Part 22 (1/2)

After a few moments of excited consultation Peter Hyde announced in a loud tone that, for the entertainment of the guests, a fairy fantasy, ”The Visit of the Moon-Queen,” would be presented by Miss Nonie Hopworth.

”Well, I swun, with folks here from N'York, encouragin' that girl to act her nonsense,” murmured Mrs. Sniggs to a neighbor.

But the man-from-New York's face brightened expectantly when Nancy waved her hand out over their heads as though to touch them all with a fairy wand. ”Let my magic give you fairy eyes so that you may see that this is _not_ the garden of Happy House but a woodland, peopled by fairy creatures! If you will listen very hard, you will hear them stirring. It is the Flowers. They come to the Woodland to make it ready for the Moon-Queen who will visit them this night!”

Down through the trees danced Nonie, bare-footed, arms outflung, as though she was, indeed, joyously preparing for the triumphal coming of a Queen. In turn she characterized the Daisy, the Hollyhock, the b.u.t.tercup and the Rose--then became the good old Dandelion.

”Lily, you are _so_ lazy,” the Dandelion sternly admonished her fair sister. ”Don't you know the Queen likes tidy gardens when she comes here? And see the muss b.u.t.tercup has left around. Oh, dearie me, children will be children and I'll be so glad when b.u.t.tercup and Daffy-down-dilly grow up! Daisy, it isn't lady-like to complain that your dress is so plain! I am sure the Queen will think you look very well, if your petals are clean. It's what you _do_, anyway, and _not_ what you wear!”

Nancy saw Peter Hyde's laughing face drop suddenly between his arms.

With quaint, childish phrasing and with dancing steps Nonie interpreted her story to her audience. When each flower had done its part toward preparing the Garden for the coming of the Queen, Nonie, as the old Dandelion, admonished them to sit very still, ”so as not to muss their dresses,” and then disappeared only to appear again as the stately Queen. Like a peac.o.c.k, holding an imaginary train in one hand, Nonie strutted across the gra.s.s, now nodding graciously to right and left, now haughtily chiding imaginary moonbeams who accompanied her.

Then--the Queen supposedly in state upon her throne--Nonie was again the Dandelion, leading forward her sister flowers to pay court to their Queen.

Suddenly (from the direction of Aunt Milly's chair) came a slow, sorrowful voice that the Flowers (or at least Dandelion) lamented loudly as Trouble. The Flowers were sadly dismayed that Trouble should have intruded upon this festive gathering in honor of the Moon-Queen!

But the Moon-Queen implored them ”not to worry a bit.”

”I know all about Trouble and the harm she does! I see everything as I ride through the sky. But, never fear, we will find a way to get rid of her!” The Queen threw out her hand with an imperial gesture.

”Summon Youth!”

Nancy, as Youth, trying very hard not to giggle, answered the summons.

In her pink dress, a flush dying her tanned cheeks, her eyes alight with life, she was so much the embodiment of joyous, appealing youth that Peter Hyde, absorbedly watching, felt a catch at his heart.

Gravely the Moon-Queen touched Youth with her magic wand.

”Go out into the world and drive Trouble away! I will give you fairy presents to help you in your fight. This,” holding out a flower, ”is a magic flower. If you wear it all the time you'll remember that there's always flowers and birds and nice things to make people happy. And here's a fairy leaf. If you wave that in people's faces they'll all be kind and never be cross to little children or animals or old people.

And here is a fairy ring,” placing a twisted dandelion stem in Youth's hand, ”that'll make you love everybody and everybody love you. And here is a magic coat,” putting Aunt Milly's shawl over Youth's arm, ”when you wear it you'll always do beautiful things and you'll always seem beautiful and never grow old or ugly!”

Then the Flowers, at the Queen's bidding, danced wildly about Youth to show their joy at her coming--at least Nonie danced wildly, with utter abandon. Forgetting her audience, she had thrown herself heart and soul into the ”game.”

Again the Queen, she bade the pretty Rose step forward and take Youth by the hand and ”walk along with her so that she'll see everything through your spectacles. I bid all _adieu_!”

After one sweeping bow Nonie had to unceremoniously leave the poor Moon-Queen in order to become the joyous Rose to whom had been allotted the pleasant task of accompanying Youth through her life's journey.

She caught Youth by the hand and together, amid loud applause, led mainly by Webb and Peter Hyde, they danced away through the trees and shrubbery to the kitchen garden beyond.

”Author! Author!” came from Peter Hyde's corner and brought Nancy and Nonie, flushed by their play, back to the gathering under the trees.

”I'm blessed if _I_ could make head'nor tail out of any of it, but did you see, Mary Sniggs, the way thet N'York man watched the two of them galivantin'?”

Mrs. Sniggs discreetly snorted into her handkerchief. ”That kind o'

play-actin' may be very well for Sabriny Leavitt's niece, but I don'

believe it'll do any girl any good that's gotta earn her livin'!”

Nancy, still breathless, found Peter Hyde at her side. There was an earnestness in the gaze he kept fixed upon her that brought an added color to her cheeks.

”Was it _dreadfully_ silly, Peter? I couldn't resist it. Could you _see_ their faces when they watched Nonie?”