Two Little Women on a Holiday | Page 6

week before you start."
"I want some nice things," declared Dotty. You know Bernice has
wonderful clothes, and I suppose her cousin has, too."
"Maybe your wardrobe can't be as fine as a rich man's daughter," said
her father smiling at her, "but I hope mother will fix you up so you
won't feel ashamed of your clothes."
"I think they'll be all right," and Mrs. Rose nodded her head. "I'll see
Mrs. Fayre to-morrow, and we'll find out what Bernice is going to take
with her. You children can't need elaborate things, but they must be
right."
The Rose family spent the entire evening talking over the coming trip,
and when Dotty went to bed she set an alarm clock, that she might rise
early in the morning to do her lessons for the day before breakfast. She
did them, too, and came to the table, smiling in triumph.
"Did all my examples and learned my history perfectly," she exulted.
"So you see, mother, my trip won't interfere with my education!"
"Oh, you can make up your lessons," said her father, carelessly. "I
wouldn't give much for a girl who couldn't do a few extra tasks to make
up for a grand outing such as you're to have."
"I either!" agreed Dotty. "But the Fayres are worried to death for fear
Doll will miss a lesson somewhere."
"Dolly learns more slowly than you," remarked her mother. "You have
a gift for grasping facts quickly, and a good memory to retain them."
"You ought to be grateful for that," said Mr. Rose.
"I am," returned Dotty. "When I see Dolly grubbing over her history, I
can't understand how she can be so long over it."
"But she's better in mathematics than you are."

"Yes, she is. She helps me a lot with the old puzzlers. She thinks we'll
study in New York. But somehow, I don't believe we will."
"Of course, you won't," laughed Mr. Rose. "Why, you'd be foolish to
do that. A fine opportunity has come to you girls, and I advise you to
make the most of it. See all the sights you can; go to all the pleasant
places you can; and have all the fun you can cram into your days. Then
go to sleep and rest up for the next day."
"Good, sound advice, Dads," said Dotty; "you're a gentleman and a
scholar to look at it like that! But I don't know as we can go about
much; I believe Mr. Forbes is quite an old man, and who will take us
about?"
"I thought the housekeeper would," said Mrs. Rose.
"I don't know at all, mother. It seems Bernie has never visited there
before, though she has been to the house. Her uncle is queer, and why
he wants his two nieces all of a sudden, and his two nieces' friends,
nobody knows. It's sort of mysterious, I think."
"Well, it's all right, as long as you're properly invited. It seems strange
Bernie's cousin didn't care to take a friend."
"Yes; I wonder what she's like. Bernice hasn't seen her since they were
little girls. She lives out in Iowa, I think. She's at school in Connecticut
somewhere. It's all sort of unknown. But I like that part of it. I love new
experiences."
"I always do too, Dot," said her father. "I reckon when you come home,
you'll have lots to tell us."
"New York isn't so strange to me," said Dotty. "I've been there a lot of
times, you know. But to go and stay in a house there,--that's the fun. It's
so different from going in for a day's shopping with mother. Or the day
we all went to the Hippodrome."
"You'll probably go to the Hippodrome again, or some such

entertainment," suggested Mrs. Rose.
"I dunno. I imagine the old gentleman doesn't favour such gaiety. And
the housekeeper lady will likely be too busy to do much for us. We
can't go anywhere alone, can we?"
"I don't know," replied Mrs. Rose. "You must be guided by
circumstances, Dotty. Whatever Mr. Forbes and Mrs. Berry say for you
to do, will be all right. Make as little trouble as you can, and do as
you're told. You'll have fun enough, just being with the girls."
"Indeed I will! Oh, I'm so glad Dolly can go. I wouldn't have stirred a
step without her!"
"No, I know you wouldn't," agreed her mother.
Next day at school recess, Bernice showed the girls a letter she had
received from Alicia.
"You know I haven't seen her in years," Bernice said; "I think she must
be more grown up than we are, though she's only just sixteen."
"Dearest Bernice:" the letter ran.
"Isn't it simply screaming that we're to camp out at Uncle Jeff's!