Two Little Women on a Holiday | Page 8

things similar, different in colouring
but alike in style. So their respective mothers had many confabs before
the grave questions were settled.
And the result was two very attractive wardrobes that were really right
for fifteen-year-old girls. Afternoon dresses of voile or thin silk, and
one pretty party dress for each of dainty chiffon and lace. Morning
frocks of linen and a tailored street suit seemed to be ample in amount
and variety.
Bernice had more and grander ones, but the two D's were entirely
satisfied, and watched the packing of their small trunks with joyful
contentment.
Dolly put in her diary, declaring she should write a full account of each
day's happenings.
"Then that'll do for me," said Dotty. "I hate to keep a diary, and what
would be the use? It would be exactly like yours, Doll, and I can
borrow yours to read to my people after you've read it to your family."
"All right," agreed Dolly, good-naturedly, for what pleased one girl
usually suited the other.
They didn't take their schoolbooks, for it made a heavy load, and too,
all agreed that it would spoil the pleasant vacation. The girls promised
to make up the lessons on their return, and so it seemed as if nothing
marred the anticipation of their splendid holiday.
CHAPTER III

THE ARRIVAL
The girls were put on the train at Berwick and as Mrs. Berry was to
meet them at the station in New York, they were allowed to make the
trip alone.
"I think this train ride the best part of the whole thing," said Dolly, as
she took off her coat and hung it up beside her chair. "I do love to ride
in a parlour car; I wish we were to travel in it for a week."
"I like it, too," agreed Bernice. "Oh, girls, what fun we're going to have!
You won't like Uncle Jeff at first, he's awful queer; but there's one thing
sure, he'll let us do just as we like. He's very good-natured."
"What's Mrs. Berry like?" asked Dotty. "I suppose we'll obey her?"
"Yes, but she's good-natured, too. I can twist her round my finger. Oh,
we'll have a high old time."
"S'pose Mrs. Berry shouldn't be there to meet us when we get in,"
suggested Dolly. "What then?"
"She will, of course," said Bernice. "But if she shouldn't, if the car
broke down or anything like that, we'd take a taxicab right to the
house."
This sounded very grown-up and grand to the two D's, who had had
little experience with taxicabs, and Dotty exclaimed with glee, "I'd
rather do that than go in Mr. Forbes' car! What a lark it would be! Oh,
Bernice, can we go somewhere in a taxicab while we're there?"
"I don't know, Dotty,--I s'pose so. But why should we? Uncle Jeff has
two cars, and the chauffeur will take us wherever we want to go."
"But I've never been in a taxicab,--without older people, I mean, and I'd
love to try it."
"Well, I expect you can," returned Bernice, carelessly. "I dare say you
can do pretty much anything you want to."

"But do behave yourself, Dot," cautioned Dolly; "you're so daring and
venturesome, I don't know what mischief you'll get into!"
"Oh, we won't get into mischief," laughed Bernice. "There'll be enough
fun, without doing anything we oughtn't to."
"Of course, I won't do anything wrong," declared Dotty, indignantly.
"But there are so many things to do, it sets me crazy to think of it!"
"I'm going to buy things," announced Bernice. "There aren't any decent
shops in Berwick, and I'm going to get lots of things in the city stores."
"We can't do that," said Dolly, decidedly. "We haven't lots of money
like you have, Bernie; I'm going to see things. I want to see all the
pictures I possibly can. I love to look at pictures."
"I want to go to the theatre," and Dotty looked at Bernice inquiringly.
"Will we, do you s'pose?"
"Oh, yes, Mrs. Berry will take us. Perhaps we can go to matinees,
alone."
"I don't think we ought to do that," and Dolly looked distinctly
disapproving.
"Oh, come now, old priggy-wig," said Dotty, "don't be too awfully
'fraidcat!"
"It will be just as Mrs. Berry says," Bernice informed them. "Father
said I must obey her in everything. Uncle Jeff won't pay much attention
to what we do, but Mrs. Berry will. I wonder if Alicia will be there
when we get there."
But Alicia wasn't. As the girls came up the stairs into the great station,
they saw a smiling, motherly-looking lady waiting to welcome them.
"Here you are!" she cried, and it wasn't necessary for Bernice to
introduce her friends, except to tell which was which.

"I feel as if