"It will do, Mrs. Sandford," said Preston.
"Isn't it pretty?" said the lady.
"And Daisy does it admirably," said Theresa. "You are a fairy at
dressing, Mrs. Sandford; your fingers are better than a fairy's wand. I
wish you were my godmother; I shouldn't despair to ride yet in a coach
and six. There are plenty of pumpkins in a field near our house--and
plenty of rats in the house itself. O, Mrs. Sandford! let us have
Cinderella!"
"What, for a tableau?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"You must ask the manager. I do not know anything about that."
Preston and Theresa and Hamilton and Alexander now went into an eager
discussion of this question, and before it was settled the party
discovered that it was time to break up.
CHAPTER XV.
"Well Daisy," said Mr. Randolph that evening, "how do you like your new
play that you are all so busy about?"
"I like it pretty well, papa."
"Only pretty well! Is that the most you can say of it? I understood that
it was supposed to be an amusement of a much more positive character."
"Papa, it is amusing--but it has its disagreeablenesses."
"Has it? What can they be? Or has everything pleasant its dark side?"
"I don't know, papa."
"What makes the shadows in this instance?"
It seemed not just easy for Daisy to tell, for her father saw that she
looked puzzled how to answer.
"Papa, I think it is because people do not behave perfectly well."
It was quite impossible for Mr. Randolph to help bursting into a laugh
at this; but he put his arms round Daisy and kissed her very
affectionately at the same time.
Pages:
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239