Dorothy Dainty's Gay Times Part 1

Dorothy Dainty's Gay Times.

by Amy Brooks.

CHAPTER I

THE FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

The great gateway stood wide open, and through it one could see the fine stone house with its vine-covered balconies, its rare flowers and stately trees.

A light breeze swayed the roses, sending out their perfume in little gusts of sweetness, while across the path the merry sunbeams flickered, like little dancing elves.

Down the path came a lovely little girl, swinging a skipping-rope, and dancing over and under it in perfect time with the song which she was singing.

The sunlight touched her bright curls, making her look like a fairy, and now she skipped backward, and forward, around the circular garden, and back again, only pausing to rest when another little girl ran across the lawn to meet her. She was Dorothy Dainty, the lovely little daughter of the house, and the sprightly, dark-eyed child who now joined her was Nancy Ferris, her dearest playmate.

"I was just wishing you'd come out, for I've something to tell you,"

Dorothy said. "You know Aunt Charlotte has all her plans ready for opening her private school next week, and you heard her tell mamma that the cla.s.s was _very_ full."

"Oh, I know it's to be a big cla.s.s," said Nancy, "for besides all the girls that used to be in it, there's to be one new one, and one _boy_, Katie Dean's cousin, Reginald, and,--oh, _did_ you know that Arabella is to join the cla.s.s?"

"Why, Nancy, are you _sure_?" asked Dorothy; "only yesterday we looked over toward her house, and there seemed to be no one at home." Nancy's eyes were merry.

"Come and look _now_!" she said, clasping Dorothy's hand, and running with her down to the gate.

"There!" said Nancy, "see all those windows open, and somebody out there behind the house beating a rug; you see they _are_ at home, and that's her queer little old Aunt Matilda."

Dorothy looked at the resolute little figure, and wondered how the thin arm could wield the rug-beater with so much energy. She remembered that Arabella had said that her father _always_ did as Aunt Matilda directed, and truly the small woman appeared able to marshal an army of men, if she chose.

"Perhaps Arabella will go over to the public school," said Dorothy; "she doesn't have to enter Aunt Charlotte's private cla.s.s."

"Oh, but she _will_, I just know she will," Nancy replied, "and Aunt Charlotte'll _have_ to let her. You know Mr. Corryville was in your papa's cla.s.s at college, and if he says he wishes Arabella to join the cla.s.s, your papa will surely say 'yes.'"

"He certainly will," said Dorothy, "but there's one thing to think of,"

she said, with a bright smile, "There are nice girls in the cla.s.s, and if Arabella is queer, we _mustn't_ mind it."

"We'll _try_ not to," Nancy said, and then, as Dorothy again swung her rope, Nancy "ran in," and the two skipped around the house together, the rope whipping the gravel walk in time with the dancing feet.

It was cool and shady near the wall, and they sat down upon a low seat where the soft breeze fanned their flushed cheeks.

"I'd almost forgotten something that I meant to tell you," Dorothy said.

"You know Aunt Charlotte says that the pupils are to give a little entertainment each month, when we are to have dialogues, songs, solo dances, pieces to be spoken, and chorus music. Well, mamma has arranged to have a fine little stage and curtain. You didn't know that, _did_ you?"

"Indeed I didn't," said Nancy, "and I guess the others will be surprised. You haven't told them yet, have you?"

"I only knew it this morning myself, but I'm eager to tell them," said Dorothy.

"Here's Mollie Merton and Flossie Barnet now," cried Nancy, and, turning, Dorothy saw the two playmates running up the driveway.

"Mollie was over at my house," said Flossie, "and we saw you and Nancy just as you ran around the house, and we thought we'd come over."

"We were wild to know if our private school is _truly_ to commence next week. Mamma said it would if enough pupils were ready to join it," said Mollie, "and we knew Katie Dean's cousin was a new one, and won't it be funny to have one boy in the cla.s.s?"

"Oh, but he is just a _little_ boy," said Nancy.

"And he must begin to go to school this year, and he says he likes girls ever so much better than boys, so he asked if he might go to our school," Dorothy said.

"He _always_ says he likes girls best," said Flossie; "isn't he a queer little fellow?" "I don't know," Mollie said, so drolly that they all laughed.

"And there is a new pupil, who has just come here to live, and she is _very_ nice, Jeanette Earl says," and as she spoke Dorothy looked up at her friends, a soft pleading in her blue eyes.

She intended to give a kindly welcome to the new pupil, and she hoped that the others would be friendly.

"How does Jeanette know?" asked Mollie, bluntly.

"Oh, Jeanette ought to know," said Nancy, "for the new little girl is her cousin, I mean her _third_ cousin."

"Well, Nina is Jeanette's sister," said Mollie, "so what does _she_ say?"

"She didn't say anything," said Nancy, "she just _looked_."

"Arabella Corryville is to be in our cla.s.s," said Flossie, "and when I told Uncle Harry he laughed, and asked me if her Aunt Matilda was coming to school with her."

Of course they laughed, and it was Mollie who first spoke.

"Your Uncle Harry is always joking," she said, "and sometimes I can't tell whether he is in earnest, or only saying things just for fun."

"Well, I guess you'll laugh when I tell you what he said next! He said that although he had graduated from college, and now was in business, he would urge Aunt Charlotte to let him attend a _few_ sessions of our school, if Arabella's Aunt Matilda was to be there. He said it would be a great pleasure which he really could not miss." How they laughed at the idea of Flossie's handsome young uncle in the little private school, while Arabella's prim little aunt was also a pupil.

"I asked him what he meant," said Flossie, who looked completely puzzled, "and he said that sometimes a man's wits needed sharpening, and that Aunt Matilda would be a regular file. Papa laughed, but mamma said: 'Harry, Harry, you really mustn't,' and he ran up to the music-room whistling 'O dear, what can the matter be?' I can't help laughing even when I don't understand his teasing jokes, he says things in such a funny way, while his eyes just dance."

"He looked very handsome the day he wore his uniform, with the gold lace on it," said Dorothy; "don't you remember, Flossie? Your aunt was on the piazza, and she stooped and pinned a rose in his b.u.t.tonhole. Do you think he knew how fine he looked, when he sprang into the saddle, and rode away?"

"I don't know," Flossie said, her blue eyes very thoughtful, "he never seems to think about it, and one thing I don't at all understand, he's big, and brave, and manly, yet he plays with me so gently, and he's as full of fun as a boy."

"That's why we all like him," said Nancy, "and he never acts as if we were just little girls, and so not worth noticing."

"Do you remember the day that the tramp came into our kitchen, and frightened the cook? Uncle Harry was just strolling along the driveway.

He walked into the kitchen, took the dirty tramp by the collar and marched him right out to the street," and Flossie's cheeks glowed with pride for her dear Uncle Harry.

"Yes, and a moment after, he saw little Reginald fall off his bicycle, and you ought to have seen how tenderly he picked him up, and brushed off the dust, and he was quite as gentle as mamma would have been."

"Oh, he's just fine," said Mollie, "and I _do_ wish he would visit our school on a day when Arabella's aunt would be there! I love to see him when he looks at her. Someway he seems so very respectful, and yet his eyes laugh."

"Well, it's just a few days now before school begins, and what fun we'll have," said Flossie, "and perhaps Arabella will invite her aunt to one of our entertainments; if she does, I'm just sure Uncle Harry would go."

"Oh, come here this minute, every one of you," called a cheery voice, and Nina Earl stepped through an opening in the hedge.

"Why, how surprised you look! I've been over to the stone cottage to call for you, Nancy, and Aunt Charlotte said that you were with Dorothy, so I ran across the lawn. I could hear you all talking, and I was wild to tell you something."