A Texas Blue Bonnet

fast the next morning consider

ea-parties, Elizabeth?

her. And I like the

bringing any liking, and which had frequently to be done over. To-day, however, bureau drawers were closed, rugs s

if only Elizabeth would do her best every day. "Your room looks ve

," the girl said;

t morning; but Blue Bonnet's grandmother,52 watchi

t the room, "what have you been doing to Eliza

bout her behavior yesterday afternoon. I

h has not been used

he has been spoi

nce will do much towards eradicating it, I believe. We must remember

Clyde began, but stopped spea

e the girl stood idly by one of the sitting-room windows, "

Lucinda? And could we go to the Museum? A

ith us. But hurry right back; we'll get t

ng headlong across the lawn to the

oment. "Who could ever dream s

her mother answered; "granting we can keep

mmensely; she had never dreamed Aun

tle restaurant in one of the side

laughing over her comments, which were not always favorable; and

Bonnet declared warmly, as the train

lec agreed. "Thanks ev

gain," Miss C

m the piazza steps, where she had been sitting in silence for some

you friends

cinda this morning; but-well, she certain

he quick smile on

f again. It was a beautiful morning and she was up and out early, coming in very late to bre

lained, beamingly, laying her treasures down on t

make yourself presentable as quickly a

She gathered up her flowers in silence and left the room,

htful in the woods this

right back as soon as breakfast

urch, Elizabeth," Miss Clyde told he

ucinda. I've been two Sundays, you know. It was dreadfully

zabe

ng to church, if they'd have it out-of-doors, the way we used to sometimes on th

beth," Miss Clyde said, quietly. "Finish your

crimson. "But I said I was

do, Elizabeth; we will not discuss the matter further

be left alone with her grandmother, pushed her chair b

sked-Aunt Lucinda must learn, once for56 all, tha

his instance, from the best of motives. In any case, there was not time for both; an

asked some time later, coming out to the veranda

Mrs. Clyd

to be crossing the hall. "Please tell Mis

izabeth says she isn't going

r gloves, and opened her parasol

empty and still. Her room was in order, her morning lay before her

ly-she told herself, staring out into the sunlit garden with57 mutinous eyes. It w

at home. It almost seemed as if she could hear her uncle saying, "And, Honey, you won't forget wha

ht and

day morning; and it hadn't been true-pre

aisle to the Clyde pew, and slipped into her place between her grandmother and aunt, standing a lit

e over the flushed white-clad figure. Then she drew a quick b

ave the text, "'I am the good shepherd, a

window opposite: "Sacred to the

ood Shepherd with the lamb in his arms. And, suddenly, Blue Bonnet was a little child again, sitting in h

houghts were-and where? Hardly in Woodford, for it was with a little start of rec

e closing hymn her voice

f love my S

dness fai

lack if

s mine f

had declined Kitty's invitation to walk with her; declined, also, to e

d a little doubtfully at her aunt; but the moment t

9 inside the doorway, "won't you say what you're

. After this, your grandmother and I would like t

Aunt Lucinda. B

need be nothi

ry soberly. Decidedly one coul

een in evidence for some time. "I do hope," she said, "that we are not to have any mor

so much better than her me

house, Solomon at her heels. "May he come up on the piazza for a

ay," Miss Clyde answered; "only how is he

awhile. He's getting to be a very nice dog, Aunt L

nee. "It's a long while since we've had a dog about the place. W

unt Lucinda; I've bee

yde looked as though she thought Blue Bo

me, Aunt Lucinda; you see, I take them sugar and fresh clover. I've been telling

were going to get you a saddle-ho

o me to-night, Grandmother. I

ride; and if she rode in the haphazard fashion she did most things, there

t said, "I reckon you'd

and view the landscape. Solomon was a sociable dog and, though fond of Denham, thorou

lue Bonnet s

feet in the air; from the corner of one ey

m lightly but firmly-which was hard

to go," his mistress

e came here, and it comes a bit hard; but he's got a lot of sense, and when he once understands that he-" B

tive sound of an old Spanish melody, that chim

r mother's touch,

ad not been easy for her to put her affection into words; but it had been none the less true and strong. S

ld earlier," she said. "It would

ere, and it comes a bit hard; but she's got a lot of sense, and when she once understands that she-' Eliz

n curiosity, half in dismay. "It's not very-cheerful-looki

and I hope you wi

ing," Blue Bonnet said thoughtfully

al. Here and there,63 through open doors, she caught glimpses of different

, "Principal's Office." A moment later, Blue Bonnet was being presented to a tall, scholarly l

hat you have never been to sch

. "The last one was fine-he was there a

Will you sit down here, Miss Elizabeth? I should like to see how mu

tematic according to Miss Clyde's ideas, had been fairly thorough. In some of her studies, those she liked best, she was a

she announced, delightedly.64 "All of us tea-party girls are in the same clas

ound her delightfully amusing, more so than her teacher did. She was so frankly astonished over al

ek, the unaccustomed drill and

to me," she said, standing by one of the sitting-room windows and restlessly twist

ng, Elizabeth?" he

other; but I do think that

abeth?" Miss Cl

han women teachers. I'm not sure t

longer trial before deciding, de

'rankin' of

Eliz

very considerate-Miss Rankin, I mean. You wouldn't like it, if sh

ou change

ce; besides, the view from the other one

ink you were five, instead of fifteen! Where are

ckly. "Que asco! I for

have told you that I did not wi

eans, Aunt

rhaps, if you go back to school at onc

ucinda," Blue Bonnet

ven't been for my books," she66 added hurriedly. "You see, I met little Bell Palmer and the baby down here at the corner; they'd wandered all the way in from the farm, and the baby had hurt her foot, and they were both crying. I started right

Clyde said. "It was very kind of you, Elizabeth, to ta

'rankin''-Miss Rankin seems to do to them when they fail too bad

ircumstances. For this time, you may go down to the parsonage after s

finely, Au

e Bonnet presented he

ve your books at school,

nswered, serenely. "One can't r

h's tone wa

emember anything any of th

h lighted the low reading-lamp and drew two

sinesslike, Sarah," Blue Bonnet

er take anything serious

e Bonnet laughed. "Come on, I'm r

, when the last book had been laid aside

e you'd think it a bother. Oh, Sarah, I've thought of the lov