Chapter X. The Dramatic Club

lovelyletusgoandtellher!” Forgettingtheirownadornment,outtheytroopedafterMerry,whorantothesofa,saying,withasmilewhichwasreflectedinalltheotherfaces,“Jill,dear,wehavechosenanotherPrincess,andIknowyou'lllikeher.” “Whoisit?”askedJill,languidly,openinghereyeswithouttheleastsuspicionofthetruth. “I'llshowyou”andtakingthecherishedveilfromherownhead,MerrydroppeditlikeasoftcloudoverJillAnnetteaddedthelongplume,Susylaidthewhitesilkdressabouther,whileJulietandMabelliftedthescarletshawltospreaditoverthefootofthesofa,andMollytorethelastornamentfromherturban,asilverstar,toshineonJill'sbreast.Thentheyalltookhandsanddancedroundthecouch,singing,astheylaughedatherastonishment,“Theresheis!Theresheis!PrincessJillasfineasyouplease! “Doyoureallymeanit?ButcanI?Isitfair?Howsweetofyou!Comehereandletmehugyouall!”criedJill,inaraptureatthesurprise,andtheprettywayinwhichitwasdone. ThegrandsceneontheTwenty-secondwasveryfine,indeedbutthelittletableauofthatminutewasinfinitelybetter,thoughnoonesawit,asJilltriedtogatherthemallinherarms,forthatnosegayofgirlishfaceswasthesweeter,becauseeachonehadsacrificedherownlittlevanitytopleaseafriend,andherjoywasreflectedintheeyesthatsparkledroundthehappyPrincess. “Oh,youdear,kindthings,tothinkofmeandgivemeallyourbestclothes!Inevershallforgetit,andI'lldoanythingforyou.Yes!I'llwriteandaskMrs.Pipertolendushererminecloakfortheking.SeeifIdon't!” Shrieksofdelighthailedthisnobleoffer,fornoonehaddaredtoborrowthemuch-covetedmantle,butallagreedthattheoldladywouldnotrefuseJill.Itwasastonishinghowsmoothlyeverythingwentafterthis,foreachwaseagertohelp,admire,andsuggest,inthefriendliestwayandwhenallweredressed,theboysfoundapartyofverygayladieswaitingforthemroundthecouch,wherelaythebrightestlittlePrincesseverseen. “Oh,Jack,I'mtoact!Wasn'titdearofthegirlstochooseme?Don'ttheylooklovely?Aren'tyouglad?”criedJill,astheladsstaredandthelassesblushedandsmiled,wellpleasedatthefrankadmirationtheboyishfacesshowed. “IguessIam!Youareasetoftrumps,andwe'llgiveyouafirst-classspreadaftertheplaytopayforit.Won'twe,fellows?”answeredJack,muchgratified,andfeelingthatnowhecouldacthisownpartcapitally. “Wewill.Itwasahandsomethingtodo,andwethinkwellofyouforit.Hey,Gus?”andFranknoddedapprovinglyatall,thoughhelookedonlyatAnnette. “Askingofthiscrowd,Icallittoorder,”saidGus,retiringtothethrone,whereJulietsatlaughinginherredtable-cloth. “We'llhave'TheFairOnewithGoldenLocks'nexttimeIpromiseyouthat,”whisperedEdtoMabel,whoseshininghairstreamedoverherbluedresslikeamantleofgold-coloredsilk. “Girlsareprettynicethings,aren'tthey?Kindof'emtotakeJillin.Don'tMollylookfine,though?”andGrif'sblackeyestwinkledasheplannedtopinherskirtstoMerry'satthefirstopportunity. “Susylooksasgayasafeather-duster.Ilikeher.Sheneversnubsafellow,”saidJoe,muchimpressedwiththesplendorofthecourtladies. Theboys'costumeswerenotyetready,buttheyposedwell,andallhadamerrytime,endingwithagameofblind-man's-buff,inwhicheveryonecaughttherightpersoninthemostsingularway,andallagreedastheywenthomeinthemoonlightthatithadbeenanunusuallyjollymeeting. Sothefairyplaywokethesleepingbeautythatliesinallofus,andmakesuslovelywhenwerouseitwithakissofunselfishgood-will,for,thoughthegirlsdidnotknowitthen,theyhadadornedthemselveswithpearlsmorepreciousthanthewaxenonestheydeckedtheirPrincessin.