The Little Colonel: Maid of Honor

hasty outbursts of temper that had won her the title of Little Colonel showed themselves at times. But she was growing so much lik

to leave behind her in every one's memory, and the string of tiny Roman pearls she sometimes clasped around her throat

But Lloyd was meeting all expectations, responding to the influence of beauty and culture with which she had always been surrounded, as unconsciously as a bud unfolds to the suns

implies, she began to feel that a burden was laid upon her shoulders. She had had such admirers before: little Magnolia Budine at Lloydsboro Seminary, and Cornie Dean at Warwick Hall. It was pleasant to know that they co

sion to talk, she made the most of her opportunity, and talked with all her might, but her sensitiveness to surroundings always told her whe

matter where they went or what they talked about, she was free to follow and to listen. It was interesting to the verge of distraction when they talked merely of Warwick Hall and the schoolgirls, or recalled vario

ing presents, which the bridesmaids pounced upon and carried away to the green room to await Eugenia's arrival. Every package was

opics that a wedding in the family naturally suggests. Sometimes a whole morning would go by without her uttering a word, and Mrs. Sherman, who had heard what a talkative child she was, noticed her

m, tried to make up their minds which to choose,-the kid or the satin ones. With each slim right foot shod in a fairy-like covering of shimmering satin

h a message from Mrs. Sherman. There was a guest for Miss Mary in the library. Would she please go down at once. Her curiosity wa

she exclaimed. "But maybe whoever it is won't

went into the library, where M

le neighbors, Mary," she

rls, came forward to meet her. To Mary's horror, she held a doll in her arms a

as Mrs. Sherman had left them to themselves. "'Cause I came to stay all m

inking of that fascinating row of pink slippers awaiting he

ur doll?" de

a grown-up shrug of the shoulders. "I

Hazel Lee's, though. Hazel is one of my friends back in Arizona. Once I made a whole Indian costume for it

eded to make them open still wider with her tales of life on the desert. In a few moments she carried the trunk out on to a vine-covered side porch, wher

and the daintiest of luncheons to spread on a low table. There were olive sandwiches, frost

o see what the girls were doing. But when she had told all the interesting tales she could think of, cleared away the remains of t

kitten." It seemed to her that the third long hour never would drag to an end. But Girlie

re. I can't ask you over to our house 'cause my grandma is so sick it wouldn't be any fun. We

was at last out of sight. She felt that nothing could compensate her for the loss of the w

, and you were so absorbed with your play that it made me wish that I could be a little girl again, and join you with my poor old Nancy Blanche doll and my grand Amanthi

little face. She was about to add, "I can't bear dolls any more. I only play

to-be, mothah," she c

es I'm going to take the girls ovah to Rollington to get some long sprays of bride's wreath. Mrs. Crisp has tw

morning had to be spent with that tiresome Dinsmor

on't do to snub her, and I don't know any other way. I wish I c

m wall opposite her place at table were two fine old engravings, illustrating the fable of the famous dinners given by the Fox and the Stork. In the first the stork strove vainly to fill its bill at

d were old acquaintances. She had learned La Fontaine's version of the fable one time to recite at school. To-da

ox is eating out of. But she had a beautiful time. To-morrow morning I'm going to be stork, and make my conversation so deep she can't get her little baby mind into it at all. I'll be

or the fear of missing something, she would have spent much of her time in that attractive room. Books looked down so invitingly from the many shelves. All the June magazines lay on the library table

pencil and paper in hand, when he

up now?"

about her thirst for knowledge and her study of the dictionary, and that that might l

. She had such a good time that she said she was coming over here every single morning while I'm here. I just can't have my lovely visit spoiled that way. The bride is coming day after to-morrow, and she'll be opening her presents and showing her trousseau to the girls, and I wouldn'

houlder, laughed to see

atigab

apos

cious

bu

grin

gev

I've copied a lot of them to use, instead of making up sentences myself. Here's one from Shakes

, for Rob's glance to follow: "Instances of

re idea of what I'm talki

nded in a whoop of amusement, and when he had caught his breath he began again in such an infectio

ving a mighty funny time down there. Save your

d Rob, going off into another peal of laughter at sight of Mary's sol

ght think it was impolite, and would put a stop to it. It seems funny

n earnest that her voice broke

. When the girls came down, he could not be prevailed upon to tell them what had sent him off into such fits of laughter. "Just Mary's entertaining remarks," was all he would say, looking across

to herself. "He treats me as if I were grown up,

e: "I've thought of something to help along the stork's cause. Bring the little fox over to the tennis-court to watch the game. If she does

exclaimed, curiously: "I certainly would like to know what mischie

TIC FIGURE IN

ewhat bewildered. She dutifully followed her resolute hostess to the tennis-court, and took a seat beside her with Evangeline clasped in her arms. Neither of the children had watched a game before, and Girlie, not being able to understand a single move, soon found it insufferably stupid. Bu

of laughter, for which the amazed girls scolded him soundly, when he refused to explain. One time was when he overhear

dolls one ought to be abstemious. Don't you? You know Arbuthnot says that 'instances

her on the seat and tightened her clasp on Evangeline. The next time Rob sauntered w

read 'Old Cur

slowly in the motion th

ens or Scott or

en curls shook

of Mary's question made it seem that she was twenty year

"Mamma read me all of them and several of the Prudy book

't care for anything but dolls! Now when I was your age, I had read 'The Vicar of Wakefield' and 'Pride and Prejudice' and Leather-stocking Tal

on Girlie's part that she felt vaguely uncomfortable. She sa

aybe I can't come often. It makes me wigg

brought a copy of Longfellow out from the house, and thought you might l

s a success. When the Dinsmore carriage came, Girlie announced that she wouldn't be over th

ped to the level of her ear to say in a laughing undertone:

eful in her becoming tennis suit, was standing on the steps taking leave of some of the players. With hospitable insistence she was urging them to stay to lunch, and there was something in the sweet graciousness of the young hostess that made Mar

loyd knew how she had played stork, she would cons