Prudy Keeping House

ed to speak; nothing about the paroquets, and dried butterflies, and Japanese canoes she pretended to look at; nothing about the chatting and laughing, and very littl

and Dotty had begg

ok as if it had ever been soiled with anything coarser than rose leaves; "I am glad to see

No one who has not had the care of a family can imagine the relief she felt now the cooking was off her mind. But Dotty

What are you scowling at so?

e, "What broke it?" Of course her smile was a make-believe, nothing more nor less than a simper. The la

ried 'em up stairs. Seems to me I dropped 'em in a salt-cellar. No; I thought I'd lay 'em in a boo

as passed her. Her singular behavior surprised Horace, and when she took three olives, whic

lieve you

h all her self-control, forced back the tears. "Wonder if he wanted to make me cry," thought she; "but I wo

, or suspected her of being an idiot. But the moment dinner was over, she stole away from the party, and found her

Horace wouldn't have eaten any dinner. There, when I first got a peek at this b

p, to cover the lower part of the body, and the one at the upper part not quite so thick, for it was to cover the shoulders. Then a sheet of the finest linen was turned over

h surprise, and almost

eavy. But then I don't s'pose she ran on foot. Came in the night, in the car

Dotty was wretched again. She went to a windo

ht came

stars sat,

is golden

big as raspberry seeds. I shouldn't think glass would cost much. And the other was red, like a drop

mfort herself, but cou

table, father will look at me, and say, 'This is on the account of your naughty conduct, child!' O, dear! I can't speak one word, for it will be true, what he says. Grandma Read will have enough to eat; Norah will set it on

some. If she hadn't told me not to so hard, I persume

ful string of beads? One, two, thr

er head, and the air became as

better. But there's one thought keeps coming into my mind: Isn't it wicked to have

Nothing but a watch and wedding-r

way from the morths? I don't believe auntie k

y would have made a jeweller's fortune if he could have

g not to tell, when 'twouldn't make the least difference, and auntie never wears 'em? Ought ne

ad yesterday, real, shaky mad? 'Twas a great deal wickeder for her than it is for me-her disposi

Prudy wouldn't like it any better'n I do. She would th

er did me any good, and didn't have m

ke an accusing angel. "Why, I've been hunting you all over the house. You

y, "or she wouldn't talk about beads. And me wanting to

cle Augustus's to find out whether they came to-night in the cars; but they didn't

y; "now I'll have to-night and

ht just as well stay here all nigh

stay here. Prudy Parlin? Why didn't

you'd like to stay. They are playing so beautifully down stai

want to play with people that have their ha

Pragoff has sent to Mrs. F

in the curtain, and scre

ing to do with you? Pleas

own again. I don't want ever to see

us. It is our Christmas party. You'll mortify Mrs. Pragoff. You k

f from the curtain wi

udy Parlin! You got mad your

es dropped

you want to go back

y's mouth was opening for another question. "Bec

y, not

've done something to my wind

ng at Dotty's fierce grimaces, of which she got a van

I'll have to go right to bed.

Mrs. Pragoff wher

dy was half way dow

sking her. She don't think or care how impoli

rs overawed Prudy. She did wish her mamma had sent a thin summer dress in the trunk. It was dreadful to have to wear woollen, high-necked and long-sleeved. It cost h

agoff, and that's why she stays up stairs. I

; but politeness required her to make s

er steps, and the words, "You poor, forlorn little dear," Dotty

you to become acquainted with thes

hurts me to

childless widow, and children puzzled as well as interested her. She did not know what to make of Dotty's confused statement that she "wasn'

ious? O, that rosary. It is one o

and the beads, my charming dear, for a Christmas present

is a

the beads of

, Lord, as

tiful of rosaries, darling, and all you

nd may the Christ-Child

s. She wished she could push herself through the footboard, and come out at Portland. S