and sugar. + +She wondered that Celia was not also asked to go, but she remembered +that Celia did not know Captain Doane, and that probably she would think +it very stupid to play with shells and other queer things while two old +gentlemen talked on politics or some such dry subject. Therefore she +went off very happily, rather glad that after all there was a pleasure +for this day and one in prospect for the morrow. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A SATURDAY AFTERNOON + + +By Friday, Jennie, Dorothy and Edna had become quite intimate. Margaret +was still kept at home by a bad cold, so these three little girls played +at recess together joined by one or two others who had not been invited, +or had not chosen, to belong to what the rest called "Clara Adams's +set." There had been a most interesting talk with Agnes and Celia and a +plan was proposed which was to be started on Saturday afternoon. Jennie +had been invited to come, and was to go home with Dorothy after school +to be sent for later. + +Edna was full of the new scheme when she reached home on Friday, and she +was no sooner in the house than she rushed up stairs to her mother. +"Oh, mother," she cried, "I am so glad to see you, and I have so much to +tell you." + +"Then come right in and tell it," said her mother kissing her. "You +don't look as if you had starved on bread and molasses." + +Edna laughed. "Nor on rice. I hope you will never have rice on +Saturdays, mother." + +"Rice is a most wholesome and excellent dish," returned her mother. "See +how the Chinese thrive on it. I am thinking it would be the very best +thing I could give my family, for it is both nourishing and cheap. +Suppose you go down and tell Maria to have a large dishful for supper +instead of what I have ordered." + +Edna knew her mother was teasing, so she cuddled up to her and asked: +"What did you order, mother?" + +"What should you say to waffles and chicken?" + +"Oh, delicious!" + +"But where is that great thing you were going to tell me?" + +"Oh, I forgot. Well, when we got to school last Monday, there was Clara +Adams and all the girls she could get together and they were whispering +in a corner. They looked over at me and I knew they were talking about +me, but I didn't care. Then I went over to Dorothy and we just stayed by +ourselves all the time, for those other girls didn't seem to want to +have anything to do with us. We hadn't done one single thing to make +them act so, but Clara Adams is so hateful and jealous and all that, she +couldn't bear to have us be liked by anybody. Dorothy told me she heard +her say I was a pet and that was the reason I got along with my lessons. +You know I study real hard, mother, and it isn't that at all. Clara +said it was just because Uncle Justus favored me, and told Miss Ashurst +too. Wasn't that mean?" + +"I think it was rather mean, but you must not mind what a spoiled child +like Clara says, as long as you know it isn't so." + +"That's what Agnes says. We told Agnes and Celia how the girls were +doing and how they had a secret and didn't want us to be in it, so Agnes +said we could have a secret, too, and she has planned a beautiful one, +she and Celia. I will tell you about it presently. Well, then Jennie +Ramsey came." + +"Jennie Ramsey? I don't think I ever heard you speak of her." + +"No, of course you didn't, for I only just became acquainted with her. +Mother, don't you remember the lovely Mrs. Ramsey that did so much +about getting Margaret into the Home of the Friendless?" + +"I remember, now." + +"Well, she is Jennie's mother, and she told Jennie to be sure to speak +to me, because she knows Aunt Elizabeth, I suppose, but anyhow, she did. +But first the Clara Adams set tried to get Jennie to go with them, but +she just wouldn't, and so she's on our side. I know Clara is furious +because the Ramseys are richer than the Adamses." + +"Oh dear, oh dear," Mrs. Conway interrupted, "this doesn't sound a bit +like my little girl talking about one person being richer than another +and about one little girl's being furious about another's making friends +with whom she chooses." + +Edna was silent for a moment. "Mother," she said presently, "it is all +Clara Adams's doings. If she wouldn't speak to us nor let the other +girls play with us, why, what could we do?" + +"I really don't know, my darling, we'll talk of that directly. Go on +with your story." + +"Well, so Agnes found out they were getting up a club and didn't want us +in it, so she said we could have a club, too, and we're going to begin +this afternoon--no, to-morrow afternoon. Mrs. Ramsey let Jennie go home +with Dorothy to stay till to-morrow and she is going to send the +automobile for her. She comes to school in the automobile every morning. +I wish we had one then we wouldn't have to stay in town all the week." + +"Dear blessed child, I am afraid Clara Adams is turning your head." + +"Clara? why she doesn't even speak to me." + +"All the same you are beginning to care more for the things that are +important to her than ever you did before. Never mind, we'll talk about +that later. Is that all?" + +"It's about all, for we haven't had the club meeting yet. Agnes says she +will start it and be the president for a month. Celia is going to be the +secretary and when we know just what to do and how to carry it on then +they will resign and some of us younger girls will be the officers." + +Mrs. Conway smiled to hear all this grown-up talk, but she looked a +little serious a moment after. + +Edna watched her face. "Don't you approve of it, mamma," she asked +anxiously. + +"Of the club? Oh, yes, if it is the right kind of one. I will ask Celia +about it, but what I don't like is that you should start it in a spirit +of trying to get the better of another girl, though I can see that it +is the most natural thing in the world for you to feel as you do, and I +can see that Clara has really brought it on herself, but I do want my +dear little girls to be charitable and above the petty meanness that is +actuating Clara." + +"Then what do you think we ought to do?" + +"I am not sure. I shall have to think it over. In the meantime by all +means start your club. Where is Celia?" + +"She went out with the boys to look at the new pigeons, but I wanted to +see you first." + +Edna enjoyed the prospect of chicken and waffles too much to long too +ardently for the next day. She hadn't seen Cousin Ben yet so she went +out to hunt him up, but discovering that he was hard at work over his +studies she concluded not to disturb him but to go with the boys to hear +them expatiate upon the qualities of the new pigeons, of the trade they +had made with another boy and of various things which had been going on +at their school. + +Great preparations were made for the first meeting of the club. In the +Evans house was a large attic, one corner of which Agnes and Celia +turned into a club-room. The house was an old-fashioned one, and the +attic window was small. There was, too, an odor of camphor and of soap, +a quantity of the latter being stored up there, but these things did not +in the least detract from the place in the eyes of the girls. What they +wanted was mystery, a place which was out of the way, and one specially +set aside for their meetings. A small table was dragged out of the +recesses of the attic. It was rather wobbly, but a bit of wood was put +under the faulty leg, and it did very well. One perfectly good chair was +brought up for the president, the rest were content to be seated on +whatever came handy, two chairs very much gone as to backs, one with the +bottom entirely through, and a rickety camp stool made up the remainder +of the furniture, but Agnes had taken care that there were flowers on +the table and that pens, pencils and paper were supplied. She also +brought up some books "to make it look more literary," she said, and the +organizers of the club were delighted. + +They came whispering and with suppressed giggles up the steep stairway, +made their way between piles of trunks and boxes to where Agnes sat in +state, a call-bell before her. Margaret, much bundled up, had been +permitted to join them, so they were the respectable number of six. + +That morning the president and secretary had been closeted for an hour +with Mrs. Conway and whatever they had determined upon in the beginning +which seemed in the least unworthy was smitten from the plan. + +The girls disposed themselves upon the various seats, Celia taking a +place at the end of the table provided for the officers. There was much +stifling of laughter and suppressed whispers before Agnes tapped the +bell and said in the most dignified manner, "The meeting is called to +order." Then each girl smoothed down her frock and sat up very straight +waiting to hear what should come next. "The real object of our club," +Agnes began, "is to find ways of being kind to our schoolmates, but we +are going to do other things to entertain ourselves, things like +bringing new games into the club and any new book we find particularly +interesting. If anyone can write a story she is to do that, and if +anyone hears anything particularly interesting to tell she is to save +it up for the meeting. It has been proposed by Mrs. Conway that we call +the club the Kindly Club or the Golden Rule. Celia, we'd better take a +vote on the name. You might hand around some slips of paper and let the +members write their choice. There is one thing about it; if we call it +the Golden Rule Club, we can always refer to it as the G. R., and that +will be rather nice, I think. However, you all must vote as you think." + +There were not quite enough pencils, but by judicious borrowing they +made out and the slips were handed in and gravely counted by Celia. +"There are four votes for Golden Rule, and two for Kindly," she +announced. + +"Then it is a majority for Golden Rule, so the name of the club is the +Golden Rule Club, or the G. R., whichever you choose to say when you are +speaking of it. Now, let me see, oh, yes. We are the charter members. +We haven't any charter but we can have one, I reckon. I'll get one ready +for next time. Now, we must have rules. I haven't thought them all out, +but I have two or three. We begin with the Golden Rule: 'Do unto others +as ye would they should do unto you'; Mrs. Conway said we might head the +list with that, for there was nothing better. Of course we all forget +sometimes, but we mustn't any more than we can help. If we see a chance +to do a kindness to any of our schoolmates we must do it, no matter if +we don't like her, and we must try not to get mad with any of the girls. +We must be nice to the teachers, too. You see it is a school club and +affects all in the school. We big girls mustn't be hateful to you +younger ones and you mustn't be saucy to us." + +"Oh, dear," sighed Edna, "it's going to be pretty hard, isn't it?" + +"I don't believe it is going to be as much fun as the other girls' +club," complained Dorothy. + +"Oh, yes it is. You wait and see," said Agnes. "After a while everyone +of them will be dying to come into ours." + +"Oh, Agnes, I don't believe a bit of that," said Dorothy. + +"Oh, but you see we are going to have very good times, you forget that +part. The kind word part is only when we are having dealings with our +schoolmates and all that. We don't have to do just that and nothing +else. For example, I have the loveliest sort of story to read to you all +just as soon as the business part of the meeting is over, and then we +are to have refreshments." + +"Oh, good!" there was emphatic endorsement of this. + +"There ought to be fines, I suppose," Agnes went on. "Let me see, what +shall we be fined for? I shall have to get some light upon that, too, +but I think it would be a good plan that any girl who voluntarily stirs +up a fuss with another at school must pay a fine of not less than one +cent. What do you think of that, Celia?" + +"I should think that might be a good plan though I expect we shall all +turn Quakers if we continue the club." + +Agnes laughed. "It does look that way. At all events we are to thank +Clara Adams for it all. Her club is founded on unkindness and if we want +to be a rival, Mrs. Conway says we must have ours founded on kindness." + +"Do you know anything about her club?" asked Jennie. + +"I know a little. I believe only girls who live in a certain +neighborhood can belong to it. All others are to be turned down, and are +to be left out of the plays at recess. It is something like that, I was +told. However, we don't care anything about those poor little sillies. +We shall enjoy ourselves much more. I think we'd better not attend to +any business to-day or we shall not have time for anything else. Have +you made the minutes, Celia?" + +"Yes, I think I have, and if I haven't everything I can get you to tell +me afterwards." + +"I suppose we should vote for the officers," said Agnes, after a +moment's thought. + +"Oh, no, don't let's," said Edna, anxious for the story. "We all want +you for president and Celia for secretary, don't we, girls?" + +"All in favor of making Miss Agnes Evans president of the club will +please rise," sang out Celia, and every girl arose to her feet. "That's +unanimous enough," said Celia. "Now all in favor of my being secretary +will please rise." Another unanimous vote followed this and so the +matter was speedily settled. + +Then Agnes produced a manuscript paper and read them the most delightful +of stories which was received with great applause. Then she whispered +something to Dorothy who nodded understandingly, retired to the back of +the attic and returned with two plates, one of delicious little cakes +and the other of caramels to which full justice was done. + +"What about the places of meeting and the refreshments?" asked Celia. +"It isn't fair for you always to furnish them and don't you think we +should meet at different houses?" + +"Perhaps so, only you see it would be hard for us to go into the city on +Saturdays after coming out on Friday, and you see Jennie lives in +town." + +"Oh, but Mack can always bring me out in the motor car," said Jennie, +"though of course I should love to have you all come in to my house and +so would mamma like it." + +"Well, we'll meet at your house, Celia, the next time," said Agnes, "and +after that at Mrs. MacDonald's. We can, can't we, Margaret?" + +"Oh, yes, I am sure she will be perfectly delighted. She is so pleased +about the club, anyhow." + +"Then in the meantime we can be making up our minds about your house, +Jennie," said Agnes. + +"I wish we had some little song or a sentence to close with," said +Celia. + +"We can have. We can do all those things later. I think we have done a +great deal for one day, don't you all think so?" + +"Oh, my, yes," was the hearty response. "It has been perfectly lovely." + +"We might sing, 'Little Drops of Water,' for this time," proposed Edna, +"as long as we haven't any special song yet." + +"That will do nicely, especially that part about 'little deeds of +kindness.' We're going to sing. All rise." And the meeting was closed, +the members groping their way down the attic stairs which by now were +quite dark. But the effect of the club was to be far-reaching as was +afterward shown, though it was little suspected at the time of its +formation. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A THANKSGIVING DINNER + + +The first direct effect of the club was far from pleasant to Edna, for +she forgot all about studying a certain lesson, and did not remember +about it till she and Dorothy met at school on Monday morning, and then +she was overcome with fear lest she should be called upon to recite +something of which she knew scarcely anything. However, by dint of peeps +at the book between whiles, after devoting to it all the time she had +before school was called to order, she managed to get through the +recitation, yet not without many misgivings and a rapid beating of the +heart when Miss Ashurst called upon her. Edna was always such a +conscientious child about her lessons that Miss Ashurst rather +overlooked the fact that upon this occasion she was not quite as glib as +usual, and she took her seat with a feeling of great relief, determining +that she would not forget her lessons another Saturday. + +There was more than one opportunity that day to exercise the rule of the +G. R. Club, and the girls of the Neighborhood Club, as they called +theirs, were a little surprised at the appearance of good-will shown by +the others. + +"Oh, I know just what they are up to," Clara Adams told her friends; +"they want to get in with us and are being extra sweet. I know that is +exactly their trick. Don't you girls pay any attention to them. Of +course we could let Jennie Ramsey in, because she lives on our street, +but the others, we couldn't any more than we could Betty Lowndes or +Jessie Hill." + +"Well, it seems to me if they are good enough for Jennie Ramsey to go +with they are good enough for us," returned Nellie Haskell. + +"No, I'm not going to have them," replied Clara, "and if you choose to +go over to them, Nellie Haskell, you can just make up your mind that +I'll have no more to do with you." So Nellie succumbed although she did +smile upon Dorothy when the two met and was most pleasant when Edna +offered to show her about one of the lessons. + +Agnes advised that the girls make no secret of their club. "It is +nothing to be ashamed of, I am sure," she said, "and if any of the girls +want to join it I am sure they are quite welcome to." And indeed it did +appeal so strongly to some of the older girls that before the week was +out several new members were enrolled, and it was decided to change the +time of meeting to Friday afternoon so that those in the city might have +their convenience considered while the girls living in the country could +easily stay in till a later hour. + +The little girls felt themselves rather overpowered by the coming into +their ranks of so many older members, but on the other hand they felt +not a little flattered at being important enough to belong to the same +club, so as the rule worked both ways it made it all right, especially +as Betty Lowndes and others were admitted and were no older than +themselves. + +"They may have more in number," said Clara when she was told of how the +club was increasing, "but we are more exclusive, my mother says." + +This remark made its impression as Clara intended it should, though +Nellie looked wistfully across at where half a dozen little girls were +joyously eating their lunch and discussing the good times the elder +girls were planning. "You know," Agnes had told them, "if you want to +become a junior branch of the same club it will be perfectly easy for +you to do it. At the end of a month you can decide, though Helen Darby +and Florence Gittings agree with me that there is no reason why we +shouldn't all hang together. It will be more convenient for one thing +and we can take turns in arranging the entertainment part. I don't see +why we all shouldn't enjoy some of the same kind of things." + +"Oh, we'd much rather stay in," replied Edna. "At least I would." + +"I would! I would!" came from all the others. + +Although there is a high and marked difference between fifteen and +eight or nine, in most matters, in this of the club there appeared to be +a harmony which put them all on the same footing. The older sisters were +more ready to help the younger ones with their lessons while the younger +ones were more eager to run on errands or to wait on the older ones, in +consequence there was a benefit all around. + +Of course Miss Ashurst and Mr. Horner were by no means unaware of what +was going on and they smiled to see how pleasant an atmosphere prevailed +in the school all except in the unfortunate Neighborhood Club which they +would have gladly disbanded. "It will probably die of its own +discontent," said Miss Ashurst to the principal, "I give it just three +months to exist for the girls are dropping out one by one." + +Mr. Homer smiled and nodded his head. He was a man of few words yet +very little escaped his keen eyes. + +The next meeting of the G. R.'s was even more successful than the first. +A number of things were discussed and the little girls learned many +things that they had not known before. + +"Suppose Clara Adams did want to come into the club or wanted to be +friends I suppose we'd have to be kind to her," said Dorothy, a little +regretfully. + +"Of course you'd have to be kind to her," said Helen Darby, "but you +wouldn't have to clasp her around the neck and hang on her words, nor +even visit her. One can be kind without being intimate." + +This was putting it in rather a new light and the little girls looked at +one another. They had not easily distinguished the difference before +this. + +"The same way about Mr. Horner," Helen went on, "you don't have to get +down and tie his shoes, but if you do have a chance to do something to +make things pleasanter for him, why just trot along and do it." And +Helen nodded her head emphatically. + +"Dear oh, me," sighed Florence, "we are getting our standards way up. I +should probably fall all over myself if I attempted to do anything for +him. I am almost scared to death at the mere thought." + +"He won't bite you," replied Helen, "and you don't have to get close +enough to him to comb his eyebrows. What I mean is that we can 'be +diligent and studious' as the old copy-books used to have it, speak well +of his school, and not carry tales home that will make our families +think we are martyrs and that he is an ogre, or someone to be feared +constantly." + +"Helen Darby! I'd like to know who has been giving you all these new +ideas," said Florence. + +"Why, I think Mrs. Conway started them by the way she talked to Agnes, +and I have a modest claim to some brains of my own, so I thought out the +rest and talked it over with father who put things very clearly before +me, and showed me that school-girls are half the time silly geese who +seem to think their teachers are created for the mere purpose of making +their lives miserable. Father said that the shoe was usually on the +other foot, and that the girls were much more liable to make the +teachers' lives miserable. That set me a-thinking. Let me remark in +passing that father says he thinks our club is great, and he wants to +have a hand in furnishing the entertaining some time." + +This announcement made quite a ripple of excitement, for Mr. Darby did +nothing by halves and it was expected that there would be a good time +for the G. R.'s when they met at Helen's house. + +Edna kept in mind what had been said about Uncle Justus and before very +long came an opportunity to prove her powers of doing him a kindness. It +was just before Thanksgiving that Mrs. Conway came in one Thursday +afternoon to see Aunt Elizabeth and of course her own two little +daughters as well. Edna sat very close to her mother on the sofa, her +hand stroking the smooth kid glove she wore. + +It was a queer thing to have her mother for company, but it was very +delightful, too. + +"I hope you and Uncle Justus can come out to take Thanksgiving dinner +with us," said Mrs. Conway to her aunt. + +"Thank you, my dear, but I am afraid it is impossible," was the +response. "I long ago promised to go to sister Julia's, and hoped +Justus would go, too, but he insists that he cannot possibly take the +time, for it is something of a trip. He says he has some school papers +he must attend to, and moreover, has promised to address a meeting in +the afternoon, so that it will be impossible." + +"I am very sorry," returned Mrs. Conway, "for we had quite counted on +you both. Perhaps Uncle Justus can take the time to come to us even if +he cannot go so far as Aunt Julia's." + +Mrs. Homer shook her head. "I am afraid not, but you can ask him. Julia +will be greatly disappointed, but you know Justus is nothing if not +conscientious and if he has made up his mind he ought not to go, nothing +will alter his decision." + +"What time is his meeting?" asked Mrs. Conway. + +"At half past two, I believe." + +"Oh, dear, then I am afraid it will be difficult for him to get to us, +or rather to get away. We are to have dinner at two rather than in the +evening, partly on account of the children and partly on account of the +maids, to whom I have promised the time after they have finished the +necessary work. There is a train at two-forty-five, but that would be +too late, and it takes nearly an hour by the trolley cars." + +"Then I am afraid he will have to dine alone," said Mrs. Horner, "I +don't suppose he has ever done such a thing in his life as that, but it +cannot be helped. Julia has few opportunities of seeing her family and +he insists that I must not think of disappointing her on his account." + +Edna listened very soberly to all this, and when it was learned later +that nothing could alter Uncle Justus's decision, she felt very sorry +for him. She took occasion to open up the subject herself that +afternoon. "Uncle Justus," she asked, "did you ever eat Thanksgiving +dinner alone?" + +Uncle Justus looked at her over his spectacles. "Well, no, I cannot say +that I ever did." + +"Shall you like to do it?" + +"No, I do not believe I shall particularly enjoy it, but duty must come +before pleasure, you know." + +"I wish you were going to have dinner with us." + +"That would be very agreeable to me, but I fear I cannot think of it +upon this occasion." + +Edna sighed. She had hoped he might reconsider it. When he had left the +room she went out into the kitchen to see Ellen of whom she was very +fond. "Ellen," she said "are you going to stay in and cook Uncle +Justus's Thanksgiving dinner for him?" + +"I am thot. It'll not be much of a job I'll be havin' ayther." + +"Why! Isn't he going to have a real Thanksgiving dinner?" + +"She was tellin' me this mornin' thot it would be aisy, and I cud have +me afthernoon the same as usual, for he'd not be in. Says she, 'a bit av +a chicken will do and ye can make a pumpkin pie the day before, so what +with a few pertaties and a taste of stewed tomats he'll do bravely." + +"Oh dear!" Edna sighed again as she thought of all that would be served +at her own home table. Her little face wore a very serious and troubled +look every time she looked at Uncle Justus that evening and the next day +at recess she unburdened her heart to Dorothy and Jennie. These three +always ate their lunch together and they took this opportunity for many +a confidence. + +"Girls," Edna began smoothing down her frock and folding her hands. "I +have a chance to do Uncle Justus a kindness and I can't make up my mind +to do it. I'm afraid I'm awfully selfish." + +Dorothy laughed. "I'd like to see anybody who's less so, wouldn't you, +Jennie?" + +"I certainly would. Edna, tell us about it." + +"Well, you see Uncle Justus has things to do so he can't go with Aunt +Elizabeth to her sister's and he hasn't even time to come to us for +Thanksgiving, and he will have to eat his dinner all alone, +unless--unless I stay and keep him company." + +"Oh Edna, and you couldn't be with your family last year because you +were here." Dorothy's tones were almost awe-stricken. + +"I know, and of course I am dying to be at home, and that's where the +being selfish comes in, I keep thinking how I should hate to eat my +dinner alone and every time I look at Uncle Justus I feel so sorry for +him I can hardly stand it, then when I think of not going home I feel so +sorry for myself I can scarcely stand that." + +Both girls were silent. They saw the opportunity for heroic sacrifice as +well as Edna did, but they could not advise her either way; it was too +weighty a question, though Jennie ventured, "If he is going to be busy +all the time you would be all by yourself except at dinner." + +"Yes," Edna nodded, "and Ellen is going out after she gets the dishes +done, but I suppose I could go home after that. She could put me on the +trolley and I'd get home in an hour. I thought about that." + +"So, then it wouldn't be like staying all day, would it?" said Dorothy, +brightening a little as she saw this much light upon the matter. + +"Yes, of course that would make a great difference," returned Edna. + +"Or," Jennie had a sudden brilliant thought. "Oh, Edna, I wonder if you +couldn't come to my house and stay all night with me. I should be so +delighted to have you and I know mother would, too. We aren't to have +our Thanksgiving dinner till six, so you could have two." + +Edna looked quite happy as this plan was suggested. What girl of nine +does not delight in such an experience as spending the night with a +friend? The thought of two Thanksgiving dinners, though one might be +rather a frugal one, had its charm, too. "I think that would be +perfectly lovely," she said, then after a moment's thought, "but you +must ask your mother first and I'll ask mine." + +"I'll ask her as soon as I go home and will tell you at the club meeting +this afternoon, and then you can ask your mother when you get home and +let me know on Monday. I just know what mother will say before I ask +her." + +Then the bell rang and recess was over, but Edna returned to her lessons +very happy at this solution of what had been a matter of deep thought. +It turned out just as Jennie had prophesied, for she brought a veritable +invitation to Edna that afternoon in the shape of a little note, and she +further said that Mrs. Ramsey meant to make sure by writing a formal +request to Mrs. Conway, therefore Edna considered the matter as good as +settled. + +She was full of the subject that afternoon when she reached home. It was +quite dark although she and the others had taken the train which brought +them more quickly. The club meetings were so interesting that it was +hard to get away in time, but Mrs. Conway was on the watch as the girls +came in the gate. Of course Edna had told Celia about all this, and +indeed it had been talked over at the club, all the girls agreeing that +it was a perfectly lovely thing for Edna to do, so she came in quite +exalted by all the approval. + +However, when she told her tale and her mother saw that it was a case of +genuine desire to do a good deed, and that in the beginning it had +appeared in the light of a heavier sacrifice than could be made easily, +she felt that she could allow the child to do as she wished, being sure +that it was not in a spirit of self-righteousness. And so, on the +evening before Thanksgiving after Uncle Justus had returned from seeing +Mrs. Horner safely on her journey to her sister's, he saw a little +figure watching for him at the window. + +"Well, well, well, little girl," he said, "how is this? I thought you +would have been at home before now." + +"I'm not going till Friday," replied Edna smiling up at him. "I'm going +to stay and have Thanksgiving dinner with you." + +"What? What? What?" Uncle Justus frowned and shook his head, but he took +off his spectacles and wiped them very vigorously. + +"Yes, I am." Edna was very decided. "Mother said I might, and oh, Uncle +Justus, she knew Aunt Elizabeth would be away and she thought maybe you +and I would like some of our Thanksgiving, so she has sent some of her +goodies, and we're going to have a lovely time. I am going to help Ellen +set the table and wipe the dishes." + +"But, my child, I cannot allow it. No, no, no." + +"Oh, but, please." The more Uncle Justus denied, the more anxious was +Edna. + +"But, my child, it would be selfish and inconsiderate of me in the +extreme to take you away from your family on a holiday. I know what it +means to little people to have such treats, and to an old fellow like me +it will not make such a difference." + +"But you told me you had never had a Thanksgiving dinner alone." + +"That is quite true, but it is no reason why I should call upon a little +girl like you to give up the holiday to me." + +"Don't you want me to stay?" asked Edna wistfully, and feeling a little +hurt lest after all, her sacrifice was not really needed. + +Then Uncle Justus did a rare thing. He sat down, put his arm around her +and kissed her on the cheek. "My dear little girl," he replied, "if that +is the way you feel, I can only say that I am delighted beyond measure +that you want to stay, and you will give me a greater cause for +thanksgiving than I have expected or deserved," and he drew her to his +knee. + +Edna smiled as she wondered what Florence Gittings, or any of the other +girls, for that matter, would say if they could see her then so +extremely near the fierce eyebrows. + +"But what will you do in the afternoon?" asked Uncle Justus after a +moment. "I must go out early, you see." + +"I know that. At first I thought I would get Ellen to put me on the cars +to go home. It would be quite safe, for I have gone so many times, but +Jennie Ramsey and her mother have invited me to come there to stay all +night. I'll come back here on Friday, if you would like me to, Uncle +Justus. I could stay till Aunt Elizabeth comes home." + +Uncle Justus was silent for a moment. He smoothed her hair thoughtfully +and then he said gently. "Your mother very kindly has asked me to spend +the week end with you all, so suppose we go out together on Friday +afternoon. I can take my papers with me and do my necessary work on +Saturday there as well as here. Your little club meets on Friday +afternoon, doesn't it? I will meet you and Celia at the station in time +for the four-thirty train, which is the one you usually take, isn't it?" + +Edna was surprised that Uncle Justus should know all this about the club +and the time of their going home, but she didn't say so. "I think that +will be a very nice plan," she told him. "I'll come back here on Friday +morning and have dinner with you, and then I can go to the club meeting. +It is to be at Helen Darby's this time, and that is very near, you +know." The twilight gathered about the two and in the dim light Uncle +Justus did not appear in the least a person to stand in awe of, for when +Ellen came to call them to supper she was surprised to see the little +girl still sitting on the old man's knee, his arm around her and her +head on his shoulder. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +IN A BLIZZARD + + +The enjoyment of helping Ellen, of setting the table and of being +consulted on such important subjects as whether the best china and the +finest tablecloth should be used almost made up to Edna for being away +from home on Thanksgiving day. The basket sent by Mrs. Conway contained +several things which made the dinner much more of a feast than it would +otherwise have been, for there was a jar of tomato soup, a small chicken +pie with scalloped leaves and little balls of crust on top, some +delicious pickles, a glass of currant jelly and another of cranberry +sauce. Margaret had brought in a bunch of cut flowers from Mrs. +MacDonald's greenhouse, the day before and these set in the middle of +the table were a lovely ornament. + +"It's the foinest lookin' table iver I saw in this house," said Ellen +when Edna called her in to see. "What was it yez were sayin' about thim +little toasty crusts for the soup. I'd be afther makin' thim if I cud +know wanst." + +"Oh, I can tell you just how," said Edna, "for I have watched our cook +make them." She felt very important to be overseeing this piece of +cookery and went in to call her uncle, feeling very much pleased at what +had been accomplished. + +"Well, well, well," exclaimed Uncle Justus, "this does look like holiday +times. Who did all this?" + +"Ellen and I," Edna told him, "and it was lots of fun." + +Uncle Justus nodded. "I dare say," he said with a smile, as he sat +down. + +It was really a merrier repast than Edna had ever eaten under that roof, +for instead of eating his dinner in silence as he generally did, Uncle +Justus was quite talkative and actually attempted to joke once in a +while. When Ellen was taking away the plates before she served the +dessert, the old gentleman arose. "I think," he said, "that this is just +the occasion to open that jar of ginger Captain Doane sent me awhile +ago." So he went to his own special cupboard, unlocked the door and +brought forth the wicker bound ginger jar which had been there several +weeks, and it is safe to say Edna was given her share. + +"A famous dinner," said Uncle Justus as he rose from the table. "I can't +remember that I ever had a pleasanter one, and I have you to thank for +it, my dear. Now, I am afraid I shall have to go to my meeting, but I +know you have an agreeable plan for the evening, so I do not feel the +reluctance in leaving that I should otherwise." + +Edna helped him on with his overcoat, handed him his walking stick and +saw him off, standing in the door, and hoping he would look back. He did +this giving her a smile and nod as she waved her hand. Then she went +back to Ellen and together they did the dishes very carefully. After +this both must get dressed, and an hour later they were about to start +when the bell rang and Ellen opened the door to Jennie Ramsey. + +"I thought I'd just come for you in the motor car," she said. "Mother +said Mack could take us for a little ride in the fresh air so we would +have a better appetite for dinner." + +This was quite exciting, for Edna's opportunities for riding in an +automobile were not many. + +The magnificence of the Ramsey's dinner far outdid Aunt Elizabeth's, but +Edna did not enjoy it one whit the more, although it was very delightful +to be served by a man in livery, and to have such exquisite china and +glass to look at during the meal. The child felt a little shy in the +presence of so many strangers, and had little to say. Moreover, she had +too often been told by Aunt Elizabeth that "little children should be +seen and not heard" for her not to remember she must not chatter. Really +the best time came when she and Jennie went up to bed when Jennie showed +her all her treasures, her pretty room and her rows of books. They +became very confidential as they snuggled down under the covers, and +when Mrs. Ramsey came in to kiss them both good-night, Edna felt much +happier than had seemed possible she could be when she first considered +that she must spend the day and night away from her mother. + +The club meeting at Helen Darby's the next day was a fine affair, too, +for Mr. Darby had provided an entertainment which pleased them all. A +wonderful juggler did all sorts of curious tricks and a young man sang +the drollest of songs. Then, too, the refreshments were unusually good. +It had been made an inviolable rule that not more than three articles +were to be served, but when there were ice cream, delicious cakes and +bon-bons, surely these were quite enough. + +"You see," said Helen in explanation, after some of the girls had +protested, "father said this was a holiday meeting and it might be a +little more elaborate, he thought." + +Uncle Justus took Edna and Celia home that evening, and if he did not +enjoy his visit it was not the fault of the girls. It is probable the +old gentleman had rarely had such attentions and such a fuss made over +him. He was invited to the Evans's to supper on Saturday and to Mrs. +MacDonald's to dinner on Sunday. He was taken to drive; he was invited +to walk, and really was quite overcome by all this thought of him from +the members of the G. R. Club. + +Monday morning saw everyone but Celia back at school. Celia having had +too much Thanksgiving, or too much something was not able to go, and +indeed, had to remain at home for the entire week, and it seemed very +much like the old days to Edna when she had to stay at Uncle Justus's +without her sister. Aunt Elizabeth returned home on Monday afternoon, +quite "smoothed out" Edna told her mother afterward. So the week sped +along in the old way till Friday afternoon. + +It had begun to snow a little when Edna started out to the club meeting +which was held at Florence Gittings's. The little girl had no fear, +however, for she expected to meet Dorothy and Agnes and go home with +them, but for some reason neither was present. Later on it was learned +that Mr. Evans had called for them at their aunt's and had taken them +home fearing a heavy storm would prevent their going later. A telegram +which they sent to Edna at Florence Gittings's was not delivered till +after the child had left the house. + +"You aren't going off by yourself," said Florence when the club meeting +was over. It had seemed rather a poor little affair after the brilliancy +of Helen's entertainment, and with both Agnes and Celia missing. However +they had all done their best, but it broke up rather earlier than +usual. + +"Oh, I must go," said Edna. "I am sure Agnes and Dorothy will be at the +railway station, and we can all go out together." + +"But it is snowing so hard and the wind is making the snow drift," +continued Florence. + +"Oh, but the cars go all the way to the station. I won't have to walk, +and very likely mother will send one of the boys, Cousin Ben, perhaps, +to meet me." + +"I wish we had a telephone," said Florence, "but we haven't, and I +suppose you can telephone from the station if you want to." + +"I might do that," said Edna. + +"I think you'd better go back to your Uncle Horner's," suggested Helen. + +"Oh, but--" Edna did not want to do this. A whole week at the school +without Celia was about all she thought she could stand. "I shall do all +right," she insisted. "I'm sure the girls will be at the station." So +the others saw her depart without urging her further. + +Owing to the snow which was drifting heavily, the cars were running much +more slowly than usual, and when Edna reached the station her train had +just gone. It was the train her father always took and she had hoped to +see him. She decided to telephone and took out her purse to see what +money she had. Alas! she had but ten cents, not enough for an +out-of-town toll. She had her school ticket fortunately. Celia was the +one who always carried the money for the expenses, and Edna remembered +that her mother had told her to be sure to provide herself with enough. +"If you find you run short," she told the child, "either send down to +your father for some change or borrow it from Aunt Elizabeth." + +Edna would rather have done almost anything than borrow from Aunt +Elizabeth and she had forgotten to look in her purse anyhow, before +starting. "Even if I had," she told herself, "I would have thought I had +enough for I didn't expect to need anything but car fare." The next +train would leave at five, but as it was a short run Edna thought she +might venture to take it, even though it might be dark when she reached +the station. She could telephone to the house from there, if necessary. +So she waited patiently till it should be time for her train to be ready +and then she went out and took her seat. It was snowing desperately hard +she noticed as they moved along, and the train stopped frequently, but +at last she reached her own station and got off feeling very thankful to +be this near home. She looked around; not a soul was there to meet her. +She would have to telephone. She turned toward the waiting-room, but to +her consternation found the door locked. + +There was not a soul in sight. She stood still for a while. It was +getting colder, and the snow was drifting and swirling around at a great +rate. What should she do? The station master had probably gone home to +his supper, for there were no more trains till nearly six o'clock from +either direction. He had not counted on his presence being needed +between whiles once he had seen to his freight and baggage, and he had +gone to the back of the building where he lived. + +It was not more than a ten minutes' walk to her home in good weather, +and Edna at last thought she would venture. She pulled her hat down over +her ears and her coat collar up around her neck and started. It was +desperate walking here in the country where the sharp wind seemed to +search out every unprotected part of the body. The snow nearly blinded +her, and cut her face like a knife. Every little while she had to stop +to get breath, and as she found the difficulties increasing she thought +of all the stories she had heard of persons perishing in the snow a few +yards from their own door-ways. "I wish I had gone back to Uncle +Justus," she murmured. "Oh, dear, I don't believe I will ever get +there." + +The whiteness of the snow made it possible for her to see a little of +the way when she first started, but as she went on and it grew darker +she began to wonder if she were in the road. She brushed away the +stinging flakes and looked around, peering into the darkness gathering +around her. Through the blinding, hurrying flakes she could see +twinkling lights here and there, and presently she located the piece of +woods just beyond her own home, but it was far to the left, and she +realized that she had turned into a by-road instead of keeping to the +main one. The tears began to course down her cheeks when she appreciated +how far she was from her own house. "I can never go back," she sobbed. +"I can't. I am so cold and so tired, I'm afraid I can't get there. It +would never do to stand still," she realized and presently she made up +her mind to struggle on toward the nearest light a little ahead. + +She bowed her head again and pressed on through the drifts, feeling her +strength would do no more than get her to this refuge. At last it was +reached, a little house, by the wayside, a tiny garden in front and a +small cow-shed behind. Managing to get the gate open, Edna went upon the +porch and knocked at the door. + +It was opened by a little girl about her own age. "Why," she exclaimed, +"who is it? I thought you were mother. Come right in out of the storm. +Isn't it a dreadful one?" + +Edna, scarce able to speak, tottered into the room, warm from a bright +fire in a base-burner stove and cheerful by reason of a lighted lamp. + +"You are all covered with snow," the little girl went on. "Do come to +the fire and take off your hat and coat. You must be nearly frozen and I +expect your feet are wet and cold. I'll take off your shoes." + +She stooped down and began to unfasten the snowy shoes after removing +the rubbers Edna had been fortunate enough to have put on. + +In a moment the wanderer was able to tell her story, and to thank her +little hostess for her attentions. "I don't know what I am going to do," +she said. "I'm afraid I can't get home, and there isn't any way to send +them word to come for me. Of course they will think I have stayed in +the city. If I had known how bad the storm was going to be I would never +have started, but I did want to see my mother." + +"And I want to see my mother," replied her hostess. "She went down the +road this morning to see my aunt who is ill, and she was coming back on +this train that got in a little while ago, the train you must have come +on." + +"I didn't see anyone get off," Edna told her, "only two or three men who +got into a wagon and drove off before I left the station. Most everyone +I know comes out on the train before that, but I missed it, you see." + +"Well, I am very glad to have you here," said the other. "If mother did +not come on that train she won't come at all, I am sure, for the next +ones don't stop at my aunt's station, and I should have been here all +alone. What is your name?" + +"My name is Edna Conway, and I live on the main road just this side of +that piece of woods you see after you pass Mrs. MacDonald's. Hers is the +big gray house with the greenhouses, you know." + +"Oh, yes I know it very well. My name is Nettie Black. My mother and I +live here just by ourselves since my father died." + +"Oh," Edna felt very sorry that Nettie was fatherless, but she did not +know exactly what to say about it. "Will your mother be worried about +your being here alone?" she asked after a moment. + +"I s'pose she will, but it can't be helped. I know she would have come +if she could. I only hope my aunt isn't worse. I wish she could know I +am not to be alone." + +"And I wish, my mother knew I was safe," returned Edna. "I am sure, +though, that she thinks I am at my uncle's in the city, and I hope she +does think so." + +"Are you quite warm, now?" asked Nettie. "If you are we will have some +supper." + +"Oh, you are very kind," returned Edna a little embarrassed. "I think it +is very hard on you to have me come in this way like a stray cat." + +Nettie laughed. "I like stray cats, and we always take them in. There is +a lovely one in the kitchen, now, that we make a great pet of. He came +to us so thin and miserable, but now he is as fat as butter." + +"I'd love to see him," returned Edna, "and won't you let me help you get +supper?" + +"There isn't so very much to get," returned Nettie a little +shamefacedly. "There is only bread and butter and what is left of the +rice-pudding I had for dinner. We could toast the bread, and there's +milk. If you don't mind my taking part of the milk for it, I could have +milk-toast and we could drink cambric tea." + +"I like cambric tea," replied Edna, "and I am very fond of milk-toast. +Oh, dear, I am so thankful to be here instead of out in the cold." + +"I am thankful, too. I'll go out and make the toast. Will you come?" + +Edna was pleased enough to do this, to make the acquaintance of the big +black cat, and to help make the toast. "I don't see how you will ever +know how to make the dip part," she said to Nettie. + +"Oh, but I do know. Mother taught me, and I can do it very well. The +great thing is not to let the milk burn and to put in only the least +little bit of thickening." + +Edna watched the process admiringly. Nettie was so very expert and +bustled around like an experienced housekeeper. The house was very +small, only two rooms downstairs and two up, with an attic over all, but +everything was neat and clean, and the dishes, of course, were set out +in an orderly manner upon a white tablecloth. The dish of smoking toast +flanked by the rice pudding made an excellent meal. Nettie poured the +tea and served her guest in the most hospitable way. They ate their meal +in the front room before the fire, and now that she was warmed and was +no longer hungry, Edna began to be interested in her surroundings. It +was a plainly furnished room, a faded carpet on the floor, an +old-fashioned sofa against one wall, a claw-footed mahogany table +against the other, a bookcase between the windows. One or two engravings +hung on the wall and a dingy portrait in an old frame. The chairs +matched the sofa, one being a comfortable rocker with cover of +haircloth. + +After they had washed the supper dishes, Nettie made ready for the night +by putting more coal on the fires and carefully barring the shutters and +doors below. Then with a small lamp in her hand she escorted her guest +to the upstairs room. It was rather chilly and was also plainly +furnished, though the old-fashioned four-poster bed was made up neatly, +and the high bureau showed a clean cover. The wind howled and whistled +around the house, the sharp snow crystals clicked against the panes, but +as Edna crept under the covers she could feel only thankful that she had +this shelter and was soon asleep with Nettie beside her already in the +land of Dreams. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +COUSIN BEN TO THE RESCUE + + +The next morning when Edna opened her eyes she saw a white world. Trees, +fences, roofs, were covered with snow. It was banked up in great drifts +along the road. The path to the gate was so deeply snowed under that it +was an impossibility to think of getting from the house. At the back it +was no better. The two little girls looked rather sober. + +"I wonder if mother can get home to-day," was the first thought in +Nettie's mind, and, "I wonder if I can get home to my mother," was that +in Edna's. + +It seemed rather forlorn to think of facing the day without some older +person, but Nettie bravely went to work to do her best. First she went +down into the cellar for coal which she lugged up to put on the two +fires. Edna came down to find her busily taking up the ashes. + +"Oh, how do you know what to do to make the fires burn?" she asked. + +"Oh, I know, for mother has told me, and I often do this for her. The +kitchen fire is easy enough but it is hard to lift the coal bucket up +high enough to get the coal into the other stove." + +"I can help," said Edna. So together they managed. + +"Now, I must see what there is for breakfast," said Nettie. "I think +there are two eggs, and the hens must have laid more, but I can't get +out to hunt them till a path is made. I think there is still a little +milk, for it didn't take much for the cambric tea, and we can have more +of that. Then there is bread enough and butter. We can boil the eggs." + +This they did, Edna watching the clock very carefully to see that they +were not over done. They concluded to toast the bread, and made a pretty +fair breakfast, though it was not a very hearty one, Edna thought. There +was a little of the milk toast left which they warmed up to give to the +cat who must miss his morning's milk, as the milkman had not appeared. + +"I don't suppose he will get here at all," said Nettie a little +anxiously. She was wondering what she could give her guest for dinner if +it should be so that her mother did not return. She set to work in a +very housewifely way to tidy up the house, Edna helping all she could. +Then they stationed themselves by the window to see if by any chance +there might be someone coming along whom they could hail. But the road +was not much frequented and there was not a footstep nor a track in the +deep snow. Only the smoke from neighboring chimneys gave any evidence +of life. Once they heard sleigh-bells in the distance and concluded that +the main road was being used. + +"I wish I could get out to feed the chickens," said Nettie after a +while. "I am afraid they will be hungry." She went to the back door to +view the prospect, and tried to shovel away some of the snow, but it was +slow work. Edna brought another shovel and together they managed to +clear a few feet of the path, but it was very wearying and they soon had +to give it up. + +Then they went back to the window, but the monotony was not relieved by +any change in the face of things and so they determined that it was +rather stupid to stand there. Nettie brought down her two dolls and they +played with these for a while, but keeping house in a make believe way +was not so exciting when there was the reality close at hand, and they +decided that paper dolls would be more entertaining. + +"I think there is a fashion book upstairs in the garret," said Nettie, +"and we can take that. Mother said I might have it." + +Edna followed her up into the attic and they found the book, took it +down into the front room and began to make their selections and cut out +paper dolls till it suddenly dawned upon Nettie that it was time for +another meal. She laid down her scissors with a sigh. "I really don't +know what we shall have for dinner," she said. "Mother was going to +bring something back with her. I shall have to rummage." + +She went into the little pantry, Edna following. "There are two +potatoes, but they aren't very big," she said, "and there is some +codfish. I might make some codfish balls if I knew how. Do you know, +Edna?" + +"I think they are made of fish and potatoes, aren't they?" + +"Yes, but I don't know how much fish and how much potato, besides I am +afraid there aren't potatoes enough. I suppose we shall have to give +that up. Oh, here are some more eggs; that is fine. If I could find some +ham or some bacon we could have ham and eggs, and that would be very +good." But nothing of this kind could be discovered and Nettie brought +out the potatoes, laid them on the table and said rather ruefully, "It +seems to me that we aren't going to have much dinner. There isn't +another thing except sugar and tea and such things." + +"There might be rice," said Edna with a sudden thought of Aunt +Elizabeth's desserts. + +"Why, of course, and rice and brown sugar are very good indeed. I am so +glad you thought of it. I know there must be rice." She went back to the +pantry and presently came out with a box in which she had discovered the +rice. "I'll get the eggs and we can have them fried," she remarked, +"they will seem more like meat that way." + +"And we can have the potatoes baked because they will be easier to do," +said Edna. + +Nettie made another visit to the pantry. "I've found something else," +she called. + +"What?" asked Edna going to the door. + +"Two apples. Now, I am sure that is every blessed thing." + +"Well," said Edna cheerfully, "I think we are very lucky to find so +much." + +"I must put the potatoes in the oven right away," declared Nettie, "for +it takes them a good while to bake. I will put on some water for the +rice, too. I wonder how much rice I should take. Have you any idea?" + +"No, I haven't, but I should think we will want quite a good deal, we +haven't very much else, have we?" + +"No, we have not. I will take a large cupful. It swells up so, I should +think that might do. You soak it first, I think." She measured out a +full cup of the rice, poured some water over it, washed it and then set +it to soak till the water should boil. The potatoes were put in the oven +and then the two went back to the next room. "It won't take the rice as +long as it does the potatoes, I am sure," said Nettie, "and the water +will have to boil first." + +They returned to the paper-dolls, becoming quite interested in them till +presently they heard a great sputtering, and running out found the water +was boiling over. "I'll put on the rice now," said Nettie, "for I am +getting hungry, aren't you?" + +"Well, yes, a little," acknowledged Edna. + +Nettie was rather uncertain as to what she should cook the rice in, and +next, how much water she should pour over it, but after some discussion +it was decided, and they went back to set the table. "Doesn't it seem +funny to be keeping house just like grown-ups?" said Edna. "I never knew +how much trouble it was before, did you, Nettie?" + +"I knew, but I didn't think about it, I suppose," returned Nettie. "We +will pile up our dolls and papers over here on this other table and then +they will be easy to get at when we want them. I wish the milkman had +come, for I really don't know what to give to Tippy. We haven't any +meat. To be sure he will eat most anything, but I am afraid he will go +hungry to-day." + +"Couldn't you give him an egg and some bread or some rice, if we have +enough." + +"I could do that, I suppose. I hope there will be rice enough, but it is +very hard to tell when you aren't acquainted with such a thing as the +boiling and swelling of it." + +"Oh, I smell something burning," cried Edna, "and something is making a +funny popping noise." They flew to the kitchen to see that the rice had +burst all bounds and was dancing out of the saucepan all over the hot +stove, puffing and popping at a great rate. + +"Oh, dear," exclaimed Nettie. "I never saw so much rice come from one +cupful. Could you believe it? Why, it has taken up all the water and the +saucepan is full up to the top besides all that is on the stove. Oh, +dear, I wish I knew just how to cook it." + +"Haven't you a cook book?" asked Edna with a quick suggestion of what +might help out the question. + +"Why, of course mother has one. I will set this off and go hunt it up." + +The book was found on the shelves and the two put their heads together +to discover the best way to boil rice. "I think this seems the easiest +way," said Nettie, pointing to one of the pages of the book, "but I hope +it won't hurt it to wait, for I'll have to put on more water to boil. It +says to have a great deal of water and keep it boiling like mad." + +After some time the rice was transferred to another and larger saucepan +and was soon boiling "like mad," then the eggs were fried and after a +somewhat anxious and laborious period of time the dinner was pronounced +ready. + +"Oh, dear me, but it is hard work," said Edna sighing as the two sat +down to partake of the meal which they had prepared after so much +difficulty. + +"Yes, it is hard work," agreed Nettie, "but we did it all ourselves, and +the potatoes are really done and the rice looks all right." + +"It looks fine," said Edna, "and so do the eggs. I don't mind their +being broken a little; I don't see how you could dish them up without." + +They had been so long in preparing the meal that they were quite starved +and ate with a relish. "I'm glad there is more rice," said Nettie, "for +now that I know what a little it takes to make a big dish I shan't be +afraid of our starving while it lasts." + +"Oh, dear," Edna put down her spoon, "you don't think we shall have to +stay here alone for days, do you? The snow will have to melt after a +while and the roads be cleared." + +"It doesn't look much like it yet," returned Nettie. + +"Oh, but it never, never, never could keep on like this." Edna was +determined to be hopeful. "I'm going to believe someone will come this +very afternoon, either your mother or somebody." + +Her faith was not without foundation for along in the middle of the +afternoon they heard jangling bells, and ran to the front window to see +the milkman in a huge sleigh, his milk cans in the body of it. He plowed +his way to the front door which was opened to him before he could knock. + +"Oh, Mr. Snyder," said Nettie, "I am so glad you have come. We are all +alone and we haven't a drop of milk." + +"That so?" said Mr. Snyder. "I thought as much. It's pretty hard +travelling and I've been hours getting around to my customers, but now +the road is broken it won't be quite so hard getting back. I'd better +leave you double quantity in case I'm late to-morrow." + +"Oh, you are our milkman, too, aren't you?" said Edna. "You leave milk +at Mrs. Conway's, don't you?" + +"To be sure I do." + +"And have you been there yet?" + +"No, I'm on my way now. You're out a bit, you know, but what are you +doing down here?" + +Edna told him her tale in which he was much interested. "Well, I +declare," he said. "Want me to take you home with me? I can bundle you +in there with the milk cans, and I reckon you wouldn't freeze." + +For a moment Edna thought she must accept this invitation, then she +looked at Nettie. Suppose her mother should not come that evening, and +she should be there at night all alone. "Couldn't you take Nettie, too?" +she said. + +"Why, certainly. The two of you aren't much more than two milk cans, and +I'm sure you're not so big round." + +"Oh, but suppose mother should come," said Nettie. "She would be so +worried, and I must be here to keep up the fires." + +"Then," said Edna firmly, setting her face against the temptation of the +cheerful supper table at home, the dear mother arms, the greetings of +the boys and all the rest of it. "I will tell you what I can do. I will +write mother a little note and ask her if she can send somebody or find +some way to get us something to eat, and I'll stay till your mother +comes, Nettie." + +"Oh, I think you are lovely to do that," answered Nettie. + +"Could you wait a minute, Mr. Snyder?" asked Edna. "I won't write +much." + +"I'll wait," he said, "and if you will give me a shovel I'll make a path +to your gate. I reckon you're right about staying, sissy. I've got two +little girls of my own and I know I shouldn't like them to be left alone +either one of them." + +Edna hurried through her note which said: "Dear mother, I am with Nettie +Black. She lives in the first little house on the side road on the way +to the old mill. We are all alone for her mother hasn't come back. +Please send us something to eat if you can, for we have nothing left but +rice and milk. There may be eggs in the hen-house, but we can't get at +them. I want to come but I'd better not. Your loving Edna." + +The little note was safely stowed away in Mr. Snyder's pocket with a +promise of sure delivery, and he went off, his horses plunging through +the deep drifts up to their middles. + +"I think you are just as good as you can be," said Nettie. "I don't feel +as if I ought to let you stay, but I do hate the idea of being left all +alone." + +"I'd want you to stay with me if I were in your place," returned Edna +remembering the G. R. Club. To be sure Nettie did not belong to her +school, but she was quite as much one of those "others" to whom one +should do as he would be done by. + +"It really looks as if something had happened," remarked Edna. "When we +see the path to the gate. I wish he had had time to make one at the +back, too." + +It was almost dark and they were about to turn from the window to light +the lamp, when ploughing through the deep snow they saw someone coming +down the road. They watched him eagerly. Except the milkman he was the +first person they had seen that day. "He is coming this way," said Edna +hopefully. "Oh, Nettie, I believe it is Cousin Ben. He has a basket and +see how he has taken to the road where Mr. Snyder's sleigh went along." +She watched for a few minutes longer. "It is Cousin Ben," she cried +joyfully. "He is coming here. Light the lamp, Nettie, while I go let him +in." + +She hurried to the door to see Ben stamping off the snow from his feet. +"Whewee!" he exclaimed, "but isn't this a sockdolager? I never saw such +a storm? How are you Ande, my honey. Of all things to think of your +being this near home and none of us knowing it." + +"Then mother did think I was still at Uncle Justus's," said Edna. + +"Just what she did. You rung a surprise on the whole of us, I can tell +you." + +He came in and set down the basket, took off his cap and overcoat and +looked down at the two little girls with a smile. + +"This is Nettie Black," Edna told him. "She has been so nice to me, and +I don't know what would have happened if I had not been able to get to +her house." + +"Don't speak of it," returned Ben with a little frown and a shake of his +head. "I'll sit down and warm myself and then you can tell me how this +all happened." + +He drew up to the fire, took Edna on his knee and she poured forth her +tale. "Pretty tough," he said when she had completed her story. "I'm +glad your mother didn't know you had started. Now, Miss Nettie if you +will let me sleep on that big sofa I am going to stay right here till we +can dig you out and your mother comes. There's a lot of provender in +that basket and we'll be as jolly as they make 'em." + +"Oh, but you can sleep upstairs," returned Nettie. "There is plenty of +room." + +"Good! Then upstairs be it. What was that about hens and eggs and +things, Ande?" + +"Oh, we can't get out to the hen-house, you know. We tried to make a +path but it was too hard work for us so we gave it up." + +"I should remark. Well, that will be done first thing in the morning, +and I'll go see what I can find. Eggsactly, as it were. What about the +fires? Any coal up here?" + +"A little," Nettie told him. "We have carried up all we could at a time, +but we couldn't bring enough for the fires to-night. We are going down +to get more." + +"You are going to do no such thing. Got a candle? Where are the coal +scuttles? One of you hold the light and show me your coal bin and up +comes your coal." Cousin Ben was already making for the cellar door. + +Of course no one was going to be left out of this expedition and all +three descended to the cellar, from which they presently came forth all +laughing. It was certainly a cheering thing to have someone so willing +to come to their aid. Next the basket was unpacked and it goes without +saying that there were neither eggs nor rice for supper that night. +Moreover, Tippy had such a feast of milk as well as other things as he +had not seen for several days. Ben kept the little girls in such a state +of giggle that they could scarcely do the dishes, but what with the +labors of the day and the later excitement they were ready for bed +early, and went up leaving Cousin Ben with a book before him. Later his +light half wakened Edna, but as he closed the door between the rooms +and she realized that he was there, she turned over with a sigh of +content, feeling very safe and sleepy. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +DISTURBANCES + + +Sunday morning was bright and clear. It was so dazzlingly bright when +the little girls arose that they thought it must be much later than it +was. Cousin Ben, however, was already up and dressed and had been down +some time when the two finally descended to the lower floor. This was +made known by reason of the fires burning brightly and of there being a +path cleared to the hen-house, while as many as a dozen eggs were in a +bowl on the kitchen table. + +"Oh, Cousin Ben," cried Edna, "what a lot you have done. It is so cosey +and warm down here, and we won't have to wait at all for breakfast." + +"I hope not," he returned, "for I'm hungry, for one. What are you going +to have?" + +Edna turned to Nettie who considered the question. It was a great +occasion when there were two guests to be provided for. "As long as +there are so many eggs," she said, "we can have muffins or something and +some eggs. I could have some kind of breakfast food, too, I believe +there's some oat-meal." + +"Never mind the oat-meal," said Ben. "You get me out the flour and stuff +and I'll make the muffins. There is a royal fire and I'll get them ready +in three shakes of a sheep's tail." + +"You?" Nettie looked amazed. + +"Of course. Did you never hear of a man cook? I've served my +apprenticeship, I can assure you. I'll make the coffee, too, if you have +any." + +"Oh, there is some already ground, in the basket mother sent," Edna +assured him. "We don't drink it, but we can have cambric tea." + +"All right, you go along and set the table, and I'll do the rest." + +Nettie was rather glad to have the responsibility taken off her hands in +this summary manner, though she said to Edna, "Do you think it is polite +to let him do it all?" + +"Why, certainly," replied Edna. "He does those things at home for his +mother sometimes, for he has no sisters, and the boys have to pitch in +and help when the servant goes out. He has told me all about it. And as +for its being polite, I remember mother said it was always more polite +to let your company do the thing which made them comfortable than to +insist upon doing something for them that would make them +uncomfortable." + +Nettie considered this for some time before she quite took in the sense +of it. She was a thin, demure little girl, not at all pretty, but with a +kind face, big blue eyes and sandy hair. She was dressed very plainly, +but her clothes were neat and simply made. She was not the kind of child +Edna might have expected to find in such a little house. + +The muffins turned out a great success, and Ben said his coffee just +suited him. "I never saw fresher eggs than your hens lay," he said, +looking at Nettie with a serious face. + +"Of course, they are fresh," she returned, "when they were only laid +yesterday." + +"That's what I said," returned Ben, with gravity. + +Edna laughed. She was used to Cousin Ben's ways, but Nettie was a little +puzzled. + +The breakfast was as merry an affair as the supper had been, and after +it was cleared away there was a consultation upon what should be done +next. "There's no use in thinking of church," said Ben. "We couldn't get +there if we tried." + +"And there are so few trains I don't suppose I can expect mother this +morning," said Nettie. + +"Better not expect her at all," replied Ben, "that is, not while the +roads are so snowy. There is scarcely any use in even a sleigh while +these drifts are so high. Ande, what is the use of a sleigh, anyhow?" he +asked, turning to his cousin who saw a joke. + +"You tell," she answered. + +"Snow use" he replied. "Now, I'll go out and feed the hens, and then +I'll put on my boots and start on the road again. I'll see what's going +on at the house, and then I'll come back again." They watched him +ploughing through the snow, but because he had been there and was coming +back it seemed not lonely at all, though Nettie said, wistfully, she did +hope her mother could come that day, and Edna hoped she could find a way +of getting home. + +Toward noon they saw a queer box-sleigh coming from the main road. They +watched it interestedly from the window as it approached nearer and +nearer. "I do believe it is mother," exclaimed Nettie, joyfully. And +sure enough the sleigh did stop before the door, a man got out, and then +helped a slight woman in black to alight. "It is mother," cried Nettie, +running to the door, and presently she was in her mother's arms. + +Then there were great explanations. Like the little girls, Mrs. Black +had been snowed in, for her sister lived quite a distance from the +station, but she had at last been able to get some one of the neighbors +to bring her across, as he had to go to the doctor's, and was willing to +take her the short distance further. + +"If I had known how well cared for you would be," she told her daughter, +"and that you were not alone at all, I should have been much less +anxious. Certainly, we have a great deal to be thankful for." + +Edna felt that she certainly had a great deal to be thankful for when a +little later she saw a big black sleigh stop before the door. She +recognized it as Mrs. MacDonald's, for it was driven by her coach-man, +though in it sat Cousin Ben. He had come back as he promised, but in +great state. And because Nettie's mother had returned he bore Edna off +alone, after many good-bys and promises to see her new friend as often +as she could. + +"How did you happen to come in Mrs. MacDonald's sleigh?" she asked her +cousin. + +"Well, I will tell you. When I reached the house I found that Mrs. +MacDonald had telephoned over to ask about all of you, and to see how +Celia was. When she heard where you were and all about it, she said she +would send over her sleigh and I could go for you and Nettie in it, and +so as that seemed a good arrangement I was going to put it into +execution. We had decided to leave a note for Mrs. Black in case she +should get back to-day, so she wouldn't be worried." + +"It's really much better this way," returned Edna, "for now she has her +mother, and I will have mine." + +It seemed a delightful home coming, and because the snow was still so +deep there was the extra holiday on Monday, but by Tuesday all started +off to school again. Mrs. MacDonald knew all about Mrs. Black, and said +she was a very good woman, who had taken this little house in the +country because she could live there more cheaply, and because in such a +place as she could afford in the city her little daughter would not be +surrounded by pleasant influences. Nettie went to the district school, +and was such a little girl as Edna's parents would select as a companion +for their daughter. So, Edna felt she had made quite a discovery, and +planned all sorts of times with Nettie when the winter was over. + +Matters went on at school uninterruptedly, until just before Christmas, +when it was suddenly made known that Miss Ashurst was to be married, +and that another teacher would take her place after the holidays. The +G. R.'s got up a linen shower for the departing teacher, but the +Neighborhood Club did nothing. Its numbers were dwindling, for when it +was learned what good times the rivals had at their meetings, there was +more than one deserter. For some reason, Clara Adams had picked out Edna +as the prime cause of all this. She had never forgiven her for winning +the doll at the fair the year before, and was likewise furiously jealous +of her friendship for Jennie Ramsey. If Edna had been a less generous +and sweet-tempered child, matters might have been much worse, but even +as it was they were made bad enough. + +No sooner had the new teacher appeared than Clara set to work to do +everything in her power to make Edna appear to disadvantage, by all +sorts of mean innuendoes, by sly hints, by even open charges, till the +child was almost in tears over the state of affairs. + +"I would just tell Miss Newman, so I would," said Dorothy indignantly, +when a specially mean speech of Clara's came to her ears. + +"Oh, but I couldn't be a tattle-tale," declared Edna. + +"She'd better not say anything about you to me," returned Dorothy. "She +knows better than that. I'd tell her a thing or two." + +"If Uncle Justus knew, he would believe me and not Clara," said Edna. "I +don't cheat in my lessons, and he knows I don't, whatever Clara may say, +and I'm not the one who sets the girls up to mischief, you know I'm +not." + +"I know mighty well who it is," declared Dorothy, "and if this keeps up +I shall tell, so I shall." + +It did keep up till one morning the climax was reached when Miss Newman +came into her school-room to find on the board a very good caricature of +herself, with under it written: "Ugly, old Miss New," in scrawling +letters. Clara came into the school-room late, and slipped into her seat +after the exercises had begun. Miss Newman left the drawing on the board +and made no reference to it, using a smaller board for what was +necessary. She was far less attractive than Miss Ashurst, and had a dry +little way with her, which many of the girls thought oldmaidish, but she +was a good teacher, if not a very beautiful one. When the girls returned +from recess, in place of Miss Newman at the desk stood Mr. Horner, his +eyes fairly snapping with indignation, and his eyebrows looking fiercer +than ever. + +"Oh," whispered Dorothy, as she sank down into her seat by Edna's side. +The rest of the girls looked pale and awe-stricken. Never before had +they any recollection of Mr. Horner's coming into the room. Offenders +were sometimes sent to him in the larger room, but this was a new +experience. + +There was complete silence, while Mr. Horner looked from one to the +other as if he would search their very hearts. Some of the girls +returned his gaze pleadingly, some dropped their heads, Clara Adams, +with a little smile of indifference, began to play with her pencil. Mr. +Horner glared at her. "Put that down!" he said, and she dropped it, +though still wearing her impertinent little smile. "I wish to know," +said Mr. Horner, "who was the first to arrive in this room this +morning?" + +"I was the last," spoke up Clara. + +"You were not asked that," said Mr. Horner, turning upon her. + +After quite a silence, Margaret arose. "I think I was the first, Mr. +Horner," she said, and then sat down again. + +"There was no one in the room when you came?" + +"No, Mr. Horner." + +"And was this on the board?" He pointed to the drawing. + +"Yes, Mr. Horner." + +"You did not do it?" + +"No, Mr. Horner," then with a little catch of her breath, "I wouldn't do +such a mean thing, not for nothing." + +"Not for anything, I think you mean, Margaret," said Mr. Horner in +gentler tones. + +"Not for anything," repeated Margaret, meekly. + +"Then, I shall have to ask each separately, and I expect a truthful +answer," said Mr. Horner. He began putting the question, going from one +to the next till every girl in the room had been questioned. + +"It might have been one of the older girls," said Miss Newman, in an +undertone to him. + +Clara caught the words, as she was nearest. "I should think it would be +very easy to know who did it," she said, "when there is only one of us +girls who stays in the house." + +"What do you mean by that?" asked Mr. Horner severely. + +Clara was not daunted. "I mean that there is only one girl who can come +into the school-room before the others can get here." + +"Do you mean my niece? I should as soon think of suspecting Miss Newman +herself." He looked over at Edna with a little reassuring smile. +"However, as we do not seem to be making much headway I shall take other +means of finding out who did this very unladylike and unkind thing." +Then he gave them such a lecture as none of them forgot and if the +G. R.'s did not have their motto brought home to them on that occasion +they never did. Then Mr. Horner returned to his own school-room and Miss +Newman called one of the girls to clean off the board. + +Nothing further was said of the matter, and Miss Newman went on as if it +had never happened; but one day the last of the week, the girls were +asked to illustrate in pencil drawings a story from their history +lesson. + +"Oh, Miss Newman, I couldn't possibly do it," exclaimed Dorothy. "I +don't expect finished drawings," she replied, "and you may even make +them as humorous as you choose, but I want some little attempt, no +matter how slight. Mr. Horner has asked that you do your best, and I +shall expect you to hand in something beside blank paper." + +Dorothy and Edna both sighed. Neither one had the slightest idea of +drawing and knew that their results would be absurd, but they labored +away and finally with half deprecating, half amused expressions showed +their drawings to one another. It was as much as they could do to keep +from laughing outright, they were so very funny, but they signed their +names in the corner as Miss Newman directed them to do, and handed them +in. Then, Miss Newman took them into the next room. At the close of +school, she said, "Mr. Horner wishes Clara Adams to stay after school; +he wishes to see her about her drawing." + +Clara perked up and looked around with a little smirk. So she was the +prize draughtsman, and she remained with a perfectly good grace. +However, it was a very different looking Clara who was led into the room +the next morning by Mr. Horner. Her eyes were swollen with crying and +she wore a rebellious expression when Mr. Horner announced, "Clara Adams +wishes to make a public acknowledgment of her part in the rudeness +directed against Miss Newman by the drawing you all saw on the board, +and she will also make a public apology both to her teacher and to my +niece." + +Clara murmured something unintelligible and burst into tears. The only +words the girls could make out were "I did it." It was the most terrible +thing that had ever happened to any of them and Edna felt so sorry for +the culprit that all resentment vanished altogether. She forgot entirely +that she was included in the apology, if apology there was, and all +morning she cast the most sympathetic looks across the room at Clara. + +It came out later that the drawings were the proof of the child's guilt, +for they were done in the same style as the caricature and because they +were so much better than the rest it was evident that only Clara could +have made the figure on the board. She had come very early, had slipped +upstairs before anyone else and had gone out again to return later and +thus hoped to avoid any suspicion. It happened, too, that Ellen saw her +come in and go out again and this of course clinched the matter when she +was brought face to face with the Irish girl who did not know her name +but recognized the hat and coat she wore. + +The affair made a great impression but somehow did not increase Miss +Newman's popularity, for the idea of the drawings was hers and Clara +could not forgive her for the position into which she had forced her, +therefore she lost no opportunity of making it as unpleasant for her +teacher as she could in the thousand and one ways a sly and +unprincipled girl can, and her little pin-pricks were so annoying, that +finally Dorothy and Edna, who had not particularly cared for the new +teacher, began to stand up for her and to do as many kind things as they +could. Perhaps the G. R. Club was mainly responsible for this, but at +all events it made matters a little happier for the teacher. + +As for Clara, Dorothy set her face against any sort of friendship with +her, but it was not within Edna's heart to be unkind to anyone, and she +made up her mind that she would meet Clara half way if ever the chance +came. + +Uncle Justus never mentioned the affair of the caricature to her, but +she knew he had never the slightest belief that she had done it and his +open approval of her before the whole class was very much valued. She +had won her way into the hearts of most of the girls, and there were +only two or three of Clara's most adoring adherents who still called her +"a pet" and said she was at the bottom of all Clara's trouble. This +seemed a very strange way to look at it, but poor Clara was so blinded +by jealousy and rage that she saw nothing in the right light. Edna +wondered if she would ever cease to dislike her, and insisted to Dorothy +that they ought to try to persuade her to come into the club. "You see," +she said, "if she could once find out what doing to others really means +she maybe would get over all her hatefulness. Mother thinks so, and I'm +not going to give up being nice to her if I get a chance." + +"Well, you don't catch me," returned Dorothy. "I don't want to go with +such a horrid story-teller as she is. I shouldn't think you would, +either." + +Edna said not a word, but still hoped. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE FRIENDLESS FRIENDS + + +Margaret came to school in great excitement one Monday morning. "I'm +going to have a party," she said to Edna. "I'll tell you all about it at +recess." + +The idea of Margaret's really having a party was most interesting when +Edna remembered that it had been just a year since she was adopted by +Mrs. MacDonald. She had improved very much in this time, both in speech +and manner, and no happier child could be found than she. To be sure she +had everything to make her happy, as Dorothy often said, a beautiful +home, a kind mother and friends who took pains to make her forget how +forlorn she had once been. She was very grateful for all these things, +and rarely asked for anything more than was offered to her, so that Mrs. +MacDonald was all the more ready to give her pleasures which she did not +ask for. + +Jennie and Dorothy were admitted into the little group which gathered to +hear about the party. "Tell us all about it, Margaret," said Edna. "Just +begin at the beginning." + +"Well," said Margaret, "mother was saying to me on Saturday evening, +'Margaret, do you know it is almost a year since you became my own +little daughter? Now I think we ought to celebrate the day of your +coming to your home. What would you like to do?' So I thought and +thought, and then I said, 'I never had a party in all my life, would it +be too much to celebrate by having one?' and she said, 'Not at all, +though I should first like to know what girls you would like to +invite,' and I told her all the G. R. Club. 'Anyone else?' she asked, +and I thought of Nettie Black. 'I'd like to have Nettie,' I said, and +then I remembered how lonely I used to be even at the Friendless, and +how glad I used to be when you came to see me, Edna, and I thought of +two or three who were still there, girls who haven't been adopted, and I +said I'd like to have them. Then mother said, 'Very well, only the +others may not want to come if you have poor children like them, and +you'd better ask the girls, and if they refuse you can make up your mind +which you would rather have, the girls of the club or the +Friendlessers.'" + +"Oh, Margaret, you know we won't care," said Edna earnestly. + +"I knew _you_ wouldn't, but I didn't know about them all. I shall have +to ask, you see, because it seems to me that of all the people I know, +the Friendlessers are the very ones who ought to come when it is to +celebrate my coming away from there, and then, too they don't have good +times like we do." + +The girls all called the Home of the Friendless "The Friendless" and the +children there, "The Friendlessers" so they knew quite well whom +Margaret meant. + +"How soon is the party to be?" asked Jennie. + +"Next Saturday afternoon. The Friendlessers can come then better than +any other time, and besides we live out of town, and it will be easier +for everyone to come in the afternoon." + +"I shall come," said Dorothy decidedly, "and I think it is a beautiful +idea for you to have the Friendlessers." + +"And of course I shall come," put in Jennie. + +"I know my sister will," said Edna. + +"And mine," echoed Dorothy. + +"There is one thing I hope you won't mind my saying," said Margaret; +"mother says please not to wear party frocks, and not to dress up much, +on account of the Friendlessers, you know, for of course they won't have +any." + +"Of course not," agreed the girls. + +"Mother says we can have just as good a time if we are not dressed up +and as long as it is going to be in the daytime it won't make so much +difference." + +"Let's go tell the other girls," suggested Edna. + +They hunted up Agnes, Celia and the rest of the club members and did not +find one who objected to the presence of the "Friendlessers." + +However, when the news of Margaret's party was noised abroad, there was +much scorn on the part of the Neighborhood Club. "The idea," said Clara, +"of going to a party with orphan asylum children! I'd like to see my +mother allowing me to associate with such creatures. I can't think what +Jennie Ramsey's mother can be thinking of to allow her to go. Besides, +Margaret is an orphan asylum girl herself and no better than the rest! +I'm sure I wouldn't be seen at her party." + +"And they're not even going to wear party frocks, nor so much as white +ones," said Gertrude Crane. "I don't see what fun it will be." + +"And I suppose there are to be no boys," put in Clara. + +"I haven't heard whether there are to be or not," returned Gertrude. + +The question of boys did come up later when Mrs. MacDonald asked +Margaret if she did not think it would be well to invite Frank and +Charley Conway, as one of the "Friendlessers" was a boy. The two Porter +boys who came out often to play with the Conway boys, were thought of +and were invited, and when Edna returned home on Friday evening Cousin +Ben informed her that he, too, was going. + +"Why, Cousin Ben," she said in pleased surprise, "how does that happen, +when you are such a big boy, really a man, you know?" + +"I must confess I fished for an invitation," he told her. "Mrs. +MacDonald was over here to ask if Charlie and Frank could come and I +said, 'What's the matter with asking me, too?' and so I got my invite. I +wouldn't miss it for a six-pence." Cousin Ben and Mrs. MacDonald were +great friends and he was quite intimate at the big gray house so it was +no wonder that he wanted to be at Margaret's first party. + +It was as Ben said "a queer mix-up." The first to arrive were the four +children from the Home of the Friendless, three little girls and one +little boy. One of the teachers brought them out and remained in order +to take them back again. The big gray house looked cheerful and more +attractive than usual, for flowers were Mrs. MacDonald's great pleasure +and they were everywhere, making up for the plainness of the +furnishings, for Mrs. MacDonald did not believe in showiness. Her house +was thoroughly comfortable but not elegant. + +These first arrivals were very shy, quite awe-stricken and sat on the +edges of their chairs scarce daring to move until Margaret took them out +to see the greenhouses. After that they were a little more at their ease +for each came back with a flower. By a little after three all had +arrived, the Porter boys with their Punch and Judy show which they had +promised to bring, and Ben with his banjo. All the girls wore plain +frocks with no extra ornaments, Margaret herself being not much better +dressed than her friends from the Home. + +The Punch and Judy show was given first as a sort of prelude to the +games which were to follow, and in these even the older girls joined +with spirit. The main idea seemed to be that everyone should do his or +her best to make the party a success and to give the poorer children as +good a time as possible. Ben, be it said, was the life of the occasion. +He kept everyone going, never allowed a dull moment, and if nothing else +was planned, he would pick up his banjo and give a funny coon song, so +that it was no wonder Mrs. MacDonald was glad to have invited him. + +Probably in all their lives the Friendlessers never forgot the wonderful +table to which they were led when refreshments were served, and which +they talked of for weeks afterward. Here there was no stint and the +decorations were made as beautiful as possible. There were pretty little +favors for everyone, and such good things to eat as would have done +credit to any entertainment. It was all over at six o'clock, but not one +went away with a feeling of having had a stupid time, for even the older +girls agreed among themselves that it had been great fun. + +"Did you ever see anything like those children's eyes when they saw that +table," said Agnes smiling at the recollection. + +"It must have been like a fairy tale to them, poor little things," +replied Helen Darby. "I think it was a perfectly lovely thing for Mrs. +MacDonald to do. Won't I have fun telling father about it, and how +interested he will be. He has been quizzing me all day about my orphan +asylum party, but I know he liked my going." + +"I liked that little Nettie Black," Florence remarked. "She has such a +nice quaint little face, like an old-fashioned picture. Her name ought +to be Prudence or Charity or some of those queer old names. Where did +you pick her up, Edna?" + +"Oh, she is the little girl that I kept house with at the time of the +blizzard," Edna told her. "She lives just a short way up the side road, +and she is a very nice child." + +"I found that out," returned Florence. "Why doesn't she belong to our +club?" + +"Because she doesn't go to our school." + +"To be sure, I forgot that. Well, she could be made an honorary member +or something, couldn't she Agnes?" + +"Why, I should think so. We'll have to bring that up at our next +meeting. Would she like to belong to the club, do you think, Edna?" + +"She would just love to, I know." + +"Then we'll have to fix it some way. I'll ask mother or Mrs. Conway what +we can do." + +"I don't know how we could all get into their parlor," said Edna +doubtfully; "it is so very tiny." + +"We don't have to," Agnes told her, "for you know the general club-room +is up in our attic and I'm sure that is big enough for anyone. If Nettie +comes into the club, when her turn comes for a meeting it can be held in +the general club-room." + +This was very satisfactory, but it did not do away with another +difficulty which came to Edna's mind. She knew that Mrs. Black had +barely enough means to get along on with the utmost economy and how +Nettie could ever furnish even simple refreshments for a dozen or more +girls she did not know. However, she would not worry about that till the +time came. As yet Nettie was not even a member of the club. + +Margaret's party was talked about at school almost as much after as +before it came off. Those who had been present discoursed upon the good +time they had had, and those who were not there wished they had been. +But to offset it, there came the report that Clara Adams was going to +have a party and that it would be in the evening and was expected to be +a gorgeous affair. Jennie Ramsey was invited but had not made up her +mind whether she wanted to go or not. As most of those who would be +invited were the children of Mrs. Adams's friends and were not +schoolmates of Clara's it did not seem to Jennie that she would have a +very good time. + +"It will be all fuss and feathers," she told Dorothy and Edna, "and I +won't know half the children there, besides I shall hear so much talk +about what I shall wear and all that, I believe I'd rather stay at +home." + +"Clara is going to wear a lace frock over pink silk, I heard her say," +Dorothy told them. + +"I should think that would be very pretty," declared Edna admiringly. + +"I'd rather be dressed as we were at Margaret's," Jennie returned, "for +then we could romp around and not care anything about what happened to +our clothes." Jennie hadn't a spark of vanity and cared so little for +dress as to be a surprise to the others. + +"Of course that was nice, but I should like the pretty clothes, too," +rejoined Edna with honesty. + +"They won't do anything, either, but dance and sit around and look at +each other," continued Jennie. "I'd much rather play games like 'Going +to Jerusalem' and 'Forfeits' and all those things we did at Margaret's. +I have all the dancing I want at dancing-school. No, I shall tell my +mother I don't want to go." Jennie had made up her mind, and that was +the end of the matter for her. + +Therefore the others heard very little of what went on at Clara's party. +That it came off they knew, and there was much talk of what this one or +that one wore, of how late they stayed and how many dances they had, but +that was all, and the stay-at-homes decided that, after all they had not +missed much, and if Clara's intention was to rouse their envy she failed +of her purpose. + +At the next meeting of the club Nettie was voted in as an honorary +member. "That seems to be about the only thing we can do," Agnes +announced, "and everyone seems to want her." So the thing was done. + +If there was one thing above another which Nettie did long for it was to +become a member of the club whose wonderful doings she had heard so much +of from Edna. The two had seen each other often, and now that the spring +was nearing, rarely a Saturday came but that they met. It was Edna who +took her the joyful news on Friday evening. + +"I've something perfectly lovely to tell you," she announced as soon as +she was inside the door of the little house. + +"What?" asked Nettie with a quick smile of interest. + +"You're going to be a member of our club." + +"Oh, Edna, how can I be? I don't go to your school." + +"I know, and that is why we had to make you an honorary member," Agnes +said. + +"Oh, I think you are all the dearest things I ever knew," cried Nettie. +Then her face fell, "But, oh, Edna, how can we get all of you girls in +this little bit of a house?" + +"Oh, you can meet in the general club-room at the Evanses," Edna told +her. "Agnes says so and it is in their attic, you know. When a girl +can't very well have the meeting at her house we have it there. Once it +was to be at Betty Lowndes's house and her little sister had the +chicken-pox so we couldn't meet there and we had it in the attic." + +Nettie's face cleared, but presently a new difficulty presented itself, +one which she hesitated to speak of but which was a very serious one. +How should she tell Edna what was in her mind? But she remembered that +Edna had seen the poverty of the family stores and that there was no +need to make any pretence to her. "There's another thing," she began, "I +haven't any money, and I couldn't ask mother for refreshments." + +"I thought of that," answered Edna; "we might give them rice," and then +they both laughed. "If there were only some way you could earn some +money and I could help you," continued Edna with more seriousness. +"Perhaps we could think of some way. If it were something we could both +do, I could help you." + +"You are always so good that way," replied Nettie gratefully. + +"Well, anyhow," said Edna, "it won't be for some time yet that you have +to have the meeting and perhaps we can think of something. If we can't +would you mind if I ask mother what we could do?" + +"I'd rather not," replied Nettie doubtfully, "not unless you have to." + +"Then I won't unless I have to." + +"Perhaps my mother can think of a way, only I don't want to say anything +to her, for she will feel badly because she can't let me have the money, +and I know I ought not to ask her for it. I won't ask, of course, but if +I tell it will be the same as asking, and it will make her feel so +unhappy if she must say no, she can't." + +"Then we must try very hard to think of a way without telling anyone. +You wouldn't need so very much, you know, Nettie, for we can have real +cheap things like peanuts and gingerbread, or something like that. I +believe fifty cents would be enough to spend, and a dollar would be +plenty." + +This seemed like a large amount to Nettie, though she did not say so, +and the thought of earning that much weighed heavily upon her after Edna +had gone home. + +Edna's thoughts, too, were busy all the evening, and she was so absorbed +in Nettie's dilemma that she sat with arms on the table and doing +nothing but looking off into space so that at last her father said. +"What's the matter, little girl? You haven't even asked for your +favorite children's page of my evening paper," and he handed it over to +her. + +This was something that Edna always asked for and she took it now with +some little interest, and roused herself to look down the columns. +Presently she breathed softly. "Oh!" She had seen something which gave +her an idea for Nettie, and she went to bed that night full of a hope +which she meant her friend should know as soon as possible the next +day. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE PUZZLE + + +When Edna awoke on Saturday morning her first thought was of Nettie and +she scrambled out of bed that she might not lose a moment's time in +telling her of the discovery she had made the night before. She hurried +through her breakfast and was off to the little house as soon as she had +been given leave by her mother. She carried the page of her father's +paper safely folded in her hand, and ran nearly all the way, arriving +breathless. She could scarcely wait for Nettie to open to her knock, and +her words tumbled over each other as she replied to Nettie's greeting of +"How nice and early you are," by saying, "Oh, I have something so nice +to tell you." + +"You had something nice to tell me when you came last evening," returned +Nettie; "you don't mean to say there is anything more." + +"Yes, I've found a way that maybe you can make some money, a dollar." + +This was exciting, "Oh, do tell me quick," returned Nettie. + +Edna hastily began to open the paper she carried, and then she thrust it +before Nettie, pointing to a line and saying, "There, read that." + +Nettie did as she was told, her eyes eagerly running over the words. +"Oh, Edna," she said, "do you believe we could do it?" + +"Why, of course, but you see the main thing is to get it done as quickly +as possible, for the one who gets the answer to the puzzle the quickest +and who has the clearest answer will get the first prize. Maybe we +couldn't get the very first, but we could get the second, and that's a +dollar. We must set to work right away. I thought we'd do the best we +could and then we'd get Cousin Ben to fix it up for us." + +"Would that be right?" + +"Oh, I think so, for it doesn't say you mustn't have any help; it just +says the one who sends it in the soonest. I left a note for Cousin Ben +to stop here if he had time this morning." + +"Do you think he will?" + +"If he has time. I told him it was something very particular. You don't +mind his knowing, do you, Nettie? He won't tell, I am sure. You don't +know how well he can keep a secret." + +"No, I don't mind," Nettie replied, "because he has been here and knows +all about everything." + +"Then let's go at it." + +"I must finish the dishes first." + +"Then would you rather I should help you with them or start on the +puzzle?" + +"I think you'd better start on the puzzle." + +"Very well. I've been thinking a little about it, and I believe I've +guessed part. They are in the paper every week on Fridays, and I often +do them, but this is the first time I've noticed that a prize has been +offered." + +She took off her coat and hat, sat down at the table and spread out the +paper before her. Nettie furnished paper and pencil and then went back +to her work in the kitchen. The two were busying their brains over the +puzzle when Ben appeared an hour later. + +"Hallo," he said, "what's up, kiddies?" + +"Why you see," Edna began, "Nettie has been taken into the club, and +when her time comes to have the club meeting she won't have any way of +getting the refreshments, so we thought and thought of what we could do +to get some money, and last night I saw in the Children's Corner of the +_Times_ that they would give prizes for guessing a puzzle, you know +those puzzles, Cousin Ben." + +"Yes, my child, I knew them of yore." + +"Well, don't you see if we can only guess this one quick and can send in +the answer right away we might get a dollar, anyhow. We have guessed a +lot of it, but I thought maybe you could help us a little and tell us +how to fix it up very nicely. Have you very much to do to-day?" + +"Not so much but that I can spare you a little time for such laudable +ambition. Where's your puzzle?" + +Edna produced the paper and then showed him what they had already done. +"Do you think it is right as far as we've gone?" she asked anxiously. + +He looked over the page she offered him. "Pretty good so far. Let me +see. I think that must be John B. J on B. you see." + +"Of course, it is, why didn't we think of that? And this one, what do +you think that can be?" + +Ben looked at this thoughtfully, and presently declared he had it. So +bit by bit the puzzle was completed and within an hour was in such shape +as pleased the girls immensely. + +"Now," said Ben, "I'll tell you what I can do. I want to take the noon +train to town and I'll get this right down to the newspaper office +myself; I have to go near there, and so it will reach them much quicker +than if it were sent by mail, you see." + +"Oh, Cousin Ben, you are a perfect dear!" cried Edna. "I think that is +just lovely of you. We are so much obliged, aren't we, Nettie?" + +"I am very much obliged to both of you," returned Nettie sedately. +Edna's interest was so great that she forgot she was not doing this for +herself at all. + +"Shall we tell your mother?" asked Edna when Ben had gone, promising +that he would attend to the puzzle the very first thing. + +"Why--" Nettie hesitated, "I'd like to have her know and yet I would +love dearly to have it for a surprise if we did win. When do you suppose +we will know?" + +"Not before next Friday, I suppose, but that will be soon enough, won't +it?" + +"Yes, except that I can scarcely wait to know, and it is hard to keep a +secret from your mother that long." + +"Why don't you tell her that you have a secret and that you can't tell +her till Friday?" + +"I might do that, but then suppose I shouldn't win; we would both be +disappointed." + +"What did you tell her just now that we were all doing?" + +"I told her we were doing a puzzle, and she said as long as I had done +my morning's work I could stay with you. I have still my stockings to +darn, but I can do those this afternoon. Mother always lets me do them +when I choose; so long as I get them done before Sunday, that is all she +asks." + +Edna looked very sympathetic. She did not have to do her stockings +nowadays, though she remembered that it had been one of the week's tasks +when she was staying with Aunt Elizabeth, and it was one she much +disliked. She stayed a little while longer and then returned home, for +Dorothy was coming that afternoon and they were both going over to see +Margaret to make what Dorothy said was their party call. + +The weather was quite mild; already the buds were beginning to swell on +the trees, and the crocuses were starting up in the little grass plot in +front of Nettie's home. Edna stopped to look at them as she passed out. +She was full of Nettie's secret but she had promised not to tell. She +wished Cousin Ben would come back so she could talk it over with him, +but he was not to return till late in the day and meantime she must +occupy herself and not say a word of what was uppermost in her mind. + +She found Celia and Agnes in the library talking earnestly. There was a +pleasant aroma of gingerbread pervading the house, and the fire in the +open grate looked very cheerful. What a dear place home was, and how +glad she was always to get back to it. Agnes held out her hand as she +came in. "Well, chickabiddy," she said, "where have you been? You are as +rosy as an apple." + +"I've been down to Nettie's. I'm glad I don't have to darn my +stockings." + +"Does Nettie have to?" + +"Yes, and she has to wash the dishes, too. I did darn my stockings last +year, but Katie does them all this year, so I don't even have to be +sorry for mother and think of her doing them, for Katie is paid to do +them." + +Agnes laughed. "But I have no doubt you would do them just as cheerfully +as Nettie does, if you had to do them." + +"I don't know about the cheerful part, but I wouldn't yell and scream." + +"Let us hope you would not," said Celia. "I should hope you knew better +than to behave like that." + +"Of course," said Edna. "What were you talking about, you two?" + +"Shall we tell her, Agnes?" asked Celia. + +"Why not? It will soon be talked over by all of us." + +"Well, we were talking of having something very special for the last +meeting of the club, after school closes. You see most of the girls go +away for the summer, and we shall have to give the club a holiday, too." + +"What nice special thing were you thinking of?" + +"We thought if we could have some nice little fairy play and have it out +of doors, it would be lovely. We would invite our parents and the +teachers and have a real big affair." + +"How perfectly lovely. What is the play?" + +"Oh, dear, we haven't come to that yet. We did think some of having +'Alice in Wonderland,' but that has been done so often. We were wishing +for something original." + +"Why don't you get Cousin Ben to help you? He has so many funny things +to say about the woodsy creatures." + +"The very one. Why didn't we think of him before, Agnes? He may be silly +about some things, but he would certainly have ideas about that. Where +is he, Edna?" + +"He has gone in town, and won't be back till late in the afternoon." + +"Trust you for keeping track of his movements," said Celia laughing. "I +don't believe Ben yawns but Edna knows it. Well, we will see what he +says this evening." + +"Couldn't you and he come to our house after supper?" asked Agnes. + +"I'll find out and 'phone you when he comes in. He doesn't generally +have anything special on hand Saturdays, unless something is going on at +the Abercrombies'." + +This gave Edna a new theme to think of and in consequence she did not +find it hard to keep from talking of Nettie's secret when she and +Dorothy met that afternoon. + +They took the news of the probable play to Margaret who wanted at once +to tell Mrs. MacDonald about it. She showed great interest and asked all +sorts of questions. "Why couldn't you have it here in my grounds?" she +asked. "There is a good place just back of the house where the terrace +is. I hope you will let it be Margaret's meeting and let me furnish +everything." + +"Oh, Mrs. Mac, there will be ever and ever so many people, for we are +going to ask our families and the teachers and all those." Edna was +quite overpowered. + +"Well, what of that? Haven't I as much right to entertain them as any of +the others have, and have I less room than my neighbors?" + +"Why, no, you have more." + +"Very well, then. I put in my plea the first one and I hope you will lay +it before your next meeting." She spoke almost as if she were angry but +there was a merry little twinkle in her eyes which the girls had come to +know well. The next words were, "Go out, Margaret, and ask Lizzie to +send in some of the day's baking for your friends. There must be scones, +or something of that kind." The girls liked the Scotchy things, as they +called them, that Mrs. MacDonald had for them, and the hot scones, with +a "wee bittie" of honey or jam were generally as pleasant a treat as +they found anywhere. + +When Edna had returned from her visit she told Celia of what Mrs. +MacDonald had offered and before they had finished talking of it, Cousin +Ben came in, and was immediately set upon, though Edna ran out to meet +him in the hall that she might whisper, "Did you leave it all right?" + +"First thing," he returned. "It couldn't have been an hour from the time +I left you before it was at the office." + +"Oh, goody, goody!" exclaimed Edna softly, patting her hands together. +"Agnes has been here, Cousin Ben, and Celia wants to ask you something. +Come into the library, please." + +He followed her in and the subject was opened to him of the little fairy +play. + +He shook his head. "Can't promise. That's a good deal to spring on a +fellow unbeknownst. I'll have to think about it." + +"But can't you go over to Agnes's this evening to talk it over?" asked +Celia. + +Now Ben admired Agnes very much, though he would not have it known for +the world. "I was going to Abercrombies," he said with apparent +reluctance. + +"Oh, but you see Will Abercrombie every day," said Celia coaxingly, "and +we do so want to have your help, Ben." + +"Well, perhaps I can 'phone to Will not to expect me," said Ben giving +in. "But if I take hold of this thing you girls will all have to do your +part." + +"Oh, we will," Celia promised earnestly. "We are none of us up to an +original play, but you are." + +"Such flattery," laughed Ben. "Well, if I am going to call on ladies I +must go up and make myself look respectable." + +"He'll do it," said Celia, as soon as her cousin had left the room. "He +has as good as promised." + +Whatever was said that evening was not reported, but it is enough to say +that Ben had promised to see what he could do, and would let them know +later when he had gone over the subject more thoroughly, so with this +the girls had to be satisfied. + +There was no more to be heard of either puzzle or play during the week +while school was occupying them all, but on Friday Mrs. MacDonald's +offer was presented to the club and unanimously accepted with thanks. + +There was no delay in Edna's demand for the evening paper on that +Friday, but to her great disappointment her father found that he had +left it in the car, and there was no way to get another copy till the +next day. Edna was almost in tears, for she had so counted on letting +Nettie know the very first thing in the morning. + +"I am so sorry," said her father. "I forgot entirely that the Friday +issue was the one in which you are always so interested. I will bring +you out a copy to-morrow, daughter. I will try not to forget it, but I +give you leave to call me up on the long distance, or rather the +out-of-town line and get you to remind me. If you will call, say, at +about ten o'clock, I will send one of the boys out for it from the +office." + +This was certainly more than Edna had any right to expect, and she +thanked him as heartily as she could, though deep down in her heart the +disappointment still lingered and she felt that it would be harder still +for Nettie to wait another day. + +However, she went early to the little house as she had promised, and saw +Nettie at the window on the watch for her. She looked so pleased when +she saw her friend that Edna was all the more grieved at having to tell +her she must wait till evening. "Oh, I am so glad you have come," cried +Nettie as she met her at the door. "I have been watching for you for +ages." And she drew her inside. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A DOWNFALL OF PRIDE + + +"Oh, Edna, Edna!" Nettie jumped up and down and fairly hugged her friend +in her joy. + +"Why, why," Edna began, but Nettie interrupted her with "I have it! I +have it!" + +"Have what?" Edna was still mystified. + +"The prize! The prize! I won it. The money came in the mail this +morning." + +Edna had not counted on this possibility and it was as much of a +surprise to her as it had been to Nettie. "Oh! Oh! Oh!" she cried, and +she, too, began to dance up and down hugging Nettie as fervently as +Nettie had hugged her. "Have you told your mother?" + +"Oh, yes, I couldn't possibly keep it." + +"Do show me what they said." So Nettie took her in and showed her the +precious letter with the enclosed order for a dollar, which made it seem +a very real thing. + +"Ben will be so pleased," said Edna with satisfaction. "It is really +owing to him that it got there soon enough." + +"And to you for helping me and for telling me in the first place. I +think I ought to divide with you." + +"Why, Nettie Black, you won't do any such thing. Don't you know that it +was all on your account that we did it in the first place?" + +"Ye-es, but after your doing so much it doesn't seem fair for you to +have none of it." + +"I'll have some of the refreshments, won't I?" + +Nettie laughed. "I hope so." + +"Have you decided what you will have?" + +"Not exactly. I thought I would wait till you came to talk it over with +mother. You said something about gingerbread and my mother can make the +nicest you ever saw." + +"Would she make some for you? I wonder if it would cost very much. None +of the girls have had gingerbread, and I am sure it would be liked." + +"Then let's go see what mother says." + +Mrs. Black was in the kitchen making bread for her Saturday baking. She +smiled on the two children's eager faces which showed that something of +unusual interest was going on. "Mother," began Nettie, "you know I am to +have the club meeting after a while, and it is to be at the general +club-room at Miss Agnes Evans's house, and you know we always have +refreshments," Nettie spoke as if she had already attended every +meeting, when that of the afternoon before had been her very first. + +"Yes, I remember you told me, dear," said her mother. + +"And I told you that was why we tried for the puzzle prize, so that I +could pay for my refreshments. Does gingerbread cost very much?" + +"No, my dear, it costs less than any other kind of cake." + +"But how much? I mean how much would it cost to make enough for--for +fourteen girls?" + +"Why, not a great deal. I could bake them in the little scalloped pans +so they would be more crusty. I don't believe it would cost more than +twenty-five cents, for you know we have our own eggs." + +"Good! Then what else could I have? We can't have more than three +things." + +"Let me think for a minute and I will perhaps be able to suggest +something." She went on kneading her bread while the children watched +her. Presently she said: "I have a bottle of raspberry shrub that your +Aunt Henrietta gave me and which we have never used. Would you like to +have that? I can recommend it as a very nice drink, and I should be very +glad to donate it." + +"Would it be nice?" Nettie looked at Edna for endorsement. + +"I think it would be perfectly delicious," she decided, "and nobody has +had anything like that. We have had ginger ale and lemonade, and +chocolate and such things." + +"Then, mother, that will be very nice, thank you," said Nettie, as if +Edna were at the other end of a telephone wire. "Now for number three. +I shall have ever so much to spend on that, so I could have most +anything." + +"What have the other girls had?" Mrs. Black asked Edna. + +"Oh, different things. Some have had sandwiches and chocolate and some +kind of candy, and some have had ice cream and cake and candy; some have +had--let me see--cake and lemonade and fruit, but the third thing is +generally some kind of candy." + +"Do you remember what Uncle David sent us last week?" Mrs. Black asked +Nettie. + +"The maple sugar? Oh, yes, but would it be nice to have just little +chunks of maple sugar?" + +"No, but don't you know what delicious creamy candies we made by boiling +and stirring it? Why not do some of it that way? It would be a little +out of the usual run, and quite unlike what is bought at the shops." + +"What do you think, Edna?" Nettie again appealed to her friend. + +"I think it would be fine. Oh, Nettie you will have things that aren't a +bit like anyone else has had and they will all be so good. I am sure the +girls will say so." + +Nettie beamed. This was such a pleasant thing to hear. "But I haven't +spent but twenty-five cents of my prize money," she said. + +"Are you so very sorry for that?" her mother asked. + +"No, but--Is it all mine, mother, to do what I choose with, even if I +don't spend it for the club?" + +"Why, of course, my dear. You earned it, and if I am able to help you +out a little that should make no difference." + +"Then I think I know what I should like to do with it. I shall make two +secrets of it and one I shall tell you, mother, and the other I can tell +Edna." + +"Tell me mine now," said Edna getting down from the chair. + +Nettie took her off into the next room where there was much whispering +for the next few minutes. "I shall get something for mother," Nettie +explained. "I don't know exactly what but I will find out what she needs +the most." + +"I think that is a perfectly lovely plan," agreed Edna. "Now I must go +back and tell Ben, for he will want to know. You come up this afternoon, +Nettie, won't you?" + +Nettie promised, and after Edna had gone she said to her mother, +"Mother, I think I will spend part of my money on a birthday gift for +Edna. It was all her doings about the puzzle and I would like to have +her have something I could buy with the money. Will you help me?" + +"Indeed I will, my dear, and I think that is an excellent plan." + +So Nettie had her two secrets and in time both gifts were given. + +Her meeting was an interesting one. The girls always liked the old attic +and it was seldom that a meeting there did not turn out to be one which +was thoroughly enjoyed. The refreshments received even more praise than +Edna had predicted, for not a crumb of gingerbread, not a single +maple-sugar cream, nor a drop of raspberry shrub was left, and the +honorary member went home in an exalted frame of mind. + +On the very evening of this meeting, while Edna was looking over her +favorite page of her father's paper, she heard him say to his wife. +"Humph. That was a bad failure of Green and Adams to-day. Adams was a +pretty high-flyer, and a good many of the men on the 'Change have been +prophesying this crash." + +"What Adams is that?" asked Mrs. Conway. + +"Oliver Adams. He lives on the square, you know, in that large white +house with the lions in front." + +Edna pricked up her ears. "Is it Clara Adams's father?" she asked. + +"Does she live on the square?" asked her mother. + +"Yes, in a big white house with lions in front just like father said." + +"Then, of course, it is the same." + +"What has happened to him, mother?" + +"He has lost a great deal of money, dear?" + +"Oh, poor Clara." + +"I'm afraid she will be poor Clara sure enough," returned her father. +"He can't keep up that way of living very long. His wife is as +extravagant as he is, and I doubt if there is much left out of the +estate." + +Edna wondered if Clara would have to live in a tiny, little house like +Nettie's and if she would be very unhappy. Would she leave school, +and--There were so many wonderings that she asked her mother a great +many questions, and went off on Monday morning feeling quite ready to +give Clara all the sympathy she needed. + +But Clara was not at school on Monday, but on the next day she appeared. +The news of her father's failure was common talk so that every girl in +school had heard of it, and wondered if it would have any effect on +Clara. For a time it did not, but in a short time it was whispered about +that the Adamses had removed to another street and into a much smaller +house. Clara no longer came to school in the automobile, and those girls +who had clung to her on account of the powers of riches now openly +deserted, declared that she had left their neighborhood and in +consequence could no longer belong to their club. Then in a little while +it was announced that the club had disbanded, and the remaining members +came in a body and begged that they might be taken into the G. R.'s. +There was much discussion. Some were for, some were against it, but +finally the rule of the club was acted upon and the five new members +took their places, leaving Clara in lonely grandeur. She treated this +desertion with such open scorn and was so very unpleasant to those who +had formerly been her friends, that they turned their backs upon her +utterly, declaring that they would rather pay a fine every day in the +week than be nice to Clara Adams. + +"Hateful thing!" Edna heard Nellie Haskell say one day quite loud +enough for Clara to hear. "She's kept us out of a lot of fun and we +were geese to keep in with her so long. I'm sorry I ever had anything to +do with her. I think she is the most disagreeable girl that ever was." + +Edna looked over at Clara who was sitting very still by herself on a +bench in one corner of the playground. She looked after the three girls +who had just passed and were now walking down the path with their arms +around one another. So had she seen them with Clara not so very long +before. She thought she would go over and say something to her old +enemy, but what to say--She had no good excuse. Then she remembered an +exceedingly pretty paper-doll which had been sent her by her Cousin +Louis Morrison. His aunt had painted it and it was much handsomer than +one ordinarily saw. Edna had it in the book she carried. She drew in +her breath quickly, then started over to Clara's corner. + +"Don't you want to see my paper-doll?" she asked. "It is such a beauty." +And without waiting for an answer she opened her book and held out the +doll for Clara to see. It was given rather a grudging glance, but it was +really too pretty not to be admired and Clara replied with a show of +indifference, "It is quite pretty, isn't it?" + +Edna sat down by her. "I will show you some of her dresses," she went +on. Clara loved paper-dolls, and she could not but be a little +interested. Anything which was painted or drawn was of more interest to +her than most things. She had shown her talent in that way by the fatal +caricature. + +"Somebody told me you could make mighty pretty paper-dolls," Edna went +on, bound to make herself agreeable. + +"I do make them sometimes," replied Clara a little more graciously, "but +I could never make any as pretty as this. I can copy things pretty well, +but I can't make them up myself." + +For a moment Edna struggled with herself. The doll was a new and very +precious possession, but--She hesitated only a moment and then she said: +"Would you like to copy this? I will lend it to you if you would like +to." + +There was a time when Clara might have spurned even this kind offer, +setting it down as "trying to get in" with her, but her pride and vanity +had received a blow when the Neighborhood Club was broken up and she +cast forth, and she took the offer in the spirit in which it was meant. +"Oh, would you do that?" she said. "I should love to copy it and I will +take awfully good care of the doll." + +"You can take it now," said Edna laying the doll on the other's lap. +There should be no chance for her to change her mind. Clara slipped the +doll into one of her books and just then the bell rang, so they went in +together. + +After school Dorothy clutched her chum. "Edna Conway," she cried, "did I +see you talking to Clara Adams?" + +"Um-huh," returned Edna. + +"Well, you are the greatest one. I should think after all she has done +that you would want to keep as far away from her as possible." + +"Well," said Edna. "I said I was going to be nice to her if ever I had +the chance and I had the chance." + +"If you are going with her, I can tell you that all the girls will turn +their backs on you." + +"I didn't say I was going with her all the time, but I don't see why I +can't speak to her if I want to." + +"Oh, I suppose you can speak, but I shouldn't do much more than that." + +Edna made no reply. She had her own ideas of what she meant to do. + +"Where is your paper-doll?" asked Dorothy, "I want to show it to Agnes." + +"I haven't it with me," returned Edna a little confusedly. + +"You had it when we went down to recess. Is it in your desk? Go on and +get it, that is a dear. Agnes wants to see it." + +"It isn't in my desk. I haven't it," returned Edna bluntly. + +"You don't mean to say you have given it away? Edna Conway, you can't +have given it to Clara Adams!" Dorothy's voice expressed horror and +dismay. + +"No, I haven't _given_ it to her; I only lent it to her," replied Edna. + +"Well, of all things!" Dorothy was stricken dumb for a moment. Then she +put her arms around her friend and hugged her. "You are an angel," she +said. "I couldn't have done such a thing to save me, and I don't believe +there is another girl in the school who could. I'm going to tell Agnes." + +"Oh, please don't," begged Edna. + +But Dorothy was off and presently Agnes came over to where the two had +been standing. "What did you lend Clara your doll for, Edna?" she asked. + +"Because I didn't want to pay a fine," replied she. + +Agnes laughed. "That is one way out of it. I suppose the next thing we +know you will be proposing that we ask Clara Adams into our club. Half +the girls will leave if you do, I can promise you that." + +This was something very like a threat, and it had the effect Agnes meant +it should, though it did not prevent Edna from making plans of her own +concerning Clara. She smiled at her as she took her seat in class the +next morning, and for the very first time in all her life she received +from Clara a smile in return. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +A NEW MEMBER + + +During this time Miss Newman had not won more than respect from her +girls. She was an excellent teacher and kept good order, but she had too +severe a manner to call forth affection. Nevertheless she did appreciate +any little kindness done her, and was not unwilling to repay when the +opportunity came. Dorothy and Edna had always stood up for her, and had +brought her the small gifts which children like to take their teachers, +a particularly large and rosy apple, a bunch of flowers, a more +important present at Christmas and a growing plant at Easter. They did +not know much about her home life, for she was not the affable person +Miss Ashurst had been. Uncle Justus had told Edna that she lived with an +invalid sister in quite a different quarter of the city, and that she +had a long way to come to school. + +One spring afternoon as Celia and Edna were starting forth, a sudden +shower overtook them. They were going home every day now as they had +done in the early fall, and were hurrying for their train when they saw +Miss Newman just ahead of them without an umbrella. "There's Miss +Newman," said Edna to her sister, "and she has no umbrella; I'm going to +give her mine and come under yours, Celia," then before Celia could say +a word she ran on ahead. "Please take my umbrella, Miss Newman," she +said. "I can go under Celia's." + +"But you may need it before Monday," said Miss Newman. + +"Oh, no, I won't, for I am going straight home. We are to have a club +meeting at the Evanses this afternoon, or I should not be in such a +hurry." + +"And I am in a hurry, too," said Miss Newman, "for I am very anxious to +get home to my sister. Thank you very much for the umbrella. I should +have had to go in somewhere, it is pouring so, and that would have +delayed me." + +By this time Celia came up and Edna slipped under her sister's umbrella. +They took their car at the next corner, but they saw Miss Newman +standing on the other side waiting for the car which should come along +somewhat later. "Poor thing," said Edna as she looked from the car +window; "she would have been soaked, Celia, if she had had to stand +there without an umbrella, and she has a cold now." + +Celia smiled. "I believe you would love a chimpanzee, or a snake, +Edna." + +"I think little green snakes are very pretty," returned Edna calmly. +"Cousin Ben likes them, too. He showed me one in the grass last Sunday. +I felt sorry for it because nearly everybody hates snakes, and Cousin +Ben said this one was perfectly harmless." + +"I draw the line at snakes," returned Celia. "I suppose you feel sorry +for Miss Newman." + +"Yes, I do; she is so unpretty." + +Celia laughed. "That is a delicate way of putting it, I am sure. Well, I +am glad she has one friend; no doubt she needs it. Most of the girls +aren't so ready to say nice things of her as they were of Miss Ashurst." + +"I know it," replied Edna, "and that is one reason Dorothy and I stand +up for her. We say suppose we were as--as ugly as that, and had to go a +long, long way to school every day to teach horrid girls who didn't be +nice to us, how would we like it?" + +"She looks like a cross old thing," returned Celia rather flippantly. + +"She isn't exactly cross, but she isn't the kind you can lean up against +and say 'what a pretty tie you have on,' as we did with Miss Ashurst. +Celia, I am afraid Miss Newman never will get married." + +Celia laughed. "Perhaps she doesn't want to. Everyone doesn't, you +know." + +This was rather beyond Edna's comprehension, and she sat pondering over +the extraordinary statement till the car reached the station. She +arrived early in the school-room on Monday morning to find Miss Newman +already there. She looked up with a smile as the little girl entered. "I +brought back your umbrella," she said. "I don't know what I should have +done without it. I left my sister rather worse than usual and I wanted +very much to get home as soon as possible." + +"Is your sister ill?" asked Edna + +"She is never very well. When she was a little girl, younger than you, +she fell and hurt her spine. She has never been well since, and at times +suffers very much." + +"How was she this morning?" asked Edna sympathetically. + +"She was much better. I left her sitting on the porch in the sun. She +can walk only a few steps, you see, and sometimes has to be lifted from +place to place." + +"Who lifts her?" Edna was much interested at this peep into Miss +Newman's life. + +"I do when I am there, for I know just how to do it without hurting +her." + +"Will she sit there all day where you left her?" + +"Oh, no, for she has a wheeling chair and the old woman who lives with +us can wheel her in when she is ready to go." + +"Tell me some more." Edna leaned her elbows on the table and looked at +her teacher with a wistful look. She did feel so very sorry for this +poor sister who could not walk. + +"She is a very cheerful, bright person," Miss Newman went on, "and +everyone loves her. She is very fond of children and is continually +doing something for those in the neighborhood. It is far from being a +wealthy street, and back of us there are many very poor people. At +Christmas we had a tree for the ones who couldn't have one at home, and +my sister made nearly everything on it, such pretty things they were, +too. There was a present for each child." + +"I think that was perfectly lovely," said Edna. This was the kind of +thing that appealed to her. "What is your sister's name?" + +"Her name is Eloise." + +"I think that is a beautiful name. I should like very much to see her." + +"She would like very much to see you, for she knows every one of my +class, and asks about each one when I go home. You see she cannot go out +into the world where I go, I have to take what I can of it to her." It +was evident that this was the subject which was nearest to the teacher's +heart, and that when talking of it she showed the gentlest side of her +nature. "How would you like to go home with me this afternoon to see +her, you and Dorothy Evans?" + +"I would love to go, but are you sure she would like to have us come?" + +"I don't know of anything that would please her more. She has never seen +one of my pupils and has often longed to, for as I told you she has to +see the world through my eyes, and anything that interests me interests +her." + +"I'll tell Dorothy as soon as she comes and I will ask Celia if I may +go. Thank you, Miss Newman for inviting us." Then a number of girls came +in and school was called to order before Edna had a chance to speak to +her sister. + +At recess, however, the matter was talked over, both Agnes and Celia +listening attentively. "I don't think they ought to go home with Miss +Newman," decided Agnes, "for she probably has dinner as soon as she gets +home and it would make extra trouble. If they could go later it might be +all right. I'd better go and talk to Miss Newman myself, then we can +tell better what can be done." She went off and soon came back to say +that she had arranged to go with the little girls later in the +afternoon. "We can take a car from there which will connect with our +line and in that way we shall not have to come all the way back into the +city." + +But a better arrangement than that was made, for when Margaret and +Jennie heard of the affair they were so eager to be included in the +party, that Miss Newman noticing their wistfulness, asked if they, too, +would come. "There is nothing my sister likes better than to have a +company of children around her to whom she can tell some tale. She is a +great one for that, and often has as many as a dozen children on the +porch," she told them. + +"Then, I will tell you what we can do," said Jennie. "I know mother will +say we may all go in the motor-car, and I can take you girls home just +as well as not. I will call mother up now and tell her all about it." So +in a few minutes the whole matter was arranged by telephone. The three +little girls, Edna, Dorothy and Margaret were to go home with Jennie to +luncheon and then they would make the start from there. + +"That is just like the Ramseys," said Agnes, "they always come forward +at just the right moment and do the thing that makes it pleasantest all +around. Now we can go home at the usual time, Celia feeling perfectly +safe about the girls." + +Therefore about three o'clock on this bright afternoon in May they set +forth in the automobile which was to take them to Miss Newman's and call +for them later. Through a very unfamiliar part of the city they went +till they came to a short street with a row of small houses on each +side. Each house had a garden in front and a porch. In the very last one +which had more ground around it than the rest, Miss Newman lived. The +porch was covered with vines and in the garden there was a perfect +wealth of flowers. A bird-cage in which a canary was singing, hung near +the window. One end of the porch was screened by a bamboo shade. It was +a very pretty nesty little place. Huddled down in a chair, with her head +supported by pillows was Miss Eloise who smiled up at the girls as Miss +Newman brought them forward one after another. Miss Eloise had a much +more lovely face than her sister. Her eyes were beautiful, she had +quantities of wavy dark hair, a sweet mouth and a delicate nose. The +hand she held out was so small and fragile that when Edna clasped it in +her plump fingers it seemed almost as if she were holding the claws of +some bird. + +"So this is Edna," she said. "She looks just as I thought she did. +Dorothy I know her by her hair, and Margaret because she is the tallest +of them, so of course the one left must be Jennie. I am so pleased to +see you all. Sister, will you wheel me just a little further back so +there will be more room for us all?" + +Miss Newman was quick to spring to her sister's side, wheeling the chair +at just the right angle, settling the pillows, and then passing her hand +caressingly over Miss Eloise's dark locks. The girls could not imagine +her so tender. + +"I hope you are feeling well to-day," began Edna to start the +conversation. + +"Who wouldn't feel well in such glorious weather. It is such a beautiful +world, and has so many interesting things in it. How is your sister, +Edna?" + +"She is very well," replied Edna, surprised that Miss Eloise should know +she had a sister. + +"And yours, Dorothy? I hear she is such a sweet, pretty girl." + +Dorothy likewise surprised, made answer that Agnes was very well and +would have come with them but that the four of them came in the Ramseys' +motor-car. + +"And wasn't it fun to see it come whirling up?" said Miss Eloise. "It +was the very first time a motor-car ever came to our door, and I was +excited over it. I think it was very sweet of Mrs. Ramsey to give me +this pleasure, and, Margaret I cannot tell you how I enjoyed the flowers +you used to bring to sister in the winter. Your mother must have the +loveliest greenhouse. I never saw such fine big stalks of mignonette. We +shall have mignonette a little later, for our flowers are coming on +finely. As for the books you all gave sister at Christmas they have been +a perfect feast. I am so glad to have you here and to be able to thank +you for all the things you have done to make the long winter go more +quickly for me." + +The girls looked at one another. If they had known what their little +gifts were to mean, how many times they could have added to them. They +had not a word to say for they had not understood how a little ripple of +kindness may widen till it touches an unknown shore. + +"Now tell me about your club," Miss Eloise went on. "I should so like to +hear what you did at the last meeting. Sister tells me all she can, but +she doesn't have a chance to learn as much as I should like. I am so +greedy, you see. I am like a child who says when you tell it a story, +and think you have finished, 'Tell on.' I am always crying 'Tell on.' It +is the most beautiful club I ever heard of and I am sorry I am not a +little girl at your school so I could belong to it and enjoy the good +times with you." + +"But, darling, you have your own little club," said her sister, "and you +are always thinking of what you can do for others." + +"Oh, I know, but I live in such a tiny little world, and my 'little +drops of water, little grains of sand' are such wee things." + +"They mean a great deal more than you imagine," said her sister gently. +"I am sure I could never live without them." + +"Oh, that is because you make so much of me and what I do. She is a +great sister," she said nodding to the girls. "She is a regular Atlas +because she has to bring her world home on her back every day to me. +Yes, indeed. Perhaps you don't think I am aware of all that goes on in +that school-room. Why I even know when one of you misses a lesson, and +if you will let me tell you a secret, I actually cried the day Clara +Adams did the caricature." + +"Oh, dear, oh, dear," Edna could not help sighing aloud while the other +girls looked as much ashamed as if they had done the thing themselves. +However, when Miss Eloise saw this she broke into a laugh and began to +tell them of some very funny thing she had seen from the porch that +morning, then followed one funny tale after another till the girls were +all laughing till the tears ran down their cheeks. Miss Eloise had the +drollest way of telling things, and the merriest laugh herself. After a +while Miss Newman went inside and presently came out with a tray on +which were glasses of lemonade and a plate of small cakes. These were +passed around, and much enjoyed. + +"Now tell them one of your stories," said Miss Newman to her sister. + +"Shall I make up a new one or shall I tell them one of the old ones?" + +"Tell them the one the Maginnis children like so much." + +The children settled themselves in pleased anticipation, and a marvelous +tale they listened to. Miss Eloise had a wonderful gift of story-telling +and made every incident seem real and every character to stand out as +vividly as if he or she were actually before them. The children listened +in wrapt attention. She was a wonder to them. + +The tale was scarcely over when up came the motor-car with Mrs. Ramsey +in it. She stepped out and came in the gate and up to the porch. "I +wanted to come, too, Miss Newman," she said. "I hope you don't mind." + +"Oh, mother," cried Jennie, "you are just too late to hear the most +beautiful story ever was." + +"Now isn't that too bad?" said Mrs. Ramsey. "I feel guilty to interrupt +this pleasant party, but I am afraid I shall have to take these girls +home for it is getting late." + +However, she did not hurry them and there was time for her to have a +little talk with both Miss Newman and Miss Eloise. Just as she was about +to take her leave she asked, "Do you think you would be able to take a +little ride in the motor-car, Miss Eloise, if I were to come for you +some day?" + +"Oh, sister, could I?" Miss Eloise turned to Miss Newman, her eyes like +stars. "I haven't been off this street for years," she said to Mrs. +Ramsey. + +"We would be very careful," said Mrs. Ramsey, seeing that Miss Newman +looked doubtful. "The man could wheel the chair out to the car and could +lift her in. It runs very smoothly and we would not go too fast nor on +any of the streets which are not asphalt." + +"Oh, sister!" Miss Eloise looked as pleadingly as any child. + +"I have never wheeled her further than the corner," said Miss Newman, +"for fear of the jolting when we had to go over the curb, but some day +when she is feeling her best--" + +"You will let me know--" put in Mrs. Ramsey eagerly. "Of course you will +go, too, Miss Newman, and as soon as you think she has gone far enough +we can come back. You know it is quite smooth and the riding easy going +even as far as Brookside." + +"Why that is our station," spoke up Edna. + +Mrs. Ramsey nodded and smiled, and they said their good-bys leaving Miss +Eloise feeling as if a new world were to open to her. + +Of course Mrs. Ramsey listened to a full account of all that had gone on +during the afternoon, and was deeply interested in the two sisters. "I +just love Miss Newman," declared Dorothy. "She is the sweetest thing to +her sister." + +"They just adore one another," Jennie told her mother. "Miss Newman +seems like some one else when I think of her now. I am so glad we went." + +"So am I," replied her mother. + +"And Miss Eloise knows all about our club and is so interested in it," +Edna remarked. "Girls, we must always tell Miss Newman about the +meetings after this so she can tell Miss Eloise all that goes on." + +"Of course we must," they agreed. + +"I know something better than that you could do," Mrs. Ramsey told them. +"Why not make Miss Eloise an honorary member as you did Nettie Black? I +think you could stretch your rule far enough not to make it out of the +way to have one grown up person, when it is such a character as Miss +Eloise. She could be the exception who will prove the rule." + +"But, Mrs. Ramsey, she couldn't come to the meetings." Dorothy reminded +her. + +"No, but you could take turns in going to her; I mean you could appoint +a committee of two to go to her each week and tell her about the +previous meeting, then once in a while when she felt able, you could +meet at her house." + +"What a perfectly fine plan," cried Edna. "Will you tell Agnes and Celia +about it, Mrs. Ramsey?" + +"Why certainly, if you like." + +"Now? This afternoon when you take us to our houses, Dorothy and me?" + +"I don't see any objection." + +The upshot of this was that Miss Eloise was admitted to the club to her +intense delight. After Agnes and Celia had been to see her they were so +enthusiastic that all the girls in the club by twos and threes paid her +visits, and she came to know them every one. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE FLOWER PLAY + + +As the time approached for the flower play to be given attention there +was considerable anxiety on the part of those who had taken it in hand. +Ben declared that while he could do the main part of the work all right, +he must have help of the girls in certain directions. "I'm no good at +all when it comes to dialogue," he told them. "I can do the mechanical +part, get the thing into shape for the stage, give you the general plot +and all that, but you'll have to do the dialogue." + +"Oh, but Ben," said Agnes, "suppose we can't." + +"Then it will have to fall through." + +The girls looked very sober over this; they realized that Ben was giving +them more than they had any right to expect, and they could not ask him +to give his studies second place. "Well," said Agnes rather dolefully, +"we'll have to do the best we can." + +"Angels can do no more," returned Ben, "and since you are so near to +that class of beings you ought to be able to do something pretty fine." + +The compliment had the effect of bringing a smile to Agnes's face and so +the matter rested for that day. However, it was a subject which could +not be allowed to rest for very long as the time was fast approaching +when the parts must be given out for the girls to study. "And there will +have to be ever so many rehearsals," said Agnes woefully to Celia as +they were talking it over together on the Conways' porch. + +"We don't seem to make a bit of headway," said Celia. "What we have +written sounds so silly and flat. I'm afraid it will never be the kind +of thing we hoped for." + +"Ben has a lovely little plot and all the ideas he has given us about +the scenes and the dressing of the characters and the funny situations +are mighty good," returned Agnes, "it does seem as if between us all we +ought to be able to do the rest when we have eighteen regular members in +the club and two honorary ones." + +Edna who was sitting on the top step listening attentively to all this, +looked up. "Why don't you ask Miss Eloise to help you? She would love +to, and she tells such beautiful, beautiful stories, you know." + +"That is a brilliant idea," returned Agnes, "but she says she can never +write them, she can only tell them." + +"But couldn't she tell what to say and one of you write it down?" + +Agnes looked at Celia and Celia looked at Agnes. "She has struck it, I +do believe," cried Celia. + +"Edna, honey, you are a child worth knowing," said Agnes. "The idea of +your thinking of such a simple way out of the trouble when the rest of +us were fumbling around for ideas. Of course that can be done, and as +you say, I have no doubt but that Miss Eloise will be perfectly +delighted to do anything she can for the club. Where is Ben? Do hunt him +up, Edna, that's a good child." + +As Edna generally knew Ben's haunts she was not long in finding him. He +was much interested in what she had to say, threw down the book he was +studying and went with her to join the girls. He was really very anxious +to please them all and would go to almost any lengths to do it. + +"Ben," cried Agnes as he came up on the porch. "Isn't that a fine scheme +that Edna has thought of?" + +"I should smile, and I have thought of just the stunt to get it in shape +the quickest. If one of you girls will go with me to present me to the +lady, I can take down what she says in shorthand and knock it off on the +type-writer afterward. Then we'll all get together, you two girls, Miss +Eloise and yours truly, and we'll put the whole thing into shape in +double-quick time. How does that strike you?" + +"Ben, you have saved our lives. When can you go to see Miss Eloise? This +afternoon? It is Saturday and you haven't anything on hand more +important than foot-ball, have you?" + +"Do not speak slightingly of my athletic sports, if you please. However, +I can forego the delights of being mauled for one afternoon, I reckon, +and am at your service, fair lady. When shall you want to start?" + +"Oh, right after luncheon, I think; as early as possible so as to have a +good long afternoon. I do hope Miss Eloise is feeling fairly well +to-day." + +"Miss Newman says she is better all the time nowadays, since she has so +much more to interest her," piped up Edna. "She told me yesterday that +she had not had one of those dreadful attacks for ever so long." + +"Then let us hope for the best," answered Ben. + +It was exactly as Edna had predicted; Miss Eloise entered into the plan +with the greatest eagerness, and when Ben had opened up his plot to her +and had showed her how he had planned the scenes she said she would take +a few minutes to think it over and then she thought she could give him +some of the needed dialogue, and before they left Ben had taken down as +much as was necessary for this first time, promising to come back for +the rest. + +"I'll get this into shape and bring it with me," he told Miss Eloise. + +"And we can make copies so as to give out that much for the girls to +learn," said Agnes. + +They returned in high spirits, and for some time Ben's type-writing +machine was heard clicking away. The characters had already been talked +over and the principle ones given out. Ben had chosen very pretty +fantastic names for the various flowers who were to be represented. +Jennie was to be Pussy Willow; Edna, Pinky Blooms; Dorothy, Daisy White; +Agnes, Rose Wild; Celia, Violet Blue, while Ben, himself was to be the +old giant, Pine Knot, who lived in a swamp. It had been found necessary +to introduce some of the boys into the play so Charlie and Frank +Conway, Steve and Roger Porter were pressed into service. Charlie was to +be Sassy Fras; Frank, Winter Green; Steve, Cran Berry, while Roger was +to be the giant's henchman, Pine Needles. + +The play was not to be for a week after school closed that they all +might have plenty of time for its preparation without interfering with +their school work. There was never very much fuss made over the closing +by Uncle Justus, so there was not that excitement. Mr. Horner did not +believe in showy commencements, and when the girls were graduated they +simply received their diplomas after a few simple exercises, and then +the school was dismissed. Therefore, the play was the great subject of +conversation among the scholars. The girls who were already in the club +were triumphantly sounding its praises to those who were not, while +those who were not in were clamoring for entrance. However, it had been +decided that no more new members would be admitted until fall, as there +was already enough heart-burning over the players and their parts. The +giving out of these had been left entirely to Miss Eloise who had chosen +as she thought best, so there was at least no one of the girls to accuse +of partiality. Margaret in the very beginning announced that her mother +did not want her to take part and that she did not care to herself, as +she was to have the fun of entertaining them all at her house, and +moreover, she "couldn't act any more than a broomstick." + +Of all the girls who felt the most bitter probably Clara Adams was the +one who was chief among them. It was the greatest grievance she had ever +known, in the first place not to take part in such a thing and in the +second not even to be invited to the entertainment. Each girl in the +club was allowed to ask two persons, and each one taking part in the +play was allowed the same privilege, therefore, with her two brothers +among the characters and her sister as well, Edna was free to ask anyone +she chose. Mr. and Mrs. Horner had received an invitation from the whole +club, so had Miss Newman, and the other teachers, and many of the pupils +who were outside the charmed circle were invited by their schoolmates +who were free to give invitations, only Clara Adams was not considered +for a moment by anyone, and she was very miserable over the fact. If +ever she regretted her past disagreeable treatment of her school +fellows, it was now, but she would not have admitted this even to +herself, although in her heart of hearts she was conscious of it being +so. + +"I'm not coming back here to school next year," she announced to Edna +one day. The two had little chats once in a while and, to do Clara +justice, she did her best to be pleasant whenever Edna gave her the +chance. + +"Oh, aren't you? Why not?" asked Edna. + +Clara was silent for a moment, then she said, quite honestly, "My father +can't afford to send me to such an expensive school. I suppose I shall +have to go to the public school." Then in a new accession of pride, +"Anyhow, father likes the public school better." + +"Oh," Edna could not truthfully say she was sorry, for the fact, though +she was sorry for the girl. She told the other girls what Clara had said +and the gist of most of the responses was "Good riddance to bad +rubbish." So it did not look very favorable for an enthusiastic farewell +to poor Clara in the way of attentions to a departing friend. If anyone +thought of her at all it was Edna, and she was too busy with all her +other interests to give much regret to Clara. + +It was only when her mother asked her one day, "Has anyone invited Clara +Adams to the great meeting of the club when you are to wind up the year +with such a flourish?" that her conscience began to prick her. + +"Nobody has asked her," she answered, "and she is dying to come. She +isn't coming back to school next year, you know." + +"Yes, I think you told me that. I feel very sorry for her. Of course, +she is not at all the kind of child I should choose for a companion for +my little girl, but I am very glad you have tried to be kind to her, +though I cannot say I regret her leaving the school you attend." + +Edna was silent for a moment and so was her mother who presently asked: +"Have you given out all your invitations, dear?" + +"No, mother, I still have one." + +"Whom did you send the other to?" + +"Miss Martin. She and her father were so nice to me at the fair you +know, but one of the other girls has invited Mr. Martin." + +"I see. That was certainly a very good choice for you to make." + +"I can't quite decide about the other one," Edna went on. "I want to +give it to the one who wants it most, of the two girls at school who +would love to have it." + +"Is one of them Clara Adams?" + +"Oh, mother, no. Nobody wants her." Then after a silence, "I suppose she +wants to come badder than anyone else, but--mother, do you think, do you +really think I ought to invite her?" + +"Why, my dear, that is for you to decide." + +"Oh, dear," Edna gave a long sigh. Never in her life had she been more +put to it to make up her mind. "I don't want to one bit," she declared +after a moment's thought. "All of the girls will be down on me and say I +am a silly goose and all that." + +"It is probably your very last chance of doing her a kindness as she +will possibly not cross your path again," Mrs. Conway reminded her. + +Edna drew a longer sigh than before. The situation was getting harder +and harder. "Mother," she said with a woebegone face, "why do the +rightest things always be the hardest ones?" + +"I don't think they always are, dear child. Is this so very hard?" + +"Oh, yes. I think it is the hardest thing I most ever had to do. Even +last year when those things about Louis worried me so, I didn't mind so +much, for I was really fond of Louis. He was my cousin and it seemed +more as if I ought to." + +"Well, dearie, suppose you think over it a while. You can keep back your +invitation till the very last minute, you know, for if you do decide to +let Clara have it, she will be glad to accept even at the eleventh hour, +I am sure." + +"Suppose she should say horrid mean things and stir up a fuss as she +does so many times, I should feel so badly." + +"I don't believe she would do that because she would be enjoying herself +and would probably be on her best behavior. If you like, I will see that +she sits next to me which would be quite right if she should be your +guest, and it will not spoil my pleasure if she should make disagreeable +remarks." + +Edna went over and leaned her elbows on her mother's lap, looking up in +her face and asking. "What would you say to yourself if she made +disagreeable remarks?" + +"I should say, 'Never mind; I am so happy that my own darling little +girl made the sacrifice of asking her that nothing else matters much.'" + +"And you wouldn't say anything to her?" + +"I should, no doubt, say several things to her," replied Mrs. Conway +kissing the eager face uplifted toward hers. + +Edna went over to the window and stood there a long time, but she saw +none of the things she looked out upon. She was having a sharp struggle. +Clara and her mother against all the girls in the club, that was the way +it seemed to be, but finally the former conquered and she went back to +where her mother still sat. "Mother," she said firmly, "I am going to +invite Clara. I have made up my mind. Will you please ask Agnes and +Celia to take my part?" + +"My blessed child, of course I will. What sort of a Golden Rule would it +be that allowed a little girl to be chidden for carrying out its +precepts. As president of your club, Agnes will surely see that you are +acting upon its principles, and Celia, too, must see it. They must not +let their enjoyment and their love of harmony make them forget that +part." + +Then Edna snuggled very close to her mother and felt comforted. "I am +not going to keep her from knowing," she said. "I'll tell her first +thing, so she can have the fun of looking forward to it." When Edna did +a thing there was no doing it by halves. + +Therefore it was a surprised and delighted Clara who received her +invitation the next day, and to Edna's great satisfaction all the good +in the girl rose to the occasion. "I think you are the very sweetest +girl I ever knew, Edna Conway," she said, "and I am sorry, I really am, +that I haven't always been friends with you. I was horrid, often I was," +and this was Edna's compensation. + +Such a flutter and flurry and whispering and giggling there was on that +afternoon when everything was in readiness for the little flower play. +There was quite a large audience gathered on the smooth green lawn where +seats had been placed for them. The shrubs and flower beds with trees +beyond made a fine background for the stretch of terrace, which became a +stage for the occasion. Jennie in a fuzzy grayish brown frock with a +hood, made a dear little Pussy Willow, Edna in pink with her rosy cheeks +was the very picture of Pinky Blooms, Dorothy's golden head made a +lovely centre for Daisy White, while as for Ben, the big giant, he was +the roughest, toughest old Pine Knot one could imagine. + +"If only Miss Eloise could be here to see us," said Edna as she peeped +from behind the leafy screen which hid the flower fairies from view. + +Dorothy was peeping, too, and presently she exclaimed, "She is here! Oh, +Edna, she is here! See, they are bringing her now!" And sure enough, +there in her wheeled chair was Miss Eloise, her lovely face all smiles +as her sister and Mr. Ramsey pushed her chair along. + +"I do believe Mrs. Ramsey brought her out," cried Edna. + +"She did," Jennie told them, "I didn't tell, because I thought it would +be such a nice surprise for everybody." + +A surprise it was indeed, and because of her presence, or because it is +generally so, they all did much better than at any of their rehearsals +and received such applause as quite overpowered them. Then Mr. Ramsey +raised a call for "Author! Author!" So after some little delay Ben, +still in his giant's dress, was brought around and wheeled Miss Eloise +out to the very front where she was given another round of applause and +more flowers than she could hold. She quite forgot herself in her +anxiety that Ben should receive what was due to him and all unmindful of +the large audience, she cried out, "Oh, but I did so little; it is all +Ben's plan!" + +Then Ben was cheered, and in the midst of such very special +demonstrations he beat a retreat. + +Clara established by Mrs. Conway's side had not a word of anything but +praise and delight, and after the little players came out to mix with +their friends she sought out Edna. "It was the loveliest thing I ever +saw," she told her, "and I do thank you for letting me come." + +"She was really very decent," said the girls, looking after her as she +started for home with her mother who called for her. + +Edna watched her out of sight, a feeling of pity mingled with gladness +in her heart. And so Clara Adams passed out of her life, for before +another year the entire family had moved out west, and the places which +saw Clara Adams saw her no more. + +The stars were coming out before they all left Mrs. MacDonald's. The +guests had taken their departure earlier and had been as complimentary +as anyone could desire. Miss Eloise, tired but very happy, had gone off +with the Ramseys in their motor-car. Edna, Dorothy and Margaret walked +down to the gate to watch the sunset, all yellow and glowing. + +"Miss Newman looked almost pretty," said Dorothy. "She had such a dear +frock on and her hair is much nicer the way she wore it to-day. I shall +feel so very different about having her for a teacher next year." + +"So shall I," agreed Edna. + +Moggins, Margaret's cat had sought them out and was rubbing up against +his little mistress. "Oh, you poor dear, I don't believe anyone has +thought to give you your milk," said Margaret. So she went off with the +cat in her arms. + +Then "Where are you, Dorothy?" cried her sister, and Dorothy scampered +off that she might not be left behind on the homeward walk. + +Edna walked slowly toward the house. Halfway up the walk she met Uncle +Justus. "I was just coming for you to walk home with me," he told her. +"Your aunt and I are going to stay all night." + +"I'm glad of that," Edna replied slipping her hand into his. + +They walked on toward the road, quite silent for a few moments, till +Edna looking up, said, "Uncle Justus, I think you have a perfectly +lovely school." + +He smiled down at her. + +"I have some perfectly lovely pupils," he answered with a smile. + + +THE END + + + + + * * * * * + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE + + +The original language, punctuation and spelling have been retained, +except where noted. + +The following changes were made to the original text (the original text +is on the first line, the correction is on the following line): + + 23: you, do you?' + you, do you?" + + 27: to say. Wouldn't you like to know what + to say: Wouldn't you like to know what + + 34: didn't stay but came over to us." She + didn't stay but came over to us. She + + 55: the next time," said Agnes, and after + the next time," said Agnes, "and after + + 108: right away," declared Nettie, for it takes + right away," declared Nettie, "for it takes + + 117: "I'll wait," he said, and if you will + "I'll wait," he said, "and if you will + + 161: make you an honorary member, Agnes said." + make you an honorary member," Agnes said. + + 167: time this morning. + time this morning." + + 231: Miss Newman says she is better all the + "Miss Newman says she is better all the + + 242: precepts. As president, of your club, + precepts. As president of your club, + + * * * * * + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Dear Little Girl at School, by Amy E. 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