Augusta Huiell Seaman

“ And I took out my English history and buried my nose in it while I nibbled peanut-butter sandwiches. But even that didn’t phase Lucy! She continued to sit by me and chatter, though I tried hard to close my ears to it all. But presently I heard her saying:
“You are absolutely a scream, Elspeth, the way you’ve been carrying that old bag around with you all day, as though it were filled with jewels! All the girls are giggling over it and dying to know what you’ve got there. Do tell us and satisfy our curiosity, won’t you?” ”

“ One would think, on the face of it, that to carry a jewel-case in an old black silk lunch bag embroidered with yellow nasturtiums, in company with some sandwiches and cake, would be a simple matter and cause no special remark! But such was not to be in this case!
As there was too much snow on the ground to ride my wheel, I had to walk. And, as luck would have it, when half-way there I was joined by Lucy Shaver. Now, Lucy is a girl I dislike extremely. She is of the inquisitive and pushing kind that always wants to know everything about your affairs and doesn’t hesitate to ask. ”

“ CHAPTER XI A TEMPESTUOUS DAY IT seems very foolish, as I look back at it now, to think of my carrying that wretched parcel around with me all day and suffering as much as I did. Yet, at the time, it appeared to be the only way. If we had felt free to tell any one about the jewels and leave them in competent care,—as, for instance, with Daddy,—it would have been so much better. ”