A Dear Little Girl's Summer Holidays

by Amy Ella Blanchard

"Indeed we did not," replied Edna. "How did you get here, Miss Eloise?"

"We came all the way by boat, and I did enjoy it so much. I'll tell you all about it after lunch."

"And if you are as hungry as I am," said Mr. Ramsey, "you will be glad to give your undivided attention to this clam-chowder first thing. We all know how entertaining Miss Eloise's tales can be, so you'd better save them for dessert."

The luncheon was so good that the children did not need a second bidding, and were surprised to find how hungry they were till they remembered that they had not eaten anything since their none too hearty breakfast. It was certainly delightful to be there in the cool spacious house with the noise of the sea ever in their ears and the cool breeze [43]coming in the windows, and the newcomers felt that all this accounted for the better color in Miss Eloise's cheeks and for the brighter look in her eyes.

They all gathered around her on the porch after lunch and she told them about her coming.

"You see it was this way," she began. "It was so stifling in the city that I was perfectly exhausted by the heat and the doctor told my sister I must get away if possible, but neither of us could see where or how, and poor sister was so worried she didn't know what to do. Then all of a sudden, just as if she knew all about our difficulties, came a letter from Mrs. Ramsey asking us to come up here, and arranging it all so nicely that there seemed no reason in the world why I could not make the journey comfortably. So we decided that we would try it. Mr. Ramsey sent the automobile that took us to the wharf and we came all the way by boat to Boston where Mrs. Ramsey met us, and from there we took another boat which brought us to the wharf here. Sister was so afraid I would be seasick, but I was not, in fact it was the most glorious trip I ever had, and we can go back the same way. It is all so wonderful that I haven't recovered from the wonder of it yet. I am so much stronger that I can walk about a very little, and don't have to sit in a rolling chair all day."

All this did seem very wonderful to the little girls who had been accustomed to seeing Miss Eloise [44]always in an invalid's chair wheeled from room to room. "Do you think you will be able to walk more and more?" asked Edna interestedly.

"The doctor—Mrs. Ramsey's doctor—thinks I may be able to as I get stronger. He has encouraged me so much that I begin to think anything possible."

All this was very pleasant news, but here Miss Newman interfered by saying, "Ellie, darling, you know you must not overtax your strength and now you must be taking a rest. The salt baths are doing her a world of good," she turned to the children to say, "but we must not go beyond her strength." So she bore off Miss Eloise and the little girls were left to themselves.

There were so many pleasures in sight that they found it hard to choose, but finally it was decided among them that each should take her turn in making plans for the afternoons, and that they would draw lots for first choice. This they did with three slips of paper. Dorothy drew the longest, therefore to her fell the choice for that day. Jennie drew the second longest and she was to take the next day. As Edna's was the shortest she came last and after that it was easy enough, for they were to keep it up in this order.