Mary Finley Leonard

“ Carl, it was Dora who found Carie," Bess exclaimed delightedly.
From this moment the charmed circle was open to her. Dora could hardly believe she was not dreaming. To be taken into the midst of all the fun under the protection of her new friends—to find herself suddenly popular! What could have seemed more incredible half an hour before? Louise, who was a born leader, and whose bright face and sunny temper made her a general favorite, [48] took her in charge, and Dora entered so heartily into the game, laughing so merrily at her mistakes, that her companions begun at once to like her. ”

“ Suppose you thought it fun to steal somebody's pocketbook?" said Carl.
"That is a different thing."
"What is the real difference between stealing money and ruining something that cost money?" asked Will.
"Father says that in America people have less respect for public property than anywhere else in the world," remarked Fred.
"I am afraid it is true," replied Mrs. Howard, "and that is why I want you boys to think about it. Ikey, haven't you something to say?" This young gentleman, who had been fidgeting about like some uneasy insect, now became greatly embarrassed. ”

“ It was very quiet in the neighborhood that afternoon. There were no children to be seen anywhere, and on the broad piazza of the house where the Hazeltines lived the chairs and settees, with here and there a gay cushion, appeared to be having a good time all to themselves, gathered in sociable groups. The clematis and honeysuckle swung softly in the breeze, making graceful shadows, and the maple trees stretched out long arms and touched [7] each other gently now and then. At the back of the house on the kitchen steps sat Aunt Sukey, a person of dignity and authority. ”

“ Profound interest reigned in Miss Brown's sitting-room for the next half hour, as Aunt Zélie unfolded her plan and explained what she wanted of each one. "And in the meantime you must not breathe a word about what we are to have, but excite every body's curiosity as much as possible," she said in conclusion.
"Won't it be lovely!" cried Elsie, clapping her hands.
"A great deal better than a fair, and more fun," said Louise.
In the pretty room which belonged to Bess and Louise sat a busy group one afternoon. ”

“ I shall have a good time."
"How fortunate it is that Dora cares so little about dress!" her mother thought as her daughter kissed her and ran down to the parlor, where Carl was waiting with a bunch of roses which he presented with much grace. The girls were in the carriage outside, and the drive through the streets, where the electric lights were just appearing, was no small part of the pleasure. Helen said it was like grown people going to a party. "But it is more fun to be children, I think," said Dora, burying her face in her flowers. ”

“ Bess had placed the vase on a bracket beneath her uncle's portrait, and now came down from the chair, adding anxiously, "You like it, don't you, Aunt Zélie?"
"The vase wouldn't hold them all, so you must wear the rest," and Louise put them into her hand.
Aunt Zélie silently kissed them both.
There was something about this kiss that for a moment clouded the brightness of the day for Bess. "I wish people did not die," she exclaimed with almost a sob, as they went downstairs. ”

“ Constance asked with wide-open eyes, for she had broken half a dozen tea-sets in her short lifetime.
"You did not think then that when you were grown up you would give some other children chocolate in these cups, did you?" said Dora.
"If we should keep our things I wonder if they would be as funny and interesting to us when we are grown up?" Bess fingered one of the cups admiringly as she spoke.
"I never feel as if I'd care for things when I am old," said Elsie. ”

“ Uncle William and Aunt Marcia were there, and the Warners had just been spoken of. "A good suggestion," said the first-named; "suppose we do."
"I don't approve of this move at all," Mrs. Hazeltine announced; "Mrs. Warner must have lost her mind to consent."
"It is a great deal nicer than you imagine, Aunt Marcia," urged Bess.
"Dora doesn't care about being fashionable, and you can have more fun if you don't," observed Louise.
"You seem to care for nothing but fun," said her aunt, with dignity. ”

“ Carl began.
"I know what she means," said Bess. "Just because it is fun isn't a good excuse."
"That is it," answered her aunt. "I believe in fun if only you do not put it first, above thought for the feelings or property of others. I am sure you did not mean to do wrong, but it would not do for me to let you go on being thoughtless, would it?"
"Mrs. Ford isn't a bit like you, Aunt Zélie; she was dreadfully mad at Ikey, and said he must stay in his room all day," remarked Louise. ”

“ Brown's was going to take the house, but that is all I know," she answered.
"Carl and Ikey saw a cross-looking woman with a feather duster. I do hope there will be some nice children," said Bess.
"All boys," Carl added briefly.
"Boys? No, indeed! Girls are much nicer, aren't they, Ikey?" and Louise looked at him mischievously over her shoulder.
Ikey's shyness or his politeness, perhaps both, would not allow him to reply.
"They are both nice when they are nice," said Aunt Zélie. "Being a girl myself, of course I like girls, and so does this individual," patting the head against her shoulder. ”

“ After some laughing and whispering over a plan for waking before any one else, they separated and were soon so soundly asleep that even Christmas was forgotten.
It was beginning to be light next morning when Louise opened her eyes to find Carl standing beside her.
"How hard you are to wake," he said. "It is daylight, and everybody will be up directly."
They aroused Bess, and the three ran first to their father's door, then to Aunt Zélie's, giving half a dozen hearty raps, and calling "Merry Christmas" at the tops of their voices. ”

“ Zélie took up her box, saying, "The next thing is the distribution of badges; but before I take them out I want to say a word."
"Hear! Hear!" murmured Carl.
"No preaching!" begged Aleck.
"Do, Mrs. Howard, he needs it," said Dora.
"Yes, I am going to preach a little. I want you to remember that these badges are to keep our motto before you. They mean that you promise to be helpers, and that is something more than getting up entertainments as we did for the harp man. It means being good-tempered and kind at home and in school, doing little thoughtful things for people. ”

“ Bess hastened to say; but the mischief was done.
"Then keep your old slide," Elsie cried angrily. "I wouldn't be so selfish. Come, Constance, let's not stay where they don't want us."
"Don't go, Elsie; it is not worth quarrelling about," urged Dora; but she wouldn't listen and walked off with an air of offended dignity, followed rather reluctantly by Constance. Dora wanted to go after her, but Louise held her fast.
"Don't go, Dody; it won't do a bit of good. If she is mad, she can just be mad."
They took a few more slides, finding it not half so much fun as before. ”

“ Dora asked, running up the steps in great surprise. "Shall I ring the bell or go around?" pausing with her hand on the knob.
"You'd better ring. I don't want to see the girls."
Dora's hand still rested on the bell, but she hesitated. "Elsie," she said, "I just believe this has happened so we can make up. Won't you? I know that Bess and Louise will if you will. Think how unhappy we are! We can't have any more good times." Dora felt that she had the advantage. ”

“ I like that part of the story best where the shepherds are out in the fields," said Louise.
"I like the wise men seeing the star and bringing gifts," said Carl.
"It is beautiful from beginning to end, and it is a true story, that is what makes it so dear to us," Aunt Zélie said, looking into the fire.
[115] "I wish it came oftener, a whole year is so long to wait," sighed Bess.
"Dear me," laughed her aunt, "I don't. It would take all my time to get ready. I have ever so many things to do after you are snugly tucked in bed." ”

“ Bess asked, holding her basket at arm's length to see the effect of the golden-brown ribbon she was weaving in and out through the straw.
"It is a beauty," answered Dora admiringly.
"Yes, it is pretty, really," said Louise, whose fingers were trying to fashion what she called a stylish bow.
"Girls are funny, always sticking bows on things," observed Carl.
"If it is funny to like to make things look pretty, I am glad I am funny," said Dora severely. ”

“ It was that Dora knew all about it. She came to lunch that dreadful Saturday to go with the others to see Hermann, and of course Helen's bruises and his own absence had to be accounted for.
On his way home from school one morning he saw her and her mother coming towards him on the other side of the street. When they were within speaking distance, Mrs. Warner bowed, but Dora looked in another direction as if she wished not to see him.
Carl was hurt and mortified, for he was sure he knew the reason.
"I don't care, it is mean to be so hard on a fellow. Aunt Zélie isn't," he said to himself. ”

“ It will be almost like Christmas," said Louise.
"Not like one of Uncle William's parties, though," put in Carl.
"School begins next week, and three months of pegging before Christmas," groaned Aleck.
"Come on, then; let's make the most of the time we have," Carl urged energetically.
It was the afternoon of the next day, and Louise stood before the mirror critically viewing her sash.
"Why, Joanna! You have made Bess's bows ever so much longer than mine." ”

“ So while Joanna carried Carie off for a walk the others went down to the kitchen.
It was a large, bright room, and it was Mandy's pride to keep it shining. Aunt Sukey sat by one of the windows with the mending basket beside her, and the presiding genius stood at the spotless table rolling out croquettes.
"Mandy, we are so lonely without Auntie! mayn't we make some candy to amuse us?" Louise put on her most coaxing expression.
"The kitchen ain't the place for young ladies to get their dresses dirty in, and their fingers burned," said Sukey severely. ”

“ Standing where she was shielded front their view by a bush that grew in the fence corner, this is what she heard:
"We haven't played the Carletons for ever so long; do begin," urged Louise.
"I think Lucy ought to be married," said Bess; "she is eighteen, you know, and I suppose people are generally married when they are so old as that. Then a wedding will be such fun!"
"Yes, indeed, and she has been engaged to Edwin Graves a long time." ”

“ When at last the once sturdy, ambitious man struggled back to life he was only the wreck of what he had been.
Jim returned to school when his father was out of danger, as his uncle thought he ought to finish the term. He was very much subdued, but his companions appreciated his manliness, and gave him a warm welcome.
"He has lots of pluck," said Carl warmly; "he was as anxious to go to college as any of us, but he doesn't say a word about it now—says he is going to work this summer."
"I wish you would tell him how pleased I am with him," said Aunt Zélie. ”

“ Louise, and everybody knows how funny it is when well done.
John was carried home again very tired, but with a radiant face, eager to show his silver key. As the spring days grew warm and pleasant his wheeled chair was often seen on the sidewalk, or in the Hazeltines' garden, where he liked to watch the games of tennis and croquet, drawing clever little caricatures of the players meanwhile. Somebody was always ready to wheel him about, and in the pleasure of young companionship he grew stronger, and his face lost much of its pathetic look. ”

“ She asked me to come to see her, and she is older than Bess."
"There is no nonsense about her," said Carl.
"I think it is hard to tell why you like people." Bess twisted her handkerchief meditatively. "She isn't exactly pretty, but she is pleasant and polite—"
"Yes, and she is ready to do anything, and doesn't think about her clothes," Carl interposed.
"Boys think about their clothes as well as girls," said Louise. "I know lots of girls who don't think about their clothes."
"So do I—some who have no regard whatever for them," said Aunt Zélie, laughing. ”

“ What I do not like is that tone of lofty superiority. You do not realize how it sounds, and as I consider myself one of the girls I shall take such remarks as personal. Now tell me about the club; is it to be simply for fun?"
"We'd like a little fun, please," said Aleck.
"Aunt Zélie, we really don't know what we want, but we thought you could suggest something. You can think of scrumptious things when you try, and we can get ahead of the girls easily if we have you. So please, there's a dear," and Carl emphasized his request with a bear-like hug from behind. ”

“ It was a morning of surprises. While her mother sat in her easy-chair, with a more cheerful face than she had worn for years, Dora went about finding every now and then something new. There were hyacinths from Helen and Carie, Elsie's pincushion on the bureau, a table cover from Constance, and on the sideboard a cunning teapot, with this touching verse tied on the handle:
"Whene'er a cup of tea you drink,
Of me I hope you'll kindly think. ”

“ A headache can be a very serious thing while it lasts," said his father.
"But if you had seen the man. He looked as if he were making it up."
"Much study has affected your imagination, Carl," laughed Cousin Helen.
"And what is the matter with you, then, Cousin Helen? Who sent Aunt Zélie a postal card with nothing on it but the address?" inquired Louise.
This caused a laugh, for Miss Hazeltine was just now the target for all the teasing her young relatives could contrive. ”

“ When it was well begun Bess sat down by Sukey, saying, "Now tell us a story, mammy."
"Oh, go 'long, I tole you all my stories long ago! You all's getting too big for stories. Looks like it was just yesterday that Miss Zélie was askin', 'Mammy, tell me a story,' same as you."
"Was Auntie pretty when she was a little girl?" asked Bess.
"There never was a child as good-looking from first to last. Louise favors her, and it looks like I forget sometimes that it ain't Miss Zélie; but pretty is as pretty does, that's the truth, and she was pretty in manners as well as face." ”

“ I can't talk to you now, Carl; you'd better go to your room. I can't tell you how disappointed I am."
He never thought of not following her suggestion; indeed, he was glad to get away from those indignant eyes.
"Of course," he muttered to himself, "I am all to blame and nothing is said to Helen about spoiling my work. Boys are always found fault with, but girls can do anything."
Down in his heart he knew this was not true, but he chose to think it. He flung himself into a chair by the window. ”