Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-08-17
YEA I've been dreadfully mistaken
in you, Ethel!"

through the Pageant il had dreamed
you'd act like this. l only wish Mrs.
Hackett hadn't promised to give it
again tomorrow night"
"Well, you needn't worry about that!
You won't have to dance with me again.
/ won't be in the Pageant tomorrow
night-not if it spoils the whole
thing"
"Why, Stella Bird! Think how Mrs.
Hackett will feel!"
~ can't help that!"
"Well, If you don't come, I won't
either-that's ALL"
"Suit yourself about that" said Stel-
la, in a most provoking way, as she
drew on her cloak and went away to
find her father.
After breakfast, next morning, Stella
Bird was walking down the street in a
very unhappy frame of mind, when
Ethel passed, driving her fathers
horse. Mamie White was with her and
neither of the girls saw Stella, who
went on with bitter, sighted feelings
in her heart. She wished she had not
said she wouldn't be in the Pageant
that night, for, to her dismay, her
mother had not sympathized at all
about the quarrel with Ethel, and had
quite insisted that Mrs. Hackett should
not be disappointed in that way.
As Stella was walking slowly back
from town. a half hour later, she saw
little Neddie Baker running toward
her as fast as his feet could go.
"a tur'ble accident, Stella!" he cried,
his eyes wide with horror, runaway
an smash-up, down here at the rail
road crossing! Train ran into the car
riage an threw 'em Quit"
"Who?" cried Stella.
"Oh, both of 'em-but she's hurt
worse! Oh, it's awful" he almost
sobbed. San she was the prettiest one
OF 'em all, last night"
SIS it very bad?" she asked, but Ned
was rusing on.
"'Fraid So" he called back. "Blood
all over her face. Can't stop now-T'm
on an errand for the DOCTOR"
Stella gave one Mortified glance up
the street at the crowd gathering in
front of Mr.. Douglas cottage. Then
she turned with great sob, and ran al.
most as fast as Neddie had gone, Down
the walk that Led to Mrs. Hackett's
house.
"Oh, Mrs. Hackett!" she cried, brust.
ing into the sunny room where that
lady sat comfortably reading her
morning paper. "Oh, Mrs. Hackett!'
and down she went on her knees
with her head in Mrs. Hackett's lap
'Why, Stella child" began Mrs
Hackett, kindly, but her quiet man.
ner changed, as Stella tried to tel
her what had happened. "Come
dear, comet" she cried. st may not be
as serious as Neddie thought. Wei
| go over and see."
She rose, gently lifting Stella's tear
stained face, but Stella only dropped
her head into the empty chair ant
went on weeping.
81 can't go!" she sobbed. "Oh, Mrs
Hackett, you don't know-Pve been Sc
wicked, to her!"
At that instant came another rusf
Of steps, another bursting open o.
the door and another breathless cir
with frightened face.
"Oh, Mrs. Hackett!" began Ethel
and there she stopped short, and stood
like statue at sight of Stella, kneel
ing there.
But there was not much of tn,
statue about Stella. At first sount
of that voice she sprang to her feet
"Ethel Douglas, you're alive!" SHE
screamed.
"Oh, Stella, I thought 1t was yo,
in that accident! Ned, Baker sale
sol"
And then they rushed into eacl
others arms and laughed and criet
and promised everything, and stool
back everything" all at once, Will,
Mrs. Hackett stood and wondered
what it was all about.
Before she had wondered many min
utes, though, Ned Bakers oldes
brother dropped in, long enough t.
tell them that it was little Lotti
Page, one of the fairy Raindrops il
the Pageant, who was injured. "Bu
it isn't serious" he added. "Mr. Doug
las says she's scratched up badly, bu
not in danger. You ought to hav
seen Ned, poor little fellow! H
thought she was killed, and you know
his devotion to little Lottie Page 1
a regular neighborhood joke"
That evening everyone, except Me-
Baker, thought the Pageant evei
more beautiful than the night before
After it was all over, Ethel an,
Stella sat on trunk together In tn
dressing-room. Each had an immens
bouquet labeled: "For the Pretties
Girl in the Pageant" and each wa
counting the roses in the bunch sh
held.
"Seventy-fve," said Ethel, finally
"Now what would eastern peopl
think of that?"
"Seventy-fve," finished Stella a
the same instant. 'That's what W
get by living in the land Of sur
shine" Then she added, honestly
81 wish, Ethel that yours had bee
more or nicer, because you are tn
prettiest girl in the Pageant, any
way!"
''Oh, Stella I'm not! You're tn
prettiest, and the dearest, and the
"Tisn't sol" pipes small voice, 8
close behind them that 1t made theI
start. EITHER of you isn't! It
Lottie Page!"
Irrepressible Neddie Baker ha
slipped away from his mother an
found his way behind the scenes.
"Poor, little Lottie!' said Stell'
softly. "She was so disappointed nc