Harper's Young People, May 18, 1880 Part 7

So Patty was left to manage as best she might. Taking Nan with her, she went first to the shoe store, where she selected a pair of the daintiest, nicest-fitting boots; then to the dry-goods store, where she bought a number of yards of some sort of twilled goods of a lovely shade of blue. With these, a lace bib, and a large blue bow for her hair, Patty thought Nan would look very pretty.

Purchasing the material had been quite easy; but now came the cutting and making of the dress. The dresses of other girls were studied, fashion plates consulted by all the little housekeepers, and at last a style was decided upon. Then there was a laying on of patterns, and cutting, and basting, and ripping out, and sewing together, till at last the dress was completed. It is true that it was a little too long on the shoulder, and a little too short under the arm, and a little too scant in the skirt. But it was pretty, and the effect was good.

At length the day before examination came, and everything was ready. The lace had been basted into the sleeves, and the dress, French kid boots, bow, and collar were laid away in the best chamber.

But just before dark a lady living in another part of the city sent for Patty to come and spend the night with her, as she was alone. How could she go? There was Nan to be dressed in the morning. But then she could not disappoint her kind friend; so, after giving Katie and Nan many directions for the morning, she left them, promising to meet them at the school-house.

The next morning Johnny got the breakfast, and Nan and Katie cleared away the dishes. Then they went up stairs to dress. Nan had just finished her hair, having pinned on the blue bow, and was surveying its effect in the gla.s.s, when the sound of music on the street, just in front of the house, attracted her attention. She rushed to the window.

There was a chariot painted in gay colors, and men in scarlet and gold uniforms, and such music! The new dress was forgotten, and she flew down stairs and out of the door. With a troop of children she followed the gaudy chariot and gayly caparisoned horses from street to street.

At length, before she realized how far she had gone, she found herself before the school-house door, and the clock was striking nine. There was no time to go back. She thought of the new dress. No matter; she had on the blue bow.

Patty had gone directly to the school-house, instead of first going home, and was awaiting Nan's appearance.

The bell rang for the second cla.s.s to come down; and though trying to be calm and dignified, Patty could not help leaning eagerly forward, as the girls came trooping into the recitation-room. She wanted to see how Nan looked in the new blue dress and neat boots.

One by one the girls pushed forward and took their seats, until at last-- Could that be Nan? Poor Patty's cheeks burned with mortification as she saw her pressing eagerly forward among the rest, her freckled face beaming with satisfaction. Instead of the beautiful blue dress, she had on a faded calico, considerably outgrown, and her coa.r.s.e every-day boots with copper tips, half laced up, and much the worse for wear. But, in striking contrast, the blue bow was perched proudly on the top of her head. Then she had forgotten her pocket-handkerchief, and poor Patty was anything but soothed by the snuffs that she gave from time to time.

But when the recitations were heard Nan's dress was forgotten. Her answers were prompt, correct, and distinct; and Patty's feelings were somewhat soothed by the looks and words of praise that pa.s.sed from one to another of the examining committee, as Nan, still fresh and unwearied, answered the last question correctly.

Then came the awarding of prizes. The silence of expectancy reigned in the school-room, unbroken, save by the whispered consultation of teachers and examiners. At last the princ.i.p.al called the second cla.s.s forward to the recitation seats.

As the girls pa.s.sed down the aisles, another great wave of mortification swept over poor Patty, as Nan, in striking contrast to the other girls, in their pretty dresses, still careless and eager, pressed forward among the rest. When the girls reached their places, and all had become quiet, one of the committee rose and said: "You have all done well. I am pleased with the interest which you seem to manifest in your school and studies, and with the industry and application shown by your ready responses. But for prompt, correct, and distinct answers, which her teachers tell me have been uniform throughout the term, I award to Miss Nannie Harvey the first prize." And as Nan, bright and unconscious as ever, stepped forward to receive it, an almost audible smile pa.s.sed round the room, mingled with a murmur of applause.

But after this, as they trudged home together, Patty was almost as forgetful as Nan of the shabby dress and thick half-worn shoes.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

BLUE VIOLETS.

BY K. M. M.

Listen! No; you can not hear them; Never do they make a sound, All these thousand sweet blue flowers Starting up from out the ground.

Scattered are they up the hill-side, Hidden in the woodland nooks, Sprinkled over sunny meadows, Nestled close by sparkling brooks.

Where, I wonder, have they sprung from?

Do they live in worlds below?

Have they slept the livelong winter Underneath the soft white snow?

Ah! if only they had voices, What strange stories they might tell Of the land where winsome fairies With the flowers love to dwell!

Oh, you dainty wee blue flowers!

Brightest roses June may bring, But they can not match your sweetness, Gentle messengers of spring.

WORK FOR GIRLS.

AN EMBROIDERED WORK-BAG.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 1.--EMBROIDERED WORK-BAG.]

This pretty work-bag has a foundation of splints, wicker-work, Manila braid, or whatever material of the kind may be found most convenient, fourteen inches and seven-eighths long and ten inches and a half wide, which is sloped off on the corners, and trimmed with two strips of embroidery, separated by a bias strip of blue satin, which is turned down on the edges an inch wide on the wrong side, and gathered so as to form a puff. The embroidered strips are worked on a foundation of white cloth as shown by Fig. 2. For the corn-flowers use blue silk, and work them in chain st.i.tch. The calyxes are worked in satin st.i.tch with moss green silk, and the lilies-of-the-valley with white silk. The stems and sprays are worked in tent and herring-bone st.i.tch with green silk in several shades. For the ends cut of blue satin two pieces each six inches and a half wide and seven inches and a quarter high, fold down the upper edge an inch and a quarter wide on the wrong side, and gather it twice. Having sloped off the lower corners of these parts, pleat them, and join them with the foundation. For the bag cut of blue satin one piece twenty-four inches wide and ten inches and a half high, sew it up on the sides, and fold down the upper edge two inches and a half wide on the wrong side, for a shirr, through which blue silk cord is run, and sew it to the upper edge of the foundation on the wrong side. The work-bag is trimmed on the outside with a ruche of blue satin ribbon seven-eighths of an inch wide. Light gray instead of white cloth forms a pretty and more serviceable foundation for the embroidered strips.

Little girls who do not know how to embroider may make a very handsome work-bag from this pattern by using ribbon brocaded in bright colors, or a double row of ruching around the edge in the place of the embroidery.

Bamboo handle.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 2.--BORDER FOR WORK-BAG.]

"I AM THE LAD IN THE CADET GRAY."

BY MARY A. BARR.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

I am the lad in the cadet gray-- Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, rat-tat, hey!

My b.u.t.tons are bright, my jacket is tight, My step is a soldier's, quick and light; I'm ready to dance, I'm ready to fight-- Hurrah! hurrah! for the boy in gray.

I am the lad in the cadet gray-- Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, rat-tat, hey!

The bugle wakes me at dawn of day; I'm out at drill in the morning gray, Prompt and trig, not a hair astray-- Hurrah! hurrah! for the boy in gray.

I am the lad in the cadet gray-- Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, rat-tat, hey!

My hardest tasks are cheerfully done; I'm under orders from sun to sun; You should see me handle sword and gun-- Hurrah! hurrah! for the boy in gray.

I am the lad in the cadet gray-- Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, rat-tat, hey!

At "four-o'clocks," and at dress parade, My chevrons, b.u.t.tons, and fancy braid Win smiles from many a lovely maid For the handsome lad in cadet gray.

For the lad in gray the drum is rolled-- Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, quick and bold; And when the days of drilling are through, This is the thing that I shall do: Doff cadet gray for the army blue-- The army blue with its stars of gold.

Braver and freer a thousandfold-- Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, true and bold.

Pistols and sword in my silken sash, After my country's foes I'll dash, Where muskets rattle and sabres clash-- Hurrah! for the army blue and gold.

Hurrah! for the lad so brave and true, In cadet gray or in army blue.

On his heart he wears his country's name, And his hand will keep her spotless fame; In gray or blue he is just the same-- Hurrah! for the lad in gray or blue.

[Ill.u.s.tration]