CHAPTER XVI. A DRESS PARADE

thingstheydon'twantforthingswhichtheydo,andI'ddoitifIwereyou.” “We'llseeaboutit,”saidFan,privatelyresolvingtotakePolly'sadvice. “IfIhadlotsofthingslikeFan,I'dhaveanauctionandgetallIcouldforthem.Whydon'tyou?”askedMaud,beginningonherthirdbonnet. “Wewill,”saidPolly,andmountingachair,sheputup,bidin,andknockeddownFan'sentirewardrobetoanimaginarygroupoffriends,withsuchdrollimitationsofeachonethattheroomrangwithlaughter. “That'senoughnonsensenowwe'llreturntobusiness,”saidPolly,descendingbreathlessbutsatisfiedwiththeeffectofherfun. “Thesewhitemuslinsandprettysilkswillkeepforyears,soIshouldlaythembytilltheyareneeded.Itwillsavebuying,andyoucangotoyourstockanytimeandmakeoverwhatyouwant.That'sthewayMotherdoeswe'vealwayshadthingssentusfromricherfriends,andwhateverwasn'tproperforustowearatthetime,Motherputawaytobeusedwhenweneededit.Suchfunnybundlesasweusedtohavesometimes,oddshoes,bonnetswithoutcrowns,stockingswithoutheelsortoes,andoldfineryofallsorts.Weusedtorushwhenabundlecame,andsitroundwhileMotheropenedit.Theboysalwaysmadefunofthethings,thoughtheywereasgrateful,really,asanyofus.Willmadeaverseonedaywhichwethoughtprettywellforalittlechap:'TopoorcountryfolksWhohaven'tanyclothes,Richfolks,torelievethem,Sendoldlacegownsandsatinbows.'” “IthinkthatWillisgoingtobeasniceapoetasMr.Shakespeare,”remarkedMaudinatoneofseriousconviction. “HeisalreadyaMiltonbutIdon'tbelievehewilleverbeanythingbutapoetinname,”saidPolly,workingawaywhileshetalked. “Didn'tyourmothereverletyouwearthenicethingsthatcame?”askedMaud. “No,shethoughtitwasn'tthethingforapoorminister'sgirlstogoflourishingaboutinsecond-handfinery,soshedidwhatI'mdoingnow,putawaywhatwouldbeusefulandproperforusbyandby,andletusplaywiththeshabby,silkbonnetsanddirty,flouncedgowns.Suchfunasweusedtohaveupinourbiggarret!Irememberonedaywe'dbeenplayinghaveaball,andwereallriggedup,eventheboys.Somenewneighborscametocall,andexpressedawishtoseeus,havingbeentoldthatwewerepatternchildren.Mothercalledus,butwehadparadedoutintothegarden,afterourball,andwerehavingaconcert,aswesataboutonthecabbagesforgreensatinseats,sowedidn'thearthecall,andjustasthecompanywasgoing,agreatnoisearrestedthemonthedoorstep,androundthecornerofthehouserattledNedinfullcostume,wheelingKittyinabarrow,whileJimmy,Will,andIranscreamingafter,lookinglikeBedlamitesforwewereplayingthatLadyFitzPerkinshadfainted,andwasbeingbornehomesenselessinacab.Ithoughtmotherwouldkillherselfwithlaughingandyoucanimaginewhatafineimpressionthestrangersreceivedofthemodelchildren.” Maudwassotickledwiththisyouthfulprankthatsheunguardedlysatdowntolaughontheedgeofanopentrunk,immediatelydoubledup,fellin,andwaswithdifficultyextricated. “Peopleinthecountryhavegreatdealnicertimesthanwedo.Ineverrodeinawheelbarrow,Ineversatoncabbages,andIdon'tthinkit'sfair,”shesaidwithaninjuredexpression.“Youneedn'tsaveanyoldsilkgownsformeIdon'tmeantobeafineladywhenIgrowup,I'mgoingtobeafarmer'swife,andmakebutterandcheese,andhavetenchildren,andraisepigs,”sheaddedinoneenthusiasticburst. “Idobelieveshewillifshecanfindafarmeranywhere,”saidFanny. “Oh,I'mgoingtohaveWillIaskedhimandhesaid,'Allright.'He'sgoingtopreachSundays,andworkonthefarmtherestofthetime.Well,heis,soyouneedn'tlaugh,forwe'vemadeallourplans,”saidMaudwithcomicaldignityasshetriedtheeffectofanoldwhitebonnet,wonderingiffarmers'wivescouldwearostrichfeatherswhentheywenttomeeting. “Blessedinnocence!Don'tyouwishyouwereachild,andd