Peggy-Alone

way, secretly criticising each other's rendition, but Laura, busy in directing and arranging

even then it was a hard task, considering Alene's ingenuousness

nager, declaring she was cranky, and threatening to throw up their parts and go out on the hillside to play; the boys were in a mischievous m

s they had previously stolen them away; in which event she would gnash her teeth, and stamp her feet, in powerless rage, and only Laura could bring peace by banishing her tormentors. But no matter what happened, Laura seemed

this occasion to redouble her e

had at home; whereupon the big boys promised to be good if she would give them one also,

the program, "The

say, for the first

o it! One would think you were deliveri

ught by the preceding

onder, for

ole piece; even the mother says 'a noble gift,'

"I'd rather be a dancing beauty than a br

mincing through the world with jus

ke my part?" cried the astonish

d prefer it to that detestable beau

h having, as we know, several reasons for not having

to the other, her look of sur

off as I thought you would like?" she queried ruefully. While they sought to reass

ame to find Laura helping to dress Lois, insisting upon putting a certain

footsie into a shoe two sizes too small for

r the new parts with the power of which they were capable, the improvement was marked and brought forth much applause, whi

the boarders attended, and the neighbors came, bringing their own chairs. The back parlor, ordinar

garden gate, which in her baby English she rendered, "Meet me at the Garbage Gate." An original poem by Lau

poor o

ys did

had to

ny r

by acc

on the

ke to

aw it n

a corner of the stage. "It's the only 'pome' I ever executed and I fel

waxen doll in her pink gingham and golden cu

obby, com

his tin

t his bles

me and get

, poor lit

ss his prec

riate gestures, unconscious of her audience and not forgetting a word,-to the joy of

t to be vacated for them. It was just before the doors opened on the great dialogue where Laura was the mother, in a neat wrapper and gray wig and spectacle

and centering in, the wish for the young gazelle's

A color that was not all excitement glowed in her cheeks, thrilling Uncle Fred with the convicti

l had always brought a preliminary nerve tension which she had tried to conceal. This, however, was nothing compared with her dread of the great night when she thought of facing a whole roomful of people; but now, strange to say, all her tremors di

red noticed the lips of a small boy seated near him puffed out in disdain. Stoop

-I bet she never felt a stinger or she

liar!' Do all poets tell whoppers, I wonder?" said the other b