Dorothy Daintys Gay Times | Page 7

the private class.
And now a thin little figure made its way across the street, just a little way from where they were sitting.
Nina reached behind Lola, and touched her sister's sleeve; Jeanette nodded, and looked toward the girl who walked along, looking down upon the ground.
Dorothy saw her, and called to her kindly:
"Arabella! Arabella! Won't you come and meet our new playmate?"
Arabella turned, paused just a second to stare at the new pupil. Then turning toward the stone cottage, she said:
"I can't stop to talk; I've got to go to school."
"Why, how--" Nancy would not finish the sentence.
She was grieved that Arabella should be so rude to Dorothy, and vexed that their new friend should be unkindly treated.
"Who is she?" Lola asked.
"She's Arabella Corryville," said Nina, "and she's in our class, and I wish--" she stopped as short as Nancy had a few moments before.
Lola turned to look at Nina.
"What were you going to say?" she whispered.
"I was going to say that I wished she wasn't."
CHAPTER III
THE DIALOGUE
Lola received a cordial greeting from Aunt Charlotte, and at recess time she declared that she was now in the nicest school that she had ever attended.
"Why, how many have you been in?" asked Mollie; "this is the only one I've ever been to, and you aren't any older than I am."
Lola laughed.
"I've been in three schools," she said. "Last year I commenced in one school, but we moved, and I had to go to another one. This makes the third, and I know I shall like it best of all."
Every one liked Lola. She seemed to be tireless. She knew many games, and as soon as they wearied of one, she chose another.
"She's as much fun to play with as a boy," said Reginald, at which Arabella laughed.
"You like any girls better'n boys; you said so the other day," she said.
"I like some girls," said the small boy, and he might have said more, but his cousin Katie stood behind Arabella, shaking her head, and frowning at him. Reginald looked at Katie, and decided to be silent.
There were ever so many things which he would have liked to say, but Katie might tell at home if he were too naughty.
When Arabella found that Lola was liked by all the other pupils, she decided to be just a bit friendly toward her, and Lola seemed pleased that Arabella was no longer odd and silent.
And so it happened that Arabella now seemed really to be a member of the class. She no longer refused to join in their games at recess, and took more interest in her lessons than she had before.
Aunt Charlotte was delighted, and hoped that Arabella's pleasant mood would last.
There was great excitement one morning when the little class was told that plans had been made for the first entertainment, and that rehearsals would commence that afternoon. A little murmur of delight passed over the class, and Aunt Charlotte smiled at their pleasure.
"I shall ask Dorothy to sing two songs for us; Nancy, I know, will be willing to do a fancy dance; Nina and Jeanette are learning a new duet for the piano, and I should be pleased to have that for another number on our programme. I have chosen a fine dialogue which will give a part to every girl, and also a boy's r?le for Reginald."
When Aunt Charlotte had finished speaking, there was another little murmur of delight, and then the lessons for the day commenced.
At recess they could not spare a moment for games! They talked, and talked of the entertainment which they were to give, and of the fine times which they would have at the afternoon rehearsals, and after school, when they walked along the avenue, they still were talking of the solo numbers, and of the dialogue.
"There's eight girls in it, and one boy, that's Reginald," said Mollie, "and I know--oh, wait till I tie my shoe."
She rested her foot on a stone, and tied the ribbons with a smart little twitch.
"And now what were you going to say?" asked Jeanette.
"I said how many were to be in the dialogue, and I was going to say that I know I'm just wild to hear Aunt Charlotte read it to us this afternoon."
"Then you won't have to be wild long," Jeanette said, "for we are to come back at two to have our parts given to us."
* * * * *
At two o'clock they were again at the cottage, eagerly watching Aunt Charlotte, as she opened her desk, and took from it a book with a scarlet cover.
"There are nine girls in my class, just the number required for this dialogue," she said. "Eight of the characters are school girls, one is a fairy, and the boy in the little play is an elfin messenger."
"That'll