"Hollo, Daisy!" said Preston as she came out upon the piazza;--"what
now?"
"I am going out."
"With me."
"No, I have business, Preston."
"So have I; a business that cannot wait, either. We must go and drum up
our people for the tableaux, Daisy. We haven't much time to prepare, and
lots of things to do."
"What?"
"First, arrange about the parts everybody is to take; and then the
dresses, and then practising."
"Practising what, Preston?"
"Why, the pictures! We cannot do them at a dash, all right; we must
drill, until every one knows exactly how to stand and how to look, and
can do it well."
"And must the people come here to practise?"
"Of course. Where the pictures and the dresses are, you know. Aunt
Felicia is to give us her sewing woman for as much time as we want her;
and Mrs. Sandford must be here to see about all that; and we must know
immediately whom we can have, and get them to come. We must go this
afternoon, Daisy."
"Must I?"
"Certainly. You know--or you would know if you were not a Puritan,
little Daisy, that I cannot do the business alone. You are Miss
Randolph."
"Did the Puritans not know much?" inquired Daisy.
"Nothing--about the ways of the world."
Daisy looked at the pony chaise, at the blue hills, at her basket of
pears; and yielding to what seemed necessity, gave up Molly for that
day. She went with Preston, he on horseback, she in her pony chaise, and
a very long afternoon's work they made of it. And they did not get
through the work, either.
Pages:
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211