Her father, in whose smoking-room she was sitting, looked up with a smile as Jennie arose to join her friends. "Bless their dear little hearts," he said to himself. "I think they are about the sweetest three it has ever been my lot to see, and my own girl is the dearest of them all, even if she isn't quite the beauty Dorothy is."
[143][CHAPTER X]
THE BAZAR
So the days went by till the time came for the opening of the bazar. It was to be held in the little hall which served as a place of amusement for the community of summer visitors. Here concerts were given, dances took place, lecturers found a platform. On this occasion it was decorated with greens from the woods. Tea was served in a tent outside near a gypsy camp where pretended fortunes were told by a pretty girl with dark eyes, whose costume made one almost believe she really belonged to that wandering race. A bower of green in one corner of the hall sheltered the flower girls who offered all kinds of blooms, from a bunch of field flowers to a bouquet of American Beauty roses. Another table showed such an array of cakes and candies as made one's mouth water, while the articles of fancy work were so numerous that the children were afraid the half would not be sold. The dolls had a place of honor to themselves, the three donated by Mrs. Ramsey occupying the most conspicuous place.
Dorothy and Edna made their way to this table first of all, and Dorothy was prompt in exchanging a quarter for her little doll in blue. "I was so afraid [144]it would be sold first thing," she explained to Edna, "and I still have seventy-five cents to spend on other things."
Edna was not so fortunate, for the doll of her choice was already sold, while the impossible one among Mrs. Ramsey's trio, was far beyond her pocket-book. "It is marked three dollars," she whispered to Dorothy. So she put this out of her mind, and decided that she would first buy something to take home to her mother and sister and then, if there were enough left, she might get one of the little dolls.
The room was beginning to be thronged with people, although the children had arrived early, and it was noticed that sales were being made rapidly. Everyone was eager to buy, though the cheaper articles went first, and Edna had some difficulty in getting something very pretty for the amount she could afford. However, Miss Newman came to her rescue.
"Here is a little girl," she said to one of the ladies behind the table, "who has worked very hard for this bazar, and who wants something very nice to take home for her mother. What is the very prettiest thing you have for twenty-five cents?"
"Why, let me see," said the lady smiling down at Edna, and then casting her eye over the table, "there ought to be some of those nice little handkerchief cases. There were several on the table, but they went off like hot cakes. I will see if there are [145]any more that haven't been put out." She rummaged around in the boxes at the back, and finally produced what she was looking for which pleased Edna greatly, and it was handed over to her. Next a pretty picture-frame was chosen for Celia and the most important purchases were made.
Dorothy and Jennie were wandering around together, the doll in blue sitting up very stiffly where Dorothy carried it on her hand. Jennie's father had given her two dollars to spend, and she had already parted with most of it. The caramels and panuchee were not to be resisted, and there were so many pretty things that one's money did not last long. "I wish papa would come," she remarked to her two friends. "I know he would buy something for me when he knows I can't buy it for myself."
"There he is now," cried Edna as a tall man was seen making his way toward them.