"
"You don't have to see," replied the Deacon grimly; "all you have
to do is to mind when you're spoken to. Now run 'long 'bout your
work."
"Can't I go up to Ellen's, then?"
"What's goin' on up there?"
"Just a frolic. There's always a good time at Ellen's, and I
would so like the sight of a big, rich house now and then!"
"'Just a frolic.' Land o' Goshen, hear the girl! 'Sight of a big,
rich house,' indeed!--Will there be any boys at the party?"
"I s'pose so, or 't wouldn't be a frolic," said Patty with awful
daring; "but there won't be many; only a few of Mark's friends."
"Well, there ain't goin' to be no more argyfyin'! I won't have
any girl o' mine frolickin' with boys, so that's the end of it.
You're kind o' crazy lately, riggin' yourself out with a ribbon
here and a flower there, and pullin' your hair down over your
ears. Why do you want to cover your ears up? What are they for?"
"To hear you with, father," Patty replied, with honey-sweet voice
and eyes that blazed.
"Well, I hope they'll never hear anything worse," replied her
father, flinging a bucket of water over the last of the wagon
wheels.
"THEY COULDN'T!" These words were never spoken aloud, but oh! how
Patty longed to shout them with a clarion voice as she walked
away in perfect silence, her majestic gait showing, she hoped,
how she resented the outcome of the interview.
Pages:
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56