[ I. PATRICIA'S FATIGUING DAY. ]
[ II. THE GINGHAM APRON PARTY ]
[ III. THE WAY OF A GRANDMOTHER ]
[ IV. PATRICIA'S CHRISTMAS FAMILY ]
CHAPTER I
PATRICIA'S FATIGUING DAY
Patricia sat on the back fence, almost hidden by the low-spreading branches of an old apple-tree. Below her, on the grass, lay a small, curly, black dog, his brown, trustful eyes fixed confidently on Patricia.
"Really, you know," the child said, gravely, "it's a very perplexing situation. Aunt Julia needn't have been so inhospitable. Why didn't I wait until Daddy got home! Daddy's so much more—convincible. But it's no use now; Daddy never goes back on Aunt Julia."
Patricia slipped from the fence. "I rather think you and I'd better go down to the back meadow to talk things over; it's getting pretty near sewing-time."