Dorothy Daintys Gay Times | Page 9

said.
"I know mine," boasted Reginald; "I have to run in right after the fairy,
and say, 'Here is your magic wand, oh, queen,'"
"I guess you can't say it that way," laughed Jeanette, "for Aunt
Charlotte wouldn't let you. You said it just as if you'd said, 'Here is a
great, big sandwich, oh, queen!'"
"Well, I didn't say that, and you needn't laugh. It makes you feel big to
be queen!" "Reginald!"
"Well, it does," declared the small boy, "an' Arabella said so
yesterday."
"Arabella likes to say mean things," said Jeanette, "but it doesn't prove
that they're so because she says so."
Everything went smoothly at the afternoon rehearsal, until Dorothy said
that Nancy was to do a lovely fancy dance for one number on the
programme, when Arabella felt moved to make one of her unpleasant
remarks.
"My Aunt Matilda doesn't 'prove of dancing," she said, looking sharply
at Nancy.
"Well, your Aunt Matilda doesn't have to dance," said Mollie, pertly.
Mollie knew that she was naughty, but truly Arabella was trying.
"Perhaps your aunt likes music," said Nina; "Dorothy is going to sing."
"I don't know whether she likes singing or not," Arabella replied, "but
she doesn't like dancing, I know, for she said she wouldn't ever let me
learn to dance."

"P'r'aps your father'd let you learn," said Reginald.
"He wouldn't unless Aunt Matilda said I could."
"Why does folks have Aunt Matildas?" muttered Reginald.
Mollie Merton laughed. She had heard what he said, although he had
spoken almost in a whisper.
They left the cottage, promising to study their parts very carefully, and
as they walked down the avenue they repeated some of the pleasing
lines which they remembered.
Suddenly Reginald spoke.
"I've got to go back; I've left my ball on my desk," he said.
"Don't go back," Katie said, "you won't want it to-night."
"P'raps I will, and anyway I'm going after it," said Reginald, stoutly;
"you wait for me."
"Oh, we can't, Reginald," Katie said, "but you can overtake us if you
hurry."
Reginald was already running toward the cottage, so he did not hear
what Katie said. He pushed open the little gate and ran in, and up the
steps on to the piazza.
"I left my ball on my desk," he said to Aunt Charlotte, who was
standing in the hall.
"The schoolroom is open," she said with a smile, and Reginald rushed
past her, and hurried to his desk. The ball was not on it, nor was it in
the desk, as careful hunting proved.
"I left it right on top of my desk," he declared to Aunt Charlotte, who
had followed, and now stood beside him.

"Are you quite sure of that?" she asked gently.
"Oh, yes, I know I left it there, and I came back on purpose to get it," he
said, his blue eyes wide with surprise, "and now it is getting late to hunt
for it, 'sides, I don't know where to hunt."
His lip quivered, and there was something very like tears in his eyes,
although he blinked very hard to hide them.
"I will search for the ball, and keep it for you to-morrow morning,"
Aunt Charlotte said; "it may have dropped to the floor, and rolled away
into some shadowy corner, or behind the draperies. It is almost twilight
now, but the lamplight to-night or the bright daylight to-morrow will
help me to find it for you."
Thus comforted, Reginald left the cottage, but although he ran nearly
all the way home, he saw neither of his schoolmates. He had hunted so
long for the coveted ball that they had reached their homes before he
was even in sight.
"We can't wait for him," Katie had said, as she looked down the road to
see if he were coming, and then they had become so interested in
talking of their dialogue that they forgot all about him.
Usually Reginald called for his cousin Katie, but the next morning he
was so eager to learn if his ball had been found, that he started early,
intending to be the first at school, and hurried past Katie's house lest
she might call to him to wait. He had almost reached the cottage when
he remembered that he had left both his spelling-book and reader at
home.
It was really provoking, and for just a moment he paused, wondering if
he might borrow books, or if indeed he ought to return for his own.
It was only a few days before that Aunt Charlotte had spoken of
promptness at school, and at the same time said that only a careless
pupil would be obliged to borrow.

He would not be the first to be thought careless; he would run back to
the house, but he