“She has something to brag about.”
“Well, I’m going to find out if some other people haven’t just as much. Never mind, Mell, Audrey’s all right, and so are you. Here we are talking ourselves wide-awake, and it will be morning before we’re ready for it. Let’s turn over and go to sleep,” which they proceeded to do.
CHAPTER III.
WHAT WON A BICYCLE.
Despite bruises and sprains, skinned ankles and scraped knees, Persis overcame the difficulties of riding a bicycle in a comparatively short space of time, and really met with fewer mishaps than usually fall to the lot of the learner. This was largely due to the efforts of Porter and Basil, who were indefatigable teachers, and as Persis had no fear, and was a persistent young woman, it was not long before she could be seen skimming up and down the block with all the confidence in the world.
“Look here,” said Porter, “I don’t see why you don’t coax your father to give you a bicycle. I shouldn’t mind what your grandmother thinks. The idea of it! Old people like her are always fussing about new fashions.”
Persis opened her eyes. “Why! but I couldn’t enjoy having one if grandma felt bad about it. She has always been so good to us. She is the dearest grandma in the world.”
“Well, I shouldn’t let anybody’s old out-of-date notions keep me from having a good time,” was Porter’s reply, as he walked away.
Persis stood looking after him with a dawning sense of his being rather a selfish nature. “I suppose he’d be furious if he knew what I thought of him,” she reflected. “I’ll let him know some day,” she inwardly continued, her wrath rising.
A tapping on the window called her into the house. It was Lisa who summoned.