Part 29 (1/2)
Now if the boys did not find a great deal of work to do they were very outspoken in their admiration for all that had been accomplished by the girls.
”Well, if other people will only be as much impressed as you are, and will open their purses accordingly, we shall have nothing to complain of,” said Nora, ”and I hope that you will all come back and buy everything that is left over by to-morrow evening.”
”Can't we have first choice of anything?” queried Tom Hurst, a mischief loving friend of Philip's whom some of the girls distrusted a little.
”No,” answered Nora, sternly, ”you must not be so selfish. There may be old ladies who will want----”
”Do you suppose that any old lady will want that tobacco pouch?” asked Tom, with a most innocent expression on his face.
”She might,” answered Nora, with a very dignified manner. ”She might if she had a son who was fond of smoking, at any rate she ought to have first choice.”
”Well, then,” replied Tom, ”I don't believe that I shall return, for I am not sure that I ought to patronize an inst.i.tution that encourages old ladies to buy tobacco pouches.”
”They're more harmless for old ladies than for Harvard undergraduates,”
said another of the girls seriously, whereat two or three of the boys pulled cigarette cases out of their pockets, and said, ”Wouldn't you rather have us use tobacco pouches than smoke these unwholesome cigarettes?”
”You shouldn't use tobacco at all,” cried Edith in a plaintive tone, ”at your age, Philip, you know how mamma feels about it.”
”Don't be a goose, Edith,” retorted Philip, ”unless you want us to stay away to-morrow. Anyway it's time we started for Cambridge, we're not used to late hours.” At this the rest of the boys laughed rather more loudly than the occasion seemed to warrant, but with a return of good manners they bade the girls good-bye, and promised Mrs. Blair, who had returned to the room that they would certainly drop in some time on Wednesday.
”Don't forget your promise to me,” said Will Hardon in an undertone as he shook hands with Ruth, and Ruth promised not to forget. Ruth and one other girl were to spend the night with Julia and Brenda, so as to be ready early in the morning, and the rest of the a.s.sistants started off in a large group attended by one of Mrs. Blair's servants, for none of them had very far to walk.
”It certainly does look as if it might clear up,” said Belle to Nora, as they walked along.
”Yes, indeed,” answered Nora, ”there are as many as twenty stars to be seen, and that is almost a sure sign. Some people believe that it will be fine the next day if you can count nine stars the night before.”
XXV
THE BAZAAR
The sun, after all, did s.h.i.+ne on Wednesday morning, and The Four and their a.s.sistants arrived bright and early at Mrs. Blair's.
By ten o'clock everything was in order for patrons, and really the arrangement of the tables reflected great credit on the young girls. The table of fancy handiwork was loaded with beautiful articles. There was Nora's afghan with its rich, warm stripes, there was Belle's fine embroidery,--centre piece, doilies, and other dainty bits chiefly for the dining-room. I cannot truly say that Brenda, though giving liberally, had contributed very much that was made by her own hands, and I have an idea that if the bottom drawer of her bureau had been examined, it would have been found to contain the majority of the unfinished things over which at one time or another she had been so enthusiastic. Not even her zeal for the Bazaar had enabled her to disentangle that confusion of odds and ends.
Some of the older girls at school had contributed beautiful things. One had copied an old French miniature and had had it framed in gilt.
Another had painted a set of tiny chocolate cups. There were some exquisite picture frames covered in old brocade brought over from Europe by another girl, and still a third had sent some wood carvings done in a peculiar style which she had learned at Venice. An uncle of Edith's who was a publisher, had sent a number of finely bound books. Then there were many smaller and less expensive things, so that it seemed as if every taste must be suited.
”Oh, how lovely,” exclaimed Ruth as she stood for a moment beside the flower table which Edith, Julia and Ruth had spent an hour or more in decorating.
”Where did you get those beautiful orchids?” asked Edith.
”Why Edith Blair,” answered Julia, ”I should think that you ought to recognize your own possessions. Your mother sent these in from your greenhouse in Brookline.”
Edith laughed good-humoredly. ”I thought that they had a kind of familiar look, but then other people have orchids, too.”
”Well other people _have_ been generous, as well as your mother. I have quant.i.ties of violets besides these on the tables, and the most beautiful roses, and see this dozen of maiden hair fern in little pots.
Almost every plant has been engaged by some of the girls at the tables.
They are to be left with me until evening.”