Two Little Women on a Holiday, Carolyn Wells [ink ebook reader .txt] 📗
- Author: Carolyn Wells
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Bernice looked very handsome in white cloth, and Alicia had chosen emerald green.
They were met at the rink by Marly and his chums, and at once introduced to the chaperon of the affair, who was Marly’s married sister. She didn’t look much older than the boy himself, but she greeted the girls with a charming hospitality and declared herself delighted to take them in charge.
The other boys whom they had met at Muriel’s party were there, and Muriel was, too. She welcomed the four warmly, but as she was constantly in demand by other gay young friends, they had no chance for connected conversation with her.
Indeed, connected conversation was not thought of, unless with one’s skating partner.
“You’re all right on runners,” commented Geordie Knapp, as he skated with Dotty. “You must be fond of it.”
“Oh, I am. I skate a lot at home; that is, when there’s ice. We’re dependent on that, you see, as we haven’t an ice rink in Berwick.”
“Berwick? Small town?”
“Yes. ‘Bout as big as a minute,” and Dotty laughed good-naturedly.
“That’s why you’re so up to the minute, then,” Geordie laughed back. “Want to sit down and rest a bit?”
“All right. Let’s,” and they sat down for a few moments.
“There goes your chum,—with Ted Hosmer. She is your chum, isn’t she? The Fair Dolly?”
“Dolly Fayre? Yes, indeed; we’re super-inseparable.”
“That’s the way with Ted and me. We’re always together. Funny, isn’t it, how you like one person better’n anybody else?”
“Yes; I couldn’t keep house without Dolly. And we do keep house!” and Dotty told her companion all about Treasure House and its delights.
“Wow! That’s some stunt! A house like that I I’d like to see it.”
“Do. Some day next summer come out to Berwick and I’ll show it to you. We’ve great little old brothers, too. One apiece.”
“Have you? I s’pose you can cut up larks in the country that you couldn’t here?”
“It’s awfully different.” Dotty sighed. “I like the city better in lots of ways, but, altogether, I guess I’d rather live in Berwick.”
“What are you two confabbing about?” sang out a voice, and Dolly, with Ted Hosmer, came gliding up and stopped in front of Dot and young Knapp.
“Settling the affairs of the nation,” said Geordie; “also, it’s a case of ‘change partners.’” He jumped up, took Dolly’s hands in his, and they swayed off across the ice, leaving Dotty and Ted together.
“Don’t mind him; he’s crazy” said Ted, as he dropped onto the seat beside Dotty. “And anyway, we’re such chums we share our best friends with each other!”
“Glad you do! I like to talk to different people—”
“I’m a different people; oh, I assure you I am. Please like to talk to me!”
“I do. Or, at least, I’m sure I shall. What shall we talk about?”
“Sports in general. What do you like best, next to skating?”
“Tennis, don’t you?”
“Sure, if you do. But that’s mostly for summer. Come on, let’s skate round a couple of times, and then go for the tea place.”
It was good fun skating with Ted, and, as Dolly told him, he reminded her a little of her friend, Tad Brown.
“Any kin of Muriel’s?”
“No, a boy in Berwick. He has a twin brother, Tod.”
“Great names! Tadpole and Toddlekins, in full, I suppose.”
“They are called those sometimes. Oh, Mrs. Graham is beckoning to us. We must go.”
They joined Mrs. Graham, who was their chaperon, and she marshalled her crowd of young people to the tea room.
At last Muriel Brown found a chance to talk to our girls.
“We seem like old friends,” she said, gaily. “Isn’t the ice fine to-day? Are you going to the dance to-night? What? Not invited? That can easily be remedied. I say, Sam, don’t you want these four angel children at your party?”
“‘Deed I do!” and Sam Graves beamed broadly, “I didn’t dare ask them myself,—meant to get you to do it. Coax ‘em, Muriel. Make ‘em say yes.”
Alicia took it upon herself to accept this invitation, though Dolly insisted it would depend on Mrs. Berry’s sanction.
“Who’s Mrs. Berry?” asked Muriel. “Is she a dragon?”
“No, indeed,” smiled Dotty; “she’s the dearest old yes-sayer in the world!”
“Oh, she’ll let you come then. Tell the girls all about it, Sam,” and Muriel moved away.
“She went off and left her ice cream untouched!” exclaimed Dotty.
“She’s always on the hop,—Muriel is,” said Sam. “Now you girls come to-night, won’t you? It’s a small and early at my house. Mr. Forbes knows me, and I know your Mrs. Berry, too. Just tell her it’s little Sammy’s party, and she’ll send you flying over.”
“Tell us something about it,” said Dolly. “Is it to be very grand? We’re hazy on the subject of New York dances.”
“Can you dance?”
“Yes, though maybe not the very latest steps.”
“That’s all right, then. Put on a clean sash and come along. You won’t be wall flowers!”
“What time shall we come?” asked Bernice. “Tell me about the details; I’m Mr. Forbe’s niece.”
Bernice was always a little jealous if the D’s seemed to be consulted rather than herself or Alicia.
“Oh, no details specially. All informal, you know. Come when you like,—nine, maybe, or half past. If you’re feeling conventional about it, my mother will call on you—by telephone—and ask you proper.”
“Oh, no, she needn’t do that,” and Bernice laughed at the idea. “We’re only little girls. If Mrs. Berry says we can go, your invitation is enough.”
“Good work! Be sure to come. Crazy to have you. ‘Scuse me a minute,— there’s a girl I want to speak to.”
Sam darted off, and another boy dropped into his vacated seat. It was this touch and go effect that Dotty liked, but to Dolly it seemed a whirling maze.
And, indeed, almost before they knew it they were all whirled off home.
On Sunday, dinner was in the middle of the day, and directly after it was over Mr. Forbes led the four to the drawing-room, as was usual in the evening, and asked an account of the dance.
“It was lovely!” vouchsafed Dotty.
“Gorgeous!” agreed Bernice.
“Perfectly all right,” Alicia averred.
“Nice enough, but very grown uppish,” was Dolly’s verdict.
“You stick to your taste for simpler parties?” said Mr. Forbes, looking kindly at Dolly.
“Yes, sir; I guess I’m a country girl.”
“Well, I’m not,” and Dotty’s black eyes flashed. “I’d just as lief live in Berwick, to be sure; but I do love to visit in New York and see all the grand doings.”
“And was the party grand?”
“Oh, it was, uncle,” said Alicia. “It was small and it was early.”
“Pooh!” cried Dolly. “We came home at half past eleven. I don’t call that early!”
“Early for a city party,” insisted Alicia, “but it was an elaborate affair, after all, and what do you s’pose, Uncle Jeff? We had invitations to a lot of things, next week and the week after, too.”
“Well, you girls are real belles!”
“They do seem to like us,” and Alicia looked very well self-satisfied.
“Which one of you do they like the best?” teased Uncle Jeff.
“Dotty,” said Alicia and Bernice together.
“Nothing of the sort!” declared Dotty, blushing rosy red.
“Who, then?” and Mr. Forbes turned to her.
“Why, I don’t know,” said Dotty, still embarrassed. “Dolly, I guess.”
“You know better, Dot,” and Dolly laughed at her. “I think, Uncle Forbes, the most citified boys and girls like Bernie and Alicia best, and some of the others take to Dot and me.”
Her honest blue eyes proved this was her true opinion, whatever the facts might be.
“Well, look here,” and Mr. Forbes’ eyes twinkled “I ask you two, Dotty and Dolly, which of my two nieces is a greater favourite?”
“Why, how can we tell that, right before them both?” cried Dolly, taking it as a joke.
“Yes, I want you to tell me,—right before them.”
“I don’t think there’s a bit of difference,” Dotty said, speaking seriously, and looking at the two girls. “You see, everybody likes Bernie—and—they all like Alicia.”
“You’re a diplomat!” laughed the old man, “Now, Dolly, see if you can beat that?”
Dolly liked being put on her mettle, and after a moment’s thought, when she pretended to study the girls, she said, “They are both liked tremendously for themselves,—but more, because they are your nieces.”
“Capital!” and Mr. Forbes rubbed his hands in glee. “You’re a tactful young person, I do avow. Now, just for that you may ask anything of me you like, to the half of my kingdom.”
“I’ll ask,” said Dolly, quickly, “before you have a chance to repent of that offer. This is what I want: Let us go up and see your collections. May we?”
“I s’pose so. Will you be good little girls, and not finger the exhibits, except such as I say you may?”
“Of course we will. We’re not mischievous little kiddies! Oh, are you really going to let us see it! When?”
“Now. May as well get it over, I suppose. March!”
He led the way, and the girls trooped after him, up to the fourth floor of the house.
The rooms corresponded to those below stairs, but all were arranged as a museum. There were enormous cases filled with specimens of every sort of bird, butterfly or insect. Or, if not every kind was represented, surely they were nearly all there, so multitudinous were the exhibits.
“What a lot!” exclaimed Dolly, “I had no idea it was such an enormous collection.”
“Yes,” said Mr. Forbes, with justifiable pride, “it Is the largest private collection that I know of. Come, let me show you the birds first.”
Obediently the girls followed his directions, and with ever growing interest they saw the rows and rows of stuffed birds, of all sizes and of all varieties of plumage.
Then came great cabinets filled with shallow drawers, each of which, when opened, displayed tiny moths, queer flies, and microscopic insects, each daintily mounted on its own pin and all standing in trim rows.
The butterflies were the prettiest exhibit of all. These showed rare varieties and well-known ones; specimens from far distant countries and from their own state.
All the girls were interested, but Dolly was absorbed. She walked from case to case, asking intelligent questions, that Mr. Forbes was glad to answer.
“You ought to make natural history a special study,” he said to her. “You seem so fond of it.”
“Oh, I am!” responded Dolly. “I shall try to get mother to let me take it up specially next year. And here are the beetles! How wonderfully they are arranged, and what beautiful colours!”
“Yes, see the iridescent wings of this chap,” and Uncle Jeff pointed to a fine specimen. “I don’t wonder the old Egyptians loved this creature and carved their scarabs in its likeness, do you?”
“No indeed,” responded Dolly. “And do you like old Egyptian things, too? So do I. I saw wonders in the Museum.”
“I have quite an antique collection, if you’re interested.”
“If I’m interested! Well, I just guess I AM!”
The other girls enjoyed the exhibition, too, but not so much as Dolly, who was enthusiastic over it all. They had so far seen only the front rooms, but now Uncle Jeff conducted them to the room in the rear extension of the house, and as he unlocked the door he said, “Here are my greatest treasures of all.”
The girls went in, and Mr. Forbes rolled up the shades and let in the sunlight.
“My, but it’s close and stuffy!” exclaimed Bernice; “mayn’t we have a window
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