Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-31

country from what it is in New York"
up. fellows" cried Carolyn, quickly. |
'"The hour to feast draweth nigh"
You'll have to get out your oldest
Clothes" said Nan. as the group start
ed homeward. I'VE 60 about like pi-
rates"
Theodore resented the tone and the
suggestion. She did not like Nan
"One must dress we'll in New York."
she said. blightingly.
Lets race homer cried Carolyn.
Theodore had no prejudice against
running, and thumped vigorously after
Carolyn AS they settled into walk,
she heard Nan say. EXTRAORDINARY
girl, your couSin!" and Rose answer
something about "old people,"
Il suppose | do seem extraordinary to
these country girls" thought Theodore
Pattcn.
The next weeks We're crowded with
fun. Theodore had never been with
young people before. Her summers
had been long months spent at a
lonely little hotel at the seashore,
where she did everything by herself.
Her cousins friends We're uncommonly
interesting jolly boys and girls. Theo
Gora's energy and cleverness in all out
door expeditions made her popular. She
was thoroughly happy when they
cheered II her high, clean dive or her
low golf score.
But at other times things went very
| wrong indeed. AS the others grew bet
ter acquainted with her, they first
smiled. then openly jeered at her most
cherished theories. Her friends called
ir.it
| views cone sided." ana often with the
appalling frankness of youth. "ridicu-
lous" Again and again she was obliged
to resort to the final, "You are not
| used to society in New York." an ar
gument thus far unanswered.
Carolyn was her refuge after such
bouts. She was always sweet-tem-
pered and sympathetic, and although
she sometimes laughed, 20 funny
| Theodora!" she never argued in the
sarcastic way the others did. Caro-
| lyn was extremely clever and we'll
read 1t was a pity, thought Theodore.
| that she had to spend her life with
her grandmother in the little Maine
village, never travelling or meeting
people. She was retiring, too. Ever
so many times she heard the others
make mistakes in facts she knew, or
| talk Incorrectly Of some book she had
read, vet she never corrected them.
| She had not a proper sense of her own
dignity. Theodore had never met the
saying of Emerson, "The mark Of the
man of the world is absence of pre-
tension. He never says anything, but
| win listen ctcrnally."
| Then came the fete for the Fresh Air
Fund. The boys and girls We're get
| ting this up by themselves, and they
| We're determined it should be a great
| success. Theodore was to be Il Gypsy
fortunc-tcler in gay booth under
| the trees. This delighted her as an
important and worthy position, and
she had spent days over books on
palmistry. Carolyn was the head Of
the fete, and the hands and feet too.
The last hours Of preparation for a
play or fair are difficult and peri
| louS. Every one is at explosion point
from fatigue and nervousness. Mat
tiers of precedence or assignment of
minor favors, which on an ordinary
day would be settled with a laugh be-
come the core of quarrels.
Theodore was in such mood rs this
| when Carolyn and Rose came to her on
the morning Of the fete, just as the
last decorations had been put in place
"TheOGora, dear, we want a favor of
YOU" began Carolyn.
"Wen?"
ITS been Just fine in you to take all
that trouble over the fortune telling.
We all know you'd make it great, but
last night Minnie Wicker's cousin
Miss Dac"y, came. She told fortunes
here once before, and well, coined
money She has kind of gift, like
second sight; it's fairly uncanny. The
girls and some of the others are wild
to have her do it tonight She's con-
scented, if you're willing. You are.
aren't you?'
Theodore thought Of her laboriously
gathered store Of wise, witty and
wicked" quotations., and longed to say
; no. Instead, she answered. sukily,
81 suppose So What place shall /
have instcad?"
Carolyn pulled her braid forward and
began to twirl it, a sign of embarrass-
ment
: 'There's place that just cries out
: loud for you; it needs your GOODNESS
and steadinesS. It's the fish-pond.
, The small boys mob it. and unless we
have a strong party there they'll carry
it off bodily"
'"The fish-pond! Stuck down In that
corner with no one but a lot of chill
drnn. No, | will not"
''Well have to give it up, then"
"Iet Rose have it,"
'"Theodcra," broke in Rose. you
: know I'd run at the first fight
"Nan. then"
! She's such snapdragon she'd hit
the boys over the head with the fish
: pole"
Dolly, then"
"She's almost sick today; she must
have q quiet corner"
"Why don't you take it,?
81 would. but the girls want me to be
a sort of committee to talk to the peo-
pie from back in the country and the
Strangers from the cottages. so they
won't have n stupid time
"Ill do that. I'll"
"Theodora" cried Rose, "you can't!
| Won don't know the ppopla CAROLYN