Dorothy Dainty's Gay Times

ad left the schoolroom, and he could not think how it coul

had taken out, and closed his desk, looking up just in time to see that Arabella was clo

ered; "I just know Arabella took it, and p'r'

ispered Arabella, but Reg

," he thought, "but right

ould hurry off, and thus leave him free to search behind

g until Reginald was out of patience, and when at last the

at we were to hurry hom

en you were sitting on t

d, and grasping his hand, she commenced to run ve

r that drenched the trees and left

cottage just in tim

re opened. It was a charming story, but there

g sentence of the paragraph which Reginald was to read, but the letters were spaced so

d in the moonlight to wa

?" he asked, "how co

udly, and Aunt Charlotte was obliged to speak forcibly

th her; see 'f I

y wait to punish Arab

recess time, "I've thought of one

ash, and the girls r

hy," Nancy said, and D

ring that

oose a lit

ave liked to choose Nancy, but she thought how few of the girls ever chose

he took her place in the ring, however, and lo

ext the fa

riend you lo

to do a pleasant thing for any one, and whomev

called Mollie Merton, but still Arabel

ald, breathless and excited, rushed in. Aunt Charlotte was standing in the walk, watc

guess this is the di'logue boo

blistered, and its fine c

tte looked

you find it

saw somebody drop it," he sai

ment, then pushing past the girls, she ran down the walk to t

o home, 'cause

lotte will do about the

she do?" Flossie

saw the cover all spoiled.

by the silvery tinkle of the bell

m on the next morning as calmly as if nothing had happened, and she seemed very ea

and friends were seated before the tin

or them, and had charmed them with her grace, Nina and Jean

small, prim figure entered the room, and made its way toward the only seat which was still unoccupied. It was be

a's Aunt Matilda!" he

sh!" she

it is!" he declared, and h

y, and had half a mind to refuse it, but few could r

she is not included in the dialogue," whispered U

en't careful; now do give y

d, and at that moment, the childre

the school girls had gathered to summon the queen of

page or messenger, and Reginald made a perfect sprit

n, and then hurried away to summon her, while the school girls

en, we wai

ubjects w

lt find us

beg, ay,

ishes thou

dost ind

raw a ma

queen,' we

between the mimic trees, and sprang into the circle, a dazzling figure, all white and silver, and blue. Upon her lon

voice so s

rest wish

lines she held her wan

, let me

easant, o

es I hold

rts that I

very winning she looked, as she extended her hand t

hall, in to

ery birds

nvy, ceas

melody ho

, and Dorothy, entering the circle beside her, sa

, crumpling her programme, and moving restlessl

p. She looked at him as if she thought that he had intended to steal it,

she took the fan, and gla

hed that she wo

iews,'" he whispered to his wife, "A

unless you want

ispered, his blue eyes t

her woodland throne, and as the girls knelt before her, t

moments before the curtain would rise, the buzz

ively toward her neighbor. He smiled en

lwart; his handsome face was youthful, and she wi

approve of this pla

are to see professionals, if he might,

joking, but his manner was so dignified t

t for anything. I have my views about play-acting, and as my niece is a pupil here, I'm jus

s were

as my little daughter is but nine month

! Why, I thought you were an ov

e," he said, and from his manner one might ha

ink she'd see you talking to that pretty girl

th a soft laugh, "you see that pretty

is such a very informal gathering that I might

" she said, without realizing th

o present you to Arabella's

poke very cordially, then the curtain wen

surprised when in a clear voice, and with appropriate gestures, she spok

doting aunt felt injured, because she believed that the other children had been given the

had spoken well, and the applause which she re

ed our

earts h

our fa

we'll

hen once more the red cu

an' I guess my Arabella did 'bout as well as any of 'em. I shouldn't wonder if she could be a great actr

at ten minutes' notice, Arabella could become the world's greatest actress; that by gent

d, not quite understanding his meaning, but t

unt Charlotte received very warm congratulations f

guests talked of the numbers

had contributed, or the fairy dialogue. He was expecting every moment that his young wife would gently upbraid

ore quiet, but sometimes you carry your jokes too far. Dear, will you tell me why yo

he was; she didn't tell me her

her my name; you intro

to state what her name was, I wouldn't tell he

but she could not help l