A Dear Little Girl at School

ng her of the discovery she had made the night before. She hurried through her breakfast and was off to the little house as soon as she had been

umbled over each other as she replied to Nettie's greeting of "How nice

u came last evening," returned Nettie; "yo

that maybe you can make

"Oh, do tell me qui

ed, and then she thrust it before Nettie, poin

rly running over the words. "Oh, Edna," s

quickest and who has the clearest answer will get the first prize. Maybe we couldn't get the very first, but we could get the second, an

that be

; it just says the one who sends it in the soonest. I left a

think

r. You don't mind his knowing, do you, Nettie? He won't tel

ied, "because he has been here

et's go

ish the dis

should help you with them

better start

sed part. They are in the paper every week on Fridays, and I often do the

her. Nettie furnished paper and pencil and then went back to her work in the kitche

aid, "what's

ave any way of getting the refreshments, so we thought and thought of what we could do to get some money, and last night I sa

ld, I knew t

ay we might get a dollar, anyhow. We have guessed a lot of it, but I thought maybe you could

you a little time for such lauda

t they had already done. "Do you think it is ri

"Pretty good so far. Let me see. I thin

e think of that? And this one,

had it. So bit by bit the puzzle was completed and within

n and I'll get this right down to the newspaper office myself; I have to go near th

ied Edna. "I think that is just lovely of yo

ettie sedately. Edna's interest was so great that s

hen Ben had gone, promising that he would

and yet I would love dearly to have it for a surpr

I suppose, but that will

it to know, and it is hard to keep

you have a secret and that yo

suppose I shouldn't win; we

her just now that

stay with you. I have still my stockings to darn, but I can do those this afternoon. Mother alway

tasks when she was staying with Aunt Elizabeth, and it was one she much disliked. She stayed a little while longer and then returned h

ome. Edna stopped to look at them as she passed out. She was full of Nettie's secret but she had promised not to tell. She wished Cousin Ben would come back so she

nd the fire in the open grate looked very cheerful. What a dear place home was, and how glad she was always to get back to i

e's. I'm glad I don't ha

ettie h

year, but Katie does them all this year, so I don't even have to be sorr

ou would do them just as cheerfully a

cheerful part, but I w

d Celia. "I should hope you knew

a. "What were you tal

l her, Agnes?

soon be talked o

eeting of the club, after school closes. You see most of the girls go

ial thing were

nd have it out of doors, it would be lovely. We would invi

y lovely. Wha

ome of having 'Alice in Wonderland,' but that has been

lp you? He has so many funny things

nes? He may be silly about some things, but he would

and won't be back till

Celia laughing. "I don't believe Ben yawns but Edna k

ome to our house after

esn't generally have anything special on hand Saturda

nce she did not find it hard to keep from talking of N

nterest and asked all sorts of questions. "Why couldn't you have it here in my grounds?" she asked. "There is a good place

eople, for we are going to ask our families and the

t to entertain them as any of the others ha

, you ha

he girls had come to know well. The next words were, "Go out, Margaret, and ask Lizzie to send in some of the day's baking for your friends. There must be scones, or something of that kind." The gi

efore they had finished talking of it, Cousin Ben came in, and was immediately set upon, thou

n't have been an hour from the time I

ds together. "Agnes has been here, Cousin Ben, and Celia w

subject was opened to him

's a good deal to spring on a fellow un

Agnes's this evening to

not have it known for the world. "I was going t

ry day," said Celia coaxingly, "and w

me," said Ben giving in. "But if I take hold of th

rnestly. "We are none of us up t

f I am going to call on ladies I must

on as her cousin had left the ro

had promised to see what he could do, and would let them know later when he had

k while school was occupying them all, but on Friday Mrs. MacDonald's

er father found that he had left it in the car, and there was no way to get another copy till the next day.

you out a copy to-morrow, daughter. I will try not to forget it, but I give you leave to call me up on the long distance, or rather the out

heartily as she could, though deep down in her heart the disappointment still li

pleased when she saw her friend that Edna was all the more grieved at having to tell her she must wait till evening. "Oh, I am s