Part 8 (1/2)

So Katie went up-stairs to make herself tidy.

”It's mesilf wants to take a 'silvernear,'” she said as she scrubbed herself; and then in an evil moment, she beheld a small plate with a bunny on it, which Nora owned and loved.

”It's just the thing,” thought Katie, ”and kind of partly mine because it's in our room.”

So she took it with her when she went, and it burned her little hand like fire.

Ethelwyn and Beth were preparing a tea party in the doll house.

”O Katie, how nice!” said Ethelwyn. ”We'll put it in the tea party. We were coming over to get you and Nora to come; there are some beautiful iced cakes coming up in a minute.”

”I can't stay,” said Katie feebly, ”I feel kind of sick inside.”

So saying she rushed home, but it was no use; poor Katie's conscience grew worse all the time, and presently she came back.

”I--I--know you won't like me any more,” she said, red and miserable, ”but it's Nora's plate I gave you, and I'm no better than a thafe.”

But Ethelwyn and Beth put their arms around her, and comforted her dear little sore heart.

”I know just how you feel,” said Ethelwyn. ”I took mother's gold dragon stick-pin for my dolly's blanket one day, because I was in a hurry, and lost it of course, and felt so mizzable, as if nothing could ever be nice again. Now take the plate and go and get Nora, dear, and we'll have the best tea party.”

And they did, and the guests had each another box of candy for their ”silvernears,” besides, but Ethelwyn and Beth ate far too much, and that's the reason their next day good time began by being a bad time too.

_CHAPTER XI_ _The Day After_

In the lovely playtime, life seems always gay.

In the sober worktime, sometimes it grows gray.

Mother was superintending the strawberry jam in the kitchen, giving orders to the grocery boy, and paying Mrs. O'Neal for sewing, all at once.

You can't do this unless you are a mother, but mothers can do almost everything at once.

”It's a fortunate thing that the Bible says everybody mustn't work on Sunday. It says man-servant, maid-servant, cattle, stranger within thy gates, but nothing at all about mothers, though, because they positively have to,” said Ethelwyn, after a profound season of thought in the hammock.

”When our mother rests, she darns stockings,” said Beth, who was dressing her doll near by.

”Not on Sunday, child!” said Ethelwyn scandalized.

”Well n.o.body said she did, I guess. She tells us Bible stories then. I always think they sound so pretty, against her Sunday clothes,” said Beth.

”Pooh!” said Ethelwyn who was cross. She was going down to the grocery presently on her wheel to get some eggs, but she was putting it off as long as she could.

She started after awhile, and unluckily had the groceryman tie the eggs on the wheel. She came along safely, until within view of Beth lying comfortably in the hammock; then with a desire to show off, she spurted, or tried to, and her wheel ran off the walk, and tipped her off upon the gra.s.s on top of two dozen eggs!

Her mother picked her up, and after stilling Beth's laughter, and her crying, washed her, and put her in the hammock, all in so short a time that only a yellow stain on the gra.s.s showed that a tragedy had happened.

Then mother went back to her jam.