The Little Colonel's House Party

grimage. The old farm wagon that was to take her to the railroad station, two miles away, was drawn up to t

carefully folded the few gingham dresses she possessed, and the new blue and white lawn bought for her to wear to church. Th

t soap. Betty felt rich in ribbons "to tie up her bonnie brown hair," for there were three bows the colour of her curls, and two of red, and one of delicate robin's-egg

ld the story of Red Ridinghood and the other had scenes from Cinderella outlined in blue. They had been Davy's pr

hey will be safer," she said to herself, and she filled a box with cotton in which to pack some of her breakable keepsakes. She had hesitated some time about taking her scrap-book, an o

dger. He could not understand all the verses she read to him about the wild flowers, and life

ing some loose pages in between the covers

o make up her mind about her godmother's picture

reeting at night, and first welcome on waking, for several years. "I hate to leave it behind, but I'll have my real godmother to look at while I'm

ne along the porch, to watch her go. She wore one of her every-day dresses of dark blue gingham, and her white sunbonnet, but the familiar little figure had taken on a new interest to them. They regarded her as some so

There was an excited flutter in her throat as the wagon started forward with a jolt, and she realised tha

king back at the little group on

d out of sight down the lane. The road turned at the church. Betty leaned forward for one more look at the window, on whose sill

d church," she sai

w peaceful and quiet it seemed. The dew still shone in tiny beads on the cobwebs, spun across the grass, a spicy smell of cedar boughs floated across the road to them, and a do

among them so often. One held her gaze an instant, with its well-known marble hand, pointing the place in a marble book in whi

the white sunbonnet gravely. It seemed a solemn thing to start on such a journey. After leaving the church there was only one more

checked. The shriek of the locomotive coming down the track made Betty turn cold. It was like a great de

y, ain't y

ut I keep saying over and over to myself what the python said. Don't you remember in Kaa's hunting? 'A brave heart and a courteous tongue, said he, they shall carry thee f

mbled into the first vacant seat she saw, and sat up primly, afraid to glance behind her. In her lap, tightly clasped by both hands, she held a little old-fashioned basket of brown will

ng, "not to get into conversation with strangers. Red Ridinghood never would

t grasp that her fingers ached. But after the conductor had looked at her pass and smiled kindly into the

sure she could not be a Wolf in disguise, and watched her with neighbourly interest. She fell to wondering about h

st the windows were exactly like the ones she had left at home. More than once a meadow full of daisies, gleaming on her sight li

ours to make connection with the Louisville train. But even that did not turn out to be a bad experience, as she had feared, for the old lady waited too, and she was as anxious to find a friend as Betty was. So it was not long until the two wer

iends, and Betty climbed into the car with a warm glow in her h

"The world isn't a jungle, after all, and we are just as apt

ade no difference. The conclusion she reached was a comfortable one. So she lea

yes drooped drowsily, and in a few minutes Betty was sound asleep. That was the last she knew of the trip that she had settled herself to enjoy, for whe

as so confusing she did not know which way to turn. The roar and clang of a great city smote on her ears as she stood in the big Union depot, helpless, bewildered, and as lost as a stray kitten in the midst of that noisy, pushing crowd. Sharp elbows jostl

ones outside. That moment she would have given anything she owned to be safely back on the quiet farm. The big brown eyes in the depths of the

e was a courteous tongue, when nobody would stop to listen? She wondered wha

and a courteous tongue on Betty's part. Coming toward her all in dainty gray and white was a lady she would have recognised anywhere. That face, that had been the Madon

. The white sunbonnet fell back, the brown eyes looked out from a tangle of dusky curls with a world

finish the sentence. Even in such an outlandish costume, was what she had started to say. She had seen Betty as the child stepped off the tra

the trolley-car on which they rode, so absorbed by the great show-windows they passed, and so amazed by the city sights and sounds on every ha

irst arrival. He grinned at the expression of surprise and dismay on the Little Colonel's face as her glance fell on Betty. Was it that her little guest had no hat, she wondered, or was it bec

greeted Betty as graciously as her mother had done. Then straightway she forgot her annoy

ed Mrs. Sherman, as the carriage rolled homeward, past handsom

d raked until it looks as if it had just had its hair parted smoothly in the middle, and its shoe-strings tied. At home there is so much underbrush, and such a tangle of weeds a

ed. The newcomer had amu

ime, only it looked different after it was bewitched. And do you know," she said, with a charming little burst of confidence that made Lloyd's heart warm toward her, "I began to feel b

ard her with a quick hug and kiss. Lloyd gave a little wriggle of satisfaction. "I'm so glad you'v

the long avenue. "I wish you could have seen the tre

expression on her face, as if she understood their leafy whisperings. Lloyd and her mother exchanged glances, and after that she was disturbed by no

ooned in their green lacework of vines. "Oh, I know this place," she cried. "It is in my Pilgrim's Progre

e spoke. "But it is dear of you to give the place such a sweet name. Come on up

niture and rare pieces of bric-a-brac; but one thing caught her attention so that she stood a moment in round-eyed admiration. It was a large harp, whose gracefully curving frame gleame

ing in the open door with clasped hands. "Oh, that is grandmothah's harp. I am learning to play on

indow looking out into a beech-grove, and under it a cosy cushioned window-seat, where some o

in her hand, and looked around her like one in a dream. She had never imagined a room could be so beautiful. If Lloyd could have known

" explained Lloyd. "Mothah thought you would like this w

added Mrs. Sherman, "for she remembers your mamma so well. Many a time she helped dress her when she was a little girl no larger than you, and came home with me for a visit. She'll bring you some milk or iced tea, and

e dressing-table with its crystal candlesticks, that looked like twisted icicles. And she must see that darling little heart-shaped pin-cushion again, and all the dainty toilet articles of gold and ivory. Then she could

furnishings of gold and mother-of-pearl. There were thin white curtains at the windows, held back by broad bands of yellow ribbon. They stirred softly

od over her, shaking her by the shoulder and telling her that it was time to go down and wash the breakfast dishes. Then the broad white petals began to fa

er, little girl," she called,

nd catching a glimpse of Lloyd going past the

other?" asked Betty, "or would it

half-filled trunk. "Oh, you'd better wear it, I think. We may have company."

's-egg blue. When she slipped into the long drawing-room, Lloyd was playing on the harp. Over her hung the portrait of a beautiful young girl, also standing beside

looked the first time grandfathah evah saw her. And heah's Uncle Tom in his soldier clothes,

nt back to her harp, and Betty sat down in front of the first picture again. "You belong to me, too, in a way," thought Betty, looking

back at her, and in some vague, sweet way Betty felt that she had co