Patty Blossom

“ And now, as an uncontrollable smile parted her scarlet lips, and her white teeth gleamed, and her dimples came into view, Patty justified Philip's term of "pretty Patty," but she quickly concealed her smile by sinking her chin deep into the great fur collar of her coat.
"Wasn't it a crazy party?" Mona went on, not realising she was on a dangerous subject. "They all took themselves so seriously."
"Why shouldn't they?" said Patty, coming up out of her fur cave; "it might be better if we all took ourselves more seriously,—such a lot of triflers and sillyheads as we are!" ”

“ And there is nothing in this whole round world truer than our love,—is there, dear? I just live in it,—when I am alone, I thing of nothing but US, and, I’m afraid I am absent-minded, even when other people are about. Do come home soon,—come to your own Patty Posy. Tell me quick when to look for you! Why didn’t you tell me sooner there was hope of seeing you soon? My own dear big man, my own, my owner, my ownest, I’m now and forever “Your “Patty Blossom.”
Farnsworth frowned,—he looked puzzled, amazed, hurt. ”

“ Slowly she moved and swayed; then, as the music quickened, her steps grew more animated, her smile more bright, the lights were stronger, and the dance ended in a whirl of graceful pirouette and tossing, fluttering draperies. With no pause or intermission, Patty was changed to an impersonation of summer. It was done by the lights. Her robe was really of white chiffon, and as pink lights had made it appear in rosy tints, so now a deep yellow light gave the effect of sultry sunlight.
The music, and likewise the rhythm of the dance, were soft and languorous as a July noon. ”

“ You and your eternal cheerfulness!"
"All right, anything to please," and Patty assumed a doleful expression, drew down the corners of her mouth, and wrung her hands in mock despair.
"Isn't it mean," she wailed; "here's this horrid, hateful old snowstorm, and we can't go outdoors or anything! I'm mad as a hornet, as a hatter, as a wet hen, as a March hare, as a—as hops, as—what else gets awful mad, Elise?"
"I shall, if you continue to act like an idiot!"
"My good heavens!" and Patty rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, "there's no pleasing her—positively no pleasing her! What to do! What to do!" ”

“ The dance concluded, Farnsworth stood for a moment, still holding Patty's hand after their last sweeping curtsey, and he said, "Will you be my supper partner, too? Please do."
"I can't," and Patty laughed up at him. "I'm really engaged to Phil."
"Oh, are you, Patty?" cried Daisy, who was just passing, with Kit Cameron. "I said you'd announce it tonight! What fun! But why are you telling Big Bill all by himself first? You ought to tell all the crowd at once. I'll do it for you. Come on, Kit, let's spread the news! We've Patty's own word for it." ”

“ If it's Roger, let Mona go down and see him alone. I'm a fine gooseberry, don't you think so?"
"It is Roger," Patty announced, a moment later, as she leaned over the banister to see, "skip along, Mona, we'll be down in ten minutes."
"Isn't she funny?" said Elise, as Patty returned to her room. "I never saw anybody so crazy."
"She's so excited, she doesn't know whether she's on her head or her heels," agreed Patty. "Her nature is volatile, and she has no sense of moderation. She wants everything and all there is of it. ”

“ CONTENTS CHAPTER I SAM BLANEY II A STUDIO PARTY III PHILIP OBJECTS IV PATTY STAYS LATE V AT RED CHIMNEYS VI A SOCIETY CIRCUS VII A CLEVER PLAN VIII A REAL POEM IX A SHOWER X MONA'S WEDDING XI THE CITY STUDIO XII AN ODD DINNER PARTY XIII ELISE AND PATTY XIV PATTY'S DANCE XV THE CHRISTMAS PARTY XVI A STOLEN POEM XVII PATTY'S DECISION XVIII THE HOUSE SALE XIX PATTY RUNAWAY XX BLOSSOM GIRL Patty Blossom
CHAPTER I SAM BLANEY "Patty, Patty, pit-a-pat,
Grinning like a Chessy Cat,
if you don't stop looking so everlasting cheerful, I'll throw something at you!" ”

“ Bob Riggs, from his own chariot, pronounced the entertainment over, and then the performers and audience mingled in a gay crowd, dancing and feasting till the small hours.
"I'm sorry," said Ray, penitently, to Patty, as soon as she had a good chance. "I was a wretch, and you're an angel to speak to me at all."
"I am," agreed Patty, calmly. "Not one girl in a dozen would forgive you. It was a horrid thing to do, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself and you are. I know that. But I choose to forget the whole affair, and I only ask you never to treat anybody else so meanly." ”

“ Daisy laughed at Patty's unmistakable chagrin, and ran away downstairs to claim her books.
It so chanced that there was no one else in Patty's boudoir at that moment. Everybody had flocked to the next room to see a new consignment of treasures displayed, and Farnsworth and Patty were alone.
"Yes," he said, looking straight at her, "I did buy the Riley set for you. But as you're so averse to accepting my ostentatious offerings, I thought better to give it to Daisy. And I had another reason, too." ”

“ It takes the modern viewpoint, the young soulsight to apprehend the beauty of vision, the vast—vast——"
"Horizon," suggested Chick, kindly.
"Yes, horizon," said Patty; "how did you know, Chick?"
"Oh, horizons are always vast. Deeps are vasty. Nothing much else is vast, except once in a while a distance. So I felt safe in chancing the horizon."
"Oh, Chick, you are the funniest thing!" said Nan, who was shaking with laughter at Patty's chagrin. "But," and her voice suddenly became serious, "I won't stand for your nonsense. I range myself on Patty's side. These people were our guests. ”

“ They were in Patty's boudoir, the morning after the Christmas party. A breakfast tray, with contents only partly demolished, was pushed away, as the importance of the discussion made food seem an intrusive factor.
Patty's cap was askew on her hastily knotted-up curls, and she gathered about her the voluminous folds of a billowy, blue silk affair, that was her latest acquisition in the way of négligées.
"My child," said Nan, "you have given yourself away. If you want any help in making up your mind, you are not in love with that young man. ”

“ Alla announced, indicating Patty herself as the "gem." "She hasn't quite found herself yet,—but she will soon command the range of the whole emotional spectrum! She is a wonder! Her soul is stuffed to bursting with dynamic force! We must train her, educate her, show her, gently guide her dancing feet in the paths of beauty,—in the star-strewn paths of cosmic beauty."
"We will!" shouted a dozen voices. "What can she do?"
"Dance," replied Alla. "But such dancing! She is a will-o'-the-wisp, a pixie, a thistledown, a butterfly!"
"All those and more," said Sam Blaney. ”

“ Meantime Ray had no costume to wear.
"Where's your Pierrette rig?" asked Patty.
"Over home," said Ray, disconsolately.
"Go and telephone for them to send it over, if you want it," said
Patty. "Put on your long cloak, and telephone."
Ray looked at her dubiously for a moment, and then said, "No, I won't.
I'll go home and stay home,—that's what I'll do!"
"Go ahead," said Patty, blithely, who didn't feel she really owed the girl any further consideration. "And next time you try to get even with anybody, pick out some one who'll let you stay even!" ”

“ And the day before their departure, Elise gave a little farewell tea, to which were bidden only the people Patty liked best.
The Blaneys were there, and, capturing Patty, Sam took her from the laughing crowd and led her to a secluded alcove of the veranda. It was a pleasant nook, enclosed with glass panes, and filled with ferns and palms.
"Sit thee down," said Blaney, arranging a few cushions in a long low wicker chair.
"I'm glad to," and Patty dropped into the seat. "I do think teas are the limit for tiring people out."
"You oughtn't to waste yourself on teas. ”

“ And you, Daisy? Are you going to live East, also?"
"Haven't decided yet," and Daisy glanced coquettishly at Farnsworth.
"Maybe so."
"Don't you go yet, Patty," begged Elise. "Stay a while longer, and we'll have tea,—chocolate, too, which I know you like better."
"'Course I'll stay," said Patty; "your chocolate is always the best ever. Order it up. What beautiful violets, Daisy."
"Yes, Bill bought them for me as we passed a florist's shop. I adore violets."
"What girl doesn't?" laughed Patty. "At least she adores having them bought for her." ”

“ Blaney, take me home at once. What will Mrs. Farrington think? I've never stayed anywhere so late before,—alone,—I mean."
"You're not alone, Patricia, dear," said Alla, surprised at Patty's evident alarm. "You're ours now, you know, and we will care for you and protect you. Sam will take you home, and if you fear Mrs. Farrington's reproaches, I will go with you and explain."
"Oh, not that," and Patty smiled. "I don't fear her, you know. I'm not a child, and I can do as I like. But it is not my custom to stay later than the people I came with." ”

“ This was caused by the burning of various incense sticks and pastilles which gave out a sweet, spicy odour, and which made a slight haze of smoke. Becoming a little accustomed to the gloom, Patty discerned her host, amazingly garbed in an Oriental burnoose and a voluminous silk turban. He took her hand, made a deep salaam, and kissed her finger-tips with exaggerated ceremony.
"My sister, Alla," he said, "Miss Fairfield."
Patty looked up to see a tall, gaunt woman smiling at her. Miss Blaney, like her brother, was long, lanky and loose-jointed, and seemed to desire to accentuate these effects. ”

“ This rather pleased Patty, for she feared Chick's gay banter and she knew he didn't care for the Cosmic Centre Club and their ways.
"You are so wonderful!" Blaney was saying, as he looked at her. "I never cared for Christmas before."
Patty's gown was a long, sweeping robe of poinsettia red velvet. It would not have been becoming to most blondes, but Patty's fairness triumphed over all colour schemes. She wore a girdle of red velvet poinsettia blossoms and a wreath of small ones encircled her head.
"You are so beautiful——" Blaney's soft, purring voice went on. ”

“ Van Reypen was among them, and he called out to Patty:
"We've come for you. If your things aren't all sold, let somebody else look after them. We're going to supper now, and we want all our crowd together."
Gratefully, Patty turned to him, her head still in a whirl from
Farnsworth's audacity, and with Philip she went downstairs.
CHAPTER XIX PATTY RUNAWAY The next day was Saturday, and Patty woke to a somewhat dismantled and disordered room. Her bed had been restored to its place, after the guests had departed the night before, but other appointments were a bit lacking. ”

“ A girl was at the piano. Her gown, of burlaps, made Patty think it had been made from an old coffee sack. But it had a marvelous sash of flaming vermilion velvet, edged with gold fringe, and in her black hair was stuck a long, bright red quill feather, that gave her an Indian effect.
"I think her gown is out of key," Patty whispered, "and I am sure her music is!"
Blaney smiled. "She is a law unto herself," he replied, "that is an arbitrary minor scale, played in sixths and with a contrary motion." ”

“ He's coming down here tomorrow to talk it over with you. Mona's coming too, you know, and you can all have a powwow."
"All right," and Patty wagged her head, sagaciously. "It's not a bad idea at all. I knew Mr. Galbraith was thinking of selling the Spring Beach place, and it would be a fine house for the kiddies."
"And are you running a Children's Home?" asked Sam Blaney, as they all strolled back to the house, and paused on the wide veranda.
"Too cool for you out here, Patty?" asked Elise.
"Not a bit of it. I love the outdoors. ”

“ Though not greatly attracted by the unusual sights and strange people, Patty was interested and curious. She wanted to see the affair in its entirety, and was glad when Sam Blaney came over to where she sat by Philip on the divan.
"I've come to carry you off," Blaney said to her; "you must mingle with the crowd, if you want to become one of us."
"I'd like to mingle a little," Patty replied, "but I can't hope to become one of such a talented bunch as this."
"They're not all so talented," Blaney assured her, as he led her away, leaving Philip a bit moody and disapproving. ”

“ Oh, we have adopted you, and now you are ours, isn't she, Sam?"
"Indeed, yes," returned Blaney, enthusiastically; "never was such a rare soul added to our circle. Priestess Patricia, our star soul!"
Patty was flattered at the attention she was receiving. She didn't quite understand what a star soul meant, but she knew she held an elevated position among these highly intellectual people, and it dazzled her.
"I have always had an ambition," she admitted, "for something bigger and better than my social butterfly life, and with you I hope to achieve it. ”

“ The Kenerleys were in specially gay spirits, it seemed to Patty, and she held her own in fun and repartee.
"You must stay a long time, Patty," Jim declared. "You're more fun than a barrel of monkeys! I'm awfully glad you came."
"So'm I," assented Patty; "I wanted to get away from the giddy whirl, and lead the simple life for a few days."
"Sometimes the simple life is very complicated," observed Kenerley, and he glanced at the clock.
Adele took the hint. "You want to get away, don't you, dear?" she said. "And we've been dawdling over dessert! Patty, I shan't give you any coffee tonight. ”