Chapter X. The Dramatic Club

tohavethewhitesilkandthefeather?”askedMerry,delightedwiththesilveryshimmeroftheoneandthegracefuldroopoftheother,thoughbothwererathershabby. “Youcanuseyourowndress.Idon'tseewhyyoushouldhaveeverything,”answeredSusy,whowasatthemirror,puttingawreathofscarletflowersonherredhead,boundtobegaysinceshecouldnotbepretty. “IthinkI'dbetterkeeptheplume,asIhaven'tanythingelsethatisnice,andI'mafraidEmmawouldn'tlikemetolendit,”addedAnnette,whowasdisappointedthatMabelwasnottobetheBeauty. “Idon'tintendtoactatall!”declaredMabel,beginningtobraidupherhairwithajerk,outofhumorwiththewholeaffair. “Ithinkyouareasetofcross,selfishgirlstobackoutandkeepyournicethingsjustbecauseyoucan'tallhavethebestpart.I'mashamedofyou!”scoldedMolly,standingbyMerry,whowassadlysurveyinghermother'soldpurplesilk,whichlookedlikebrownintheevening. “I'mgoingtohaveMissDelano'sredbrocadefortheQueen,andIshallaskherfortheyellow-satindressforMerrywhenIgotogetmine,andtellherhowmeanyouare,”saidJuliet,frowningunderhergilt-papercrownasshesweptaboutinaredtable-clothfortraintillthebrocadearrived. “Perhapsyou'dliketohaveMabelcutherhairoff,soMerrycanhavethat,too?”criedSusy,withwhomhairwasatenderpoint. “Lighthairisn'twanted,soJuwillhavetogivehers,oryou'dbetterborrowMissBat'sfrisette,”addedMabel,withascornfullaugh. “IjustwishMissBatwasheretogiveyougirlsagoodshaking.Doletsomeoneelsehaveachanceattheglass,youpeacock!”exclaimedMollyLoo,pushingSusyasidetoarrangeherownblueturban,outofwhichshepluckedthepinkpompontogiveMerry. “Don'tquarrelaboutme.Ishalldowellenough,andthescarletshawlwillhidemyuglydress,”saidMerry,fromthecorner,whereshesatwaitingforherturnatthemirror. Asshespokeoftheshawlhereyewentinsearchofit,andsomethingthatshesawintheotherroomputherowndisappointmentoutofherhead.Jilllaythereallalone,rathertiredwiththelivelychatter,andtheeffortitcosthernottorepineatbeingshutoutfromthegreatdelightofdressingupandacting. Hereyeswereclosed,hernetwasoff,andalltheprettyblackcurlslayabouthershouldersasonehandidlypulledthemout,whiletheotherrestedontheredshawl,asifsheloveditsglowingcolorandsofttexture.Shewashummingtoherselfthelittlesongofthedoveandthedonjon,andsomethingintheplaintivevoice,thesolitaryfigure,wentstraighttoMerry'sgentleheart. “PoorJillycan'thaveanyofthefun,”wasthefirstthoughtthencameasecond,thatmadeMerrystartandsmile,andinaminutewhispersothatallbutJillcouldhearher,“Girls,I'mnotgoingtobethePrincess.ButI'vethoughtofasplendidone!” “Who?”askedtherest,staringatoneanother,muchsurprisedbythissuddenannouncement. “Hush!Speaklow,oryouwillspoilitall.LookintheBirdRoom,andtellmeifthatisn'taprettierPrincessthanIcouldmake?” Theyalllooked,butnoonespoke,andMerryadded,withsweeteagerness,“ItistheonlythingpoorJillcanbe,anditwouldmakehersohappyJackwouldlikeit,anditwouldpleaseeveryone,Iknow.Perhapsshewillneverwalkagain,soweoughttobeverygoodtoher,poordear.” Thelastwords,whisperedwithalittlequiverinthevoice,settledthematterbetterthanhoursoftalking,forgirlsaretender-heartedcreatures,andnotoneofthesebutwouldhavegladlygivenalltheprettythingssheownedtoseeJilldancingaboutwellandstrongagain.Likearayofsunshinethekindthoughttouchedandbrightenedeveryfaceenvy,impatience,vanity,anddiscontentflewawaylikeimpsatthecomingofthegoodfairy,andwithoneaccordtheyallcried,— “Itwillbe