Dick and Dolly

“We never had a real party there, anyway,” rejoined Dilly; “just only little play-teas of an afternoon. This is different.”

“Yes,” said Miss Rachel, complacently, “this is a real party. It will be one of the prettiest children’s parties ever given in Heatherton. That is, if your foolish Eliza performance doesn’t spoil it.”

“Oh, that won’t spoil it, auntie,” said Dolly, confidently; “that will only make it nicer.”

“Sure!” said Dick. “Just a boys’ and girls’ party wouldn’t be near so much fun. Why, Auntie, Bob Hollister says he’s going to bring his Punch and Judy, and Lucy Hollister has an awful big rag doll she’s going to bring.”

“I think it will be funny,” said Aunt Abbie. “But you must leave all those creatures out in the playground when you come in to supper.”

“Yes’m, we will,” agreed the twins.

The very morning of the party day an immense box came by express.

“Shure, it’s a big sofy, like your aunts has in the droring-room,” said Michael, as he and Pat helped the expressman to take it from the wagon.

“No, it’s Saskatchewan!” shrieked Dick and Dolly, as they danced round the box in glee. “Open it, Michael; oh, do hurry up!”

“Arrah, now, wait till I can get me sledgehammer,” and Michael went to the tool-house for his strongest tools.

But after some diligent prying and hammering, the box was opened, and buried in a nest of old newspaper and excelsior, was “Big Chief Saskatchewan,” as a card tied to his wrist announced.

And if you please, instead of an Indian doll, he was a big wooden Indian, of the kind that stands out in front of cigar stores. The children screamed with glee, and even Michael and Pat exclaimed in admiration as the heavy figure was finally set upright on his own wheeled pedestal.

“Where do you suppose she ever got it?” said Aunt Rachel, as the two aunts came out to view the new arrival.

“I don’t know, I’m sure,” said Miss Abbie, “but he does make a fine companion for Lady Eliza.”

Saskatchewan, though a trifle weather-worn, was not marred or broken, and the bundle of cigars had been cut away from his hand, and instead, he held an Indian basket. But this was removable, and the twins saw at once that they could put anything into his outstretched hand, from a tomahawk to a pipe of peace. His blanket wrapped round him was painted gorgeous red and yellow, and high-standing feathers surmounted his noble brow. His expression was ferocious, but that was Indian nature, and Dick and Dolly were so delighted with their new toy, that they embraced him with the same vigorous affection they often showed their aunts. Then, clasping hands with the aunties, the four danced round Saskatchewan and bade him welcome to Dana Dene.

The Indian was too heavy to be moved around much though he could be dragged, owing to the casters on the pedestal. But Aunt Rachel said she thought he’d better be placed in the playground as a permanent inhabitant thereof. For wind and weather would not hurt him, as it would the more delicate Lady Eliza.

So Michael and Pat trundled the chief off to the playground, followed by the admiring family.

He was given a choice position in a pleasant corner, and the twins said they would build a bower over him some day.

“But we must make it big enough for two,” said Dolly, “so Lady Eliza can stand beside him to receive their guests.”

“All right,” agreed Dick. “But I wish we could have it for this afternoon. They’d look lovely under a bower.”

“So ye shall, thin,” said Michael. “Me an’ Pat, we’ll fix ye up a timporary bower, that’ll gladden the eyes of ye, – that we will.”

So, the two kind-hearted men, anxious to please the children, hastily erected a “bower” by making an arch of two-foot width “chicken-wire.” This, when decorated with vines and flowers, was as pretty a bower as one would wish to see, and Saskatchewan was placed beneath it, or rather the bower was built over the Indian, where he stood awaiting the Lady Eliza.

CHAPTER XX

A GAY PARTY

After dinner, the final preparations for the party were made.

The day was perfect, bright with sunshine, and not too warm.

Lady Eliza was taken out to the playground and introduced to her new companion.

Her large blue eyes showed no especial emotion as she was placed beside him, under the bower, nor did Saskatchewan seem at all embarrassed by the presence of the lovely lady.

Eliza, in her ruffled pink tarlatan, and wreath of pink blossoms, was a charming creature indeed, and she held gracefully a massive bouquet, tied with pink ribbons, while her cavalier, held his Indian basket, which had also been filled with flowers.

So entrancing were the pair, that Dick and Dolly could scarcely leave them, to go and get on their own party raiment.

The playground, of course, had been specially adorned for the occasion.

Japanese lanterns hung from the trees, and rugs were laid here and there, extra seats were provided, and everything was decked with flowers and made gay with flags and bunting.

Truly, the Dana ladies knew how to arrange a gala occasion, and this bade fair to be a fine one.

The twins at last scampered back to the house to dress, and Dolly was beautifully arrayed in a new white frock of fine muslin and a broad Roman sash.

Her curls were tied up with a Roman ribbon to match, and white stockings and white slippers completed her costume.

Dick, too, had a new summer suit, and the twins promised the aunties not to roll on the grass or do anything naughty or ridiculous.

“I know you mean to do just right,” said Aunt Rachel, as she kissed the two beaming little faces, “but you know, you ‘don’t think,’ and then you cut up some absurd dido, that makes a lot of trouble.”

The twins vowed they would think, and they would not “cut up didoes,” and then they danced away to receive their guests, for it was nearly four o’clock. Pinkie came first, of course.

She brought her biggest wax doll, which she had dressed up as a fairy. The doll had a spangled white tulle frock on, and gauzy wings, and a gilt paper crown, sparkling with diamond-dust. She carried a long gilt wand, and was really a beautiful fairy.

A row of seats had been placed for Lady Eliza’s guests, and the fairy was the first to be seated there. Jack Fuller came next, and he brought a funny creature, which his mother had fashioned for him out of a feather bolster. She had tied a string about it to form a head, and this, covered with a pillowcase, had features worked in it with colored embroidery cotton. Then the doll was dressed in a white dress of Mrs. Fuller’s, and a huge frilled sunbonnet adorned its head. Jack came, lugging his somewhat unwieldy guest, and the bolster lady was made to bow politely to Lady Eliza.

“Why! who’s that?” exclaimed Jack, looking with admiration at the wooden Indian.

“That’s Big Chief Saskatchewan,” announced Dick, proudly. “He’s ours. Aunt Nine sent him to us. Isn’t he great?”

“Gorgeous!” assented Jack. “How do you like Betty Bolster?”

“Oh, she’s just lovely,” declared Dolly, kissing Betty’s soft, white cheek. “Set her down there, next to Pinkie’s fairy.” Then the other children began to flock in.

Maddy Lester brought a big Teddy bear, with a huge ribbon tied round his neck, and a bunch of flowers held in his paw. He made profound obeisance to Lady Eliza and her friend, and then he was seated next to Betty Bolster.

Clifford Lester had a fine personage to introduce as his guest. He had taken his father’s clothes-tree, and on the top had fastened a smiling mask and a wig made of curled hair. This he had dressed up in some nondescript garments, and though the strange-looking lady could not sit down, she stood beautifully, and seemed quite worthy of Lady Eliza’s approval.

One boy brought a rocking-horse, and one a ’possum.

Roguish Lily Craig brought a Jack-in-the-box, which she sprang in the very face of Lady Eliza and the Big Chief, without, however, scaring them a mite.

The Punch and Judy, too, created great amusement, and Spencer Nash raised shouts of laughter, when he arrived, proudly carrying a scarecrow from his father’s cornfield.

This scarecrow was of the conventional type, with flapping coat tails, and old, soft felt hat, jammed down over his face.