Dorothy Dainty's Gay Times

se, the butler stood puzzling over t

tudy them as they lay upon his salver, while he wondered if th

, peering over the bal

lay. The lettairs, it may be, of importan

hair, and the burly butler stalked up the stairway, angry that Marie s

always 'round,

d although it was October,

French maid, and could not be distur

what she could

Saturday had b

sing, but Uncle Harry's little

hall and Flossie caught her,

stool with pussy in her arms, and re

"but you needn't sing it; you can just practis

s paws, and forced t

!" squeaked

Why, that's fine," said Flossie, "

" wailed the

idn't sound like that when Uncle Harry sang it last night. We'll sing it together, an

n do, and your right

anz Abt's beautiful song was

e, dearest,

e, and o

, regardless of time or sentimen

mma said last night when Uncle Harry and Aunt Vera sang together. She said: 'Oh, how beautifully their voices har-mer-lize.'

in sight, while the kitten, left to amuse herself, walked slow

aid paused i

music makes. I will the feline terrible r

arie," cried Flossie, "I'm ma

uch learning have, even the petite cat must an edu

e Harry sang last night. Did you hear h

and I did say: 'He is one beau gallant! His voice the rock would melt! Many

" Flossie said, "but I do know I lo

night when he music makes," the maid

n great excitement, ran

be a great party at the stone house, and all of Dorothy's friend

will everybody be. When is the party to be?" she repeated, h

rent from any party we ever went to. I don't know just how different; that

can't wait,"

knew that there was to be a grand party at the great stone house, but no one could

nt from any party I ever had, but mamma d

tell Nancy?" ques

declared Reginald;

e merry, and her voice rippl

ep the secret, but it's the har

g so gaily that they heard no one approach, and when suddenly Patricia Lavine peeped over the wall,

here'd you come f

er because I heard you talking. Whos

rty," said Jeanette, "but

Patricia asked w

ime at our sch

time at ours, too

way from your sch

n't have to go to school every single

the history, 'cause some of it I learned when I was in N' York. We had a el'gant sc

but the older girls were not so sure th

ught that they were all much s

o-day, and teacher said she was going t

so as not to tell all y

he only twitched away, laughin

tinkled, and they turne

led to Patricia, wh

d, then looking over

e to go to private sc

pered Nina Earl, but Arabella

ricia What's-her-name; she

oud whisper informed her that he wouldn't go

ply, but they were entering the schoo

upon the little blackboard, Arabella

laugh at, I'll laugh till he's

ginald was the firs

ce which should contain but five

and was

interesting: "Dorothy will have a party," but Reginald felt sure that he had thought of the

as he strutted to the black

as a new

ery one knew Fido, and only that morning the little dog had followed Reginald

Phido" made them laugh, but Arabella was not

eyes blazing as he looked at her; "you spell phot

arlotte told Reginald and Arabella to

ept their seats, and very gently she told Arabella how rude it was to laugh at a

ady," she said, "and a small boy sh

eginal

t into Arabella

I'll 'pol'gize; if I was ju

fully equal

leman, so I'll say I oughtn't to have

he piazza, waved her hand to her playmat

enjoy, they had guessed and guessed what sort of party it was to be, and Dorothy, who knew

have to go home," said Floss

in from a long ride, and had left her for a moment while she chatted with the butler and the cook.

y baby," she cried, "a

cooed sweetly, and snatche

just at that moment the maid returned, and rescue

his rug and hold her. Uncle Harry said I could tak

ip. If Miss Flossie wished to take care of the baby, why not permit her to? Her

l rug. The bright-colored ball which Flossie had taken from her

f the hall, but while their voices could be plainly heard. Flossie

e, but upon her cheek the, wha

ive seen ut on a babby's face, an' whoile the docthor makes a fus

an' not have the doctor see about it,"

ate little thing t'rough his goggles, an' puttin' a wee bit t'ermom'ter into her mouth w

be well. And what said he of the child? That at home she could not rem

ou get things mixed. If it's nothing but a rash, as Bridget says, she'

ed, Oim tould," in

ried the little French maid, and

d what did it mean? Who was going to

e would no

he warm little cloak around her, and walking softly to t

house, and on to the little clump of trees an

sat down, and took the baby on her lap. Fortunately it had n

swept in little chilly gusts across the treetops, and searching lower,

around it, and bending lower, k

t old doctor quantine you. You're Uncle Harry

I

IA'S P

. Servants were rushing this way and t

ments, and the cook and the butler declared that she had spoken truly, yet it see

ry came home, and he looked very grave w

ld him, and neither could be found, nor could any one remember h

ncle Harry secured a lantern, and went out into the shadowy garden, hoping that h

h to where the tall dahlias nodded; across the lawn to the open space whe

ddled closer to the little shrubs. She believed that it was the butler

he whispered, patting

hus tell where they were hiding. It happened that the baby was sleep

it was going farther from her,-now return

high, and the two runaways were discovered. With a sob Flos

dy shall touch my Uncle Harry's baby; nobody's going to quantine he

ho has frightened you? Why are yo

sent you to find us, but you don't know that they're goi

, you're frighten

n the grass, placed his strong arm around Flossi

d they sha'n't cut her head off 'cause there's spots o

voice showed how ge

iver in his voice, "and you were a dear little girl to take care of her for me,

hey'd have to quant

quarantined. I'll tell you all about that at another time. You are about

by, sound asleep, still in her arms, and Uncle Harry strode across the lawn,

e he had found them, but he raised hi

ightened, and he felt tha

rry explained what the maids had meant, and she sighed happily when she at last realized that the

declared that Flossie must have done a very fine thing for the baby. Its little pink cheeks were fair, and the tiny spots

for that baby," said Flossie,

tle niece, Flossie,"

g of the next day, he brought an invi

out as to what kind

party! A cos

ion that each little frie

you goin

rty dresses, of course

hem on the way to school, and explained that each little guest was expected to appe

id Dorothy; "we're to wear long dominoes over our frocks, and we'll dance

Dainty and Aunt Charlotte will receive, and Dorothy will walk up

nette, and the little

me invited?" que

Arthur are coming, and three of papa's nephews will be here. I've never met them, but they

e they'll hide who you are, but you'll every one of you know us f

ed Dorothy, "for papa insists that

ted Reginald; "we'll have as

d Katie Dean, "and all that time w

or of our dominoe

roudly said, "but some of you girls will ju

inald Dean," said Mollie,

ecause I don't know; mamma hasn't told me, but I do

liked t

g, see 'f they don't!" he

week from the day

enue, tried to thrust her arms

this jacket had any armho

ying to get her jacket on without pausing to do so. At last her arms w

late," thought Arabella, and

n was that it was Saturday morning, and if she remained at home Aunt Matilda would be sure to find something for her to

uestions me," whispered Arabella, addin

ricia, "you're some

s soon as you ar

ed, "but I thought you'd be o

t there?" quest

stop at a store before I go over to my house. Ma gave me some mon

shook h

money; she has her views about

her for my aunt

now they had reached the little candy store, and Pa

a asked her which kind she would like to have, s

aid that no one, not even Mr. Corryville, dared spend any mon

ever she wished, and her surprise increased when she chose a half-pound o

Patricia, as they left the store, "and now we'll go

es of her other friends. Patricia rang the bell, and they heard the lock slip, then they commen

loor because it's

sily in the corners of an old sofa, each with her p

, and her many pieces of jewelry made Arabella stare. She did not know

n't like to have you buy so m

plied Patricia, "that Arab

b? Patricia had not said that Arabella had bought her package

rom the table, and sat do

cia became

n a few moments they were running dow

oney, and we'll have some

ey, but dared not ask her, and while sh

I'd like you for my best friend," she said,

r through her glasses

er nicely, and you needn't be provoked at what I said, for we're going to have a se

e was room for but three little tables, but Arabella thought it quite grand, fo

last longer, and Arabella watched Patrici

tricia los

sk what the secr

if it's worth telling?"

d Patricia. "Say, you'll be at Do

e there; my costu

it going

ny one what we are to wear; not even the colo

ed ribbons, and gold tinsel, and my domino that will cover it for the first of the evening will be bright yellow! I've told you, Arabella Corr

la hes

t like to have u

ated you to candy and ice cream, and told you all about my costume.

ounded grieved, an

knew she ought not, b

tonhole of our dominoes, so we'd know each other the minute we got there.

ry room," s

een in the

?" asked

re that she had

e the flowers

randly. "No, I haven't been in there, but I've see

e right in the room with them. I know, be

queried

now about, and not another girl knows it but me. I won't tell you what it is now, but at the party I'll do better than t

atory," prom

cia, "and then you'll see what you

if I tell you,

d," Patric

wear anything flighty, so she's made me a dre

onged to know, because she was simply wild to visit the con

, Patricia walking slowly homewa

never thought to take those horrid pills! The bottle is in my pocket, and I've eaten candy and ice cream! It's lucky she don't know that;