Dick and Dolly

The morning-glory seeds could not be planted just then, as they had to soak in water for two hours, so next they set out some pansy plants. These Pat had expected to use elsewhere, but at Miss Rachel’s direction, he handed them over to the twins.

This was a new sort of work, and even more fascinating than seed-planting. The tiny plants were fragile and had to be handled very carefully. Then a hole must be dug with a trowel, the plant set in, and the soil gently filled in about it.

The twins each had a half-dozen pansy plants, and Dick set his in a group, but Dolly arranged hers in a border. Then Miss Rachel said they had done enough for one day, and she marched them off to the house to get rested.

But did Dick and Dolly rest? Not they! They didn’t seem to know what the word meant. They went up to their playroom, and sitting together at the table, they drew diagrams and plans for their playground until the aunties called them downstairs again.

CHAPTER VI

A SOCIAL CALL

The twins gladly obeyed their aunts’ summons, for it meant to get ready to go to town to buy their flower seeds. Long before the ladies were ready, Dick and Dolly, in trim attire, and with pretty spring coats and hats, sat in the library waiting.

“I like this home a lot, don’t you, Dollums?” said Dick, as he thoughtfully looked about him.

“Love it!” responded his twin promptly. “Chicago was nice, too, and Auntie Helen was gay and pretty, but this is so country and all. And oh, Dick, won’t our playground be splendiferous! Do you s’pose the arbor will ever get built and grown over with flowers and things?”

“’Course it will! And, Dolly, I’m going to make some rustic seats and things myself. It tells how in my ‘Handy Book,’ and I’m sure I can do it.”

“I’m sure you can too. And can’t you make some little seats for my dolls?”

Dick had just agreed to do this when the two aunties came downstairs, and they all went out to the carriage. Somehow it seemed very formal. Aunt Rachel and Aunt Abbie, all dressed up in calling costume, with gloves and parasols, didn’t seem so chummy as when they were all out planting seeds together. And Michael, in his coachman’s livery, looked so straight and unintelligent that it was hard to believe he was the same man.

They all got into the big, open carriage, and the twins sat backward, facing their aunts.

“First,” said Miss Rachel, who sat up very stiff and prim, “we will go and buy the seeds and plants, and then we will pay some calls.”

This seemed very strange to Dick and Dolly, for they had never been taken calling with Auntie Helen in Chicago; but they made no comment, as none seemed to be expected.

The carriage stopped at a small shop, and the proprietor hurried out to greet the ladies. He bowed with great deference, and asked what he might show them.

Miss Rachel had a list of the seeds and plants they had decided on for the children’s gardens, and the shopman said he would send them all the next day.

“And have you some small garden implements?” asked Miss Abbie. “Some little rakes and hoes, suitable for children’s use.”

The shopman said he would bring some out to show them.

“Oh, Auntie,” cried Dolly, impulsively, “can’t we go in the shop and look at them?”

“No, indeed,” said Miss Rachel, as if Dolly had asked something highly improper. “Stay where you are and make your selections.”

Dolly wondered why they couldn’t hop out, but it didn’t much matter, as the man returned, followed by a youth who brought a lot of spades and rakes and garden tools of many sorts.

The children were allowed to select all they wanted, and, guided by Aunt Rachel’s advice, they chose quite a great many.

“You’re awful good to us,” exclaimed Dick as, after giving the order, they drove away.

“Then you must be good to us,” said Aunt Rachel, smiling. “Now we are going to call at Mrs. Fuller’s. She has a son Jack, about ten years old, and I hope you will be good friends with him. There are no little girls here, but, Dolly, we will find some girl friends for you later on.”

“Oh, I like boys,” said Dolly, agreeably. “I like Dick better than any girl, so, of course, I like other boys too.”

At Mrs. Fuller’s they were ushered into a stiff, formal-looking parlour, which had the effect of being rarely used. The half-drawn blinds gave but a dim light, and the four guests took their seats in silence.

Dick and Dolly felt depressed without knowing just why. They secretly wished they could clasp hands and make a dash for the door and run away, but Aunt Rachel had asked them to be good, so they sat still, wondering what would be expected of them.

After what seemed a long time, Mrs. Fuller came into the room. She was a lady of very precise manners, and wore a rustling silk gown.

The ladies all shook hands quite stiffly, and inquired for each other’s health, and then Miss Rachel presented the twins to Mrs. Fuller.

“How do you do, my dears?” said the lady, offering her finger-tips to each in turn.

“I’m very well, thank you; how are you?” said Dolly, heartily, as she cordially gave her hostess’s hand a vigorous shake. But the chagrin on the Dana ladies’ faces, and the surprised glance of Mrs. Fuller, proved at once that this wasn’t the right thing to do.

Quick to catch the hint, Dick offered his hand hesitatingly, – so much so indeed, that it lay in Mrs. Fuller’s like a little limp fish, and as she finally dropped it, it fell loosely to Dick’s side.

“How d’ do?” he murmured, uncertain what to say, and then, feeling very uncomfortable, the two children sat down again.

For a time no attention was paid to them, and the ladies conversed in short, elegant sentences, and high-pitched voices.

Then Mrs. Fuller turned again to the twins:

“How do you like Heatherton?” she asked.

The suddenness of the question took Dick unawares, and he said enthusiastically:

“Out o’ sight!”

Immediately he realised that he should have expressed himself more formally, and the look of annoyance on Aunt Rachel’s face made him red and embarrassed.

Loyal little Dolly tried, as always, to come to his rescue, and she said politely:

“Yes, indeed, Mrs. Fuller; we like it awfully well so far, but of course we haven’t been here very long yet.”

“And you think you won’t like it when you’ve been here longer! Is that it?”

Mrs. Fuller meant only to be jocose, but Dolly didn’t understand, and tried hard to explain.

“No ’m; I don’t mean that. I mean I think we’ll like it better after we live here a while.”

“I trust you will,” said Mrs. Fuller. “You must be hard to please if you don’t.”

Poor Dolly felt herself misunderstood, but she could think of nothing to say, so she sat silent, but, it seemed, this was not the right thing to do either.

“Speak up, child,” said Aunt Rachel, half playfully and half sharply; “didn’t you hear Mrs. Fuller’s remark?”

“Yes ’m,” said Dolly, “but, – but I don’t know what to answer.”

“Strange child,” murmured Mrs. Fuller. “Is the boy any more civil?”