“You see,” explained Miss Merington, “as it’s an Arbor Day, we have trees instead of tables or booths. For instance, there will be a nut tree, and under that the attendants will sell all sorts of good things made with nuts; nut cake, nut candy, salted nuts, glacé nuts, and everything they can think of. And, too, they’ll have those funny little dolls made of peanuts, and those grotesque heads made of cocoanuts. Oh, there are lots of lovely things for the Nut Tree.”
“Doughnuts,” suggested Miss Larkin.
“Why, yes, of course,” said Miss Merington, laughing. “They’re fine nuts to sell from a nut tree.”
“What other trees will there be?” asked Marjorie, who sat looking admiringly at the visitor. She greatly admired Miss Merington, and, also, that young lady had a warm affection for Marjorie. She had asked the two girls to assist her at her own tree, knowing they would be glad to be together, and that they were capable enough to be really helpful to her in her work.
“Well, there’s the Dogwood Tree,” said Miss Merington. “They will sell any thing that has to do with dogs. They’ll have books and pictures and postcards all about dogs. And muzzles and blankets and dog-baskets and dog-biscuits, and things like that for real dogs.”
“And china ornaments,” said Kitty; “they’re very often dogs, you know.”
“Then there’s the Fruit Tree,” went on Miss Merington. “Not any one kind of fruit, you know, but all kinds. And under that will be sold fresh fruits, canned and preserved fruits, fruit pies, fruit cake, candied fruits, dried fruits—oh, you’ll see for yourself what variety of fun it will make. And, of course, some of the allusions are jokes. The Fir Tree will sell furs.”
“Oho!” laughed King; “sealskin coats and buffalo robes?”
“Well, perhaps not such expensive articles; but fur caps and mittens; and Teddy Bears, and toy-animals. Then there’s the Evergreen Tree; of course, everything sold from that must be green. That’s easy, you see, and yet it will be a beautiful tree.”
“Which tree shall I be under?” asked Miss Larkin, eager to learn her appointed place.