Chapter 1—Two Girls
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avetoseethemsometime,butIdodreaditso.”AndRosegaveashudder,for,havinglivedalonewithherinvalidfather,sheknewnothingofboys,andconsideredthemaspeciesofwildanimal.
“Oh!Iguessyou'lllike'em.I'veseen'emflyingroundwhentheycomeoverfromthePoint,sometimesintheirboatsandsometimesonhorseback.Ifyoulikeboatsandhorses,you'llenjoyyourselffirst-rate.”
“ButIdon't!I'mafraidofhorses,andboatsmakemeill,andIhateboys!”AndpoorRosewrungherhandsattheawfulprospectbeforeher.Oneofthesehorrorsaloneshecouldhaveborne,butalltogetherweretoomuchforher,andshebegantothinkofaspeedyreturntothedetestedschool.
Phebelaughedatherwoetillthebeansdancedinthepan,buttriedtocomfortherbysuggestingameansofrelief.
“Perhapsyourunclewilltakeyouawaywherethereain'tanyboys.Debbysaysheisarealkindman,andalwaysbringheapsofnicethingswhenhecomes.”
“Yes,butyouseethatisanothertrouble,forIdon'tknowUncleAlecatall.Hehardlyevercametoseeus,thoughhesentmeprettythingsveryoften.NowIbelongtohim,andshallhavetomindhim,tillIameighteen.Imaynotlikehimabit,andIfretaboutitallthetime.”
“Well,Iwouldn'tborrowtrouble,buthavearealgoodtime.I'msureIshouldthinkIwasincloverifIhadfolksandmoney,andnothingtodobutenjoymyself,”beganPhebe,butgotnofurther,forasuddenrushandtumbleoutsidemadethembothjump.
“It'sthunder,”saidPhebe.
“It'sacircus!”criedRose,whofromherelevatedperchhadcaughtglimpsesofagaycartofsomesortandseveralponieswithflyingmanesandtails.
Thesounddiedaway,andthegirlswereabouttocontinuetheirconfidenceswhenoldDebbyappeared,lookingrathercrossandsleepyafterhernap.
“Youarewantedintheparlor,MissRose.”
“Hasanybodycome?”
“Littlegirlsshouldn'taskquestions,butdoastheyarebid,”wasallDebbywouldanswer.
“Idohopeitisn'tAuntMyrashealwaysscaresmeoutofmywitsaskinghowmycoughis,andgroaningovermeasifIwasgoingtodie,”saidRose,preparingtoretirethewayshecame,fortheslide,beingcutfortheadmissionofbouncingChristmasturkeysandpuddings,wasplentylargeenoughforaslendergirl.
“Guessyou'llwishitwasAuntMyrawhenyouseewhohascome.Don'tneverletmecatchyoucomingintomykitchenthatwayagain,orI'llshutyouupinthebigb'iler,”growledDebby,whothoughtitherdutytosnubchildrenonalloccasions.
