Dorothy Daintys Gay Times | Page 2

where the soft breeze fanned their flushed cheeks.
"I'd almost forgotten something that I meant to tell you," Dorothy said.
"You know Aunt Charlotte says that the pupils are to give a little
entertainment each month, when we are to have dialogues, songs, solo
dances, pieces to be spoken, and chorus music. Well, mamma has
arranged to have a fine little stage and curtain. You didn't know that,
did you?"
"Indeed I didn't," said Nancy, "and I guess the others will be surprised.
You haven't told them yet, have you?"
"I only knew it this morning myself, but I'm eager to tell them," said
Dorothy.
"Here's Mollie Merton and Flossie Barnet now," cried Nancy, and,
turning, Dorothy saw the two playmates running up the driveway.
"Mollie was over at my house," said Flossie, "and we saw you and
Nancy just as you ran around the house, and we thought we'd come
over."
"We were wild to know if our private school is truly to commence next

week. Mamma said it would if enough pupils were ready to join it,"
said Mollie, "and we knew Katie Dean's cousin was a new one, and
won't it be funny to have one boy in the class?"
"Oh, but he is just a little boy," said Nancy.
"And he must begin to go to school this year, and he says he likes girls
ever so much better than boys, so he asked if he might go to our
school," Dorothy said.
"He always says he likes girls best," said Flossie; "isn't he a queer little
fellow?" "I don't know," Mollie said, so drolly that they all laughed.
"And there is a new pupil, who has just come here to live, and she is
very nice, Jeanette Earl says," and as she spoke Dorothy looked up at
her friends, a soft pleading in her blue eyes.
She intended to give a kindly welcome to the new pupil, and she hoped
that the others would be friendly.
"How does Jeanette know?" asked Mollie, bluntly.
"Oh, Jeanette ought to know," said Nancy, "for the new little girl is her
cousin, I mean her third cousin."
"Well, Nina is Jeanette's sister," said Mollie, "so what does she say?"
"She didn't say anything," said Nancy, "she just looked."
"Arabella Corryville is to be in our class," said Flossie, "and when I
told Uncle Harry he laughed, and asked me if her Aunt Matilda was
coming to school with her."
Of course they laughed, and it was Mollie who first spoke.
"Your Uncle Harry is always joking," she said, "and sometimes I can't
tell whether he is in earnest, or only saying things just for fun."
"Well, I guess you'll laugh when I tell you what he said next! He said

that although he had graduated from college, and now was in business,
he would urge Aunt Charlotte to let him attend a few sessions of our
school, if Arabella's Aunt Matilda was to be there. He said it would be
a great pleasure which he really could not miss." How they laughed at
the idea of Flossie's handsome young uncle in the little private school,
while Arabella's prim little aunt was also a pupil.
"I asked him what he meant," said Flossie, who looked completely
puzzled, "and he said that sometimes a man's wits needed sharpening,
and that Aunt Matilda would be a regular file. Papa laughed, but
mamma said: 'Harry, Harry, you really mustn't,' and he ran up to the
music-room whistling 'O dear, what can the matter be?' I can't help
laughing even when I don't understand his teasing jokes, he says things
in such a funny way, while his eyes just dance."
"He looked very handsome the day he wore his uniform, with the gold
lace on it," said Dorothy; "don't you remember, Flossie? Your aunt was
on the piazza, and she stooped and pinned a rose in his buttonhole. Do
you think he knew how fine he looked, when he sprang into the saddle,
and rode away?"
"I don't know," Flossie said, her blue eyes very thoughtful, "he never
seems to think about it, and one thing I don't at all understand, he's big,
and brave, and manly, yet he plays with me so gently, and he's as full of
fun as a boy."
"That's why we all like him," said Nancy, "and he never acts as if we
were just little girls, and so not worth noticing."
"Do you remember the day that the tramp came into our kitchen, and
frightened the cook? Uncle Harry was just strolling along the driveway.
He walked into the kitchen, took the dirty tramp by the collar and
marched him right out to the street," and Flossie's cheeks glowed with
pride for her dear Uncle Harry.
"Yes, and a moment