Bessie Bradford's Prize

Produced by Branko Collin, Tonya Allen, Charles Franks
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
The third of a series of sequels to the Bessie books
By Joanna H. Mathews
Illustrated by W. St. John Harper
Dedicated to my dear little friend and fellow author Elizabeth Leiper Martin ( Elsie )
With the wish that the path of authorship may have for her as many flowers and as few thorns as it has had for her friend and well wisher
Here comes Mrs. Fleming, said Jennie Richards, in a tone indicative of anything but pleasure in the coming of Mrs. Fleming.
Mrs. Granby responded with an exclamation which savored of a like sentiment, and rising, she tossed aside the little frock she was working on, as she added:
I don't see what she's comin' for! I didn't want her a comin' here, bringin' her mournin' an' frettin' an' lookin' out for troubles to pester you, Mary Richards, an' I told her I would be over to her place this evenin'. I did tell her, you know, I'd fit that dress for her Mrs. Bradford give her to Christmas, but she just needn't a come here when I told her I'd go there; an' a kill-joy she is an' no comfort to nobody. You go into the kitchen, Mary, an' stay there till she's gone, which I won't be long fittin' her, an' I'll get rid of her soon's I can,
Mrs. Richards was about to comply with the suggestion, when Jennie, who was still gazing out of the window, exclaimed with a total change of tone:
And here come the little Miss Bradfords, with Jane, and Miss Belle Powers and Miss Lily Norris along with them.