“It is for you, Patty, because you’re born happy, and you can’t help staying so. But I’m different.”
“Well then un-different yourself as soon as you can. It’s silly—that’s what it is—it’s worse than silly—it’s wicked not to be happy and gay. I’ve fooled with you long enough, and now I’m going to make you behave yourself! Laugh now, laugh at once!”
Patty’s gaiety was infectious, and Lorraine laughed because she couldn’t help it. Then they fell to making plans for the little afternoon party, and Lorraine’s spirits rose until there was nothing to choose between the merriment of the two girls.
“And I’ll tell you what,” said Patty; “we’re making a scrap-book for Roger Farrington; he’s in the hospital, you know. And if you will have some funny pictures or stories ready to put in it, you needn’t worry any further about Elise’s liking you. She’s the most grateful girl for little things I ever saw.”
“Oh, I can do that,” said Lorraine; “I’d love to.”
Before Lorraine invited the girls to visit her, Patty had talked with each one and made them promise to accept the invitation, and do all that they could to help along the good cause, which, as she explained, was a truly Griggish one.
So the four girls went to Lorraine’s one afternoon, all in a merry mood. The little party was a great success, for Lorraine at her best was a charming hostess, and her mother was very kind and hospitable.
Each girl brought some contribution for Roger’s scrap-book, and Patty was secretly delighted when she found that Lorraine’s donation was quite the jolliest of all.
Lorraine was clever with her pencil, and with her needle, and she had designed some funny little football players by cutting pictures of football celebrities from the papers. These she had dressed up in bits of real material, had made the footballs of real leather, and made tiny silk flags in college colours.
Elise was delighted beyond all measure at the clever little figures, and when Lorraine, a little bashfully, offered a poem she had written to go with them, the girls all declared she was a genius. It was a humorous poem, with a football refrain, and Elise said that she was sure Roger would commit it to memory, and quote it on every possible occasion.