The rivalry was a good-natured and generous one. Elise stood no chance for the prize, as she had entered school a fortnight later than the others. Her sympathies were entirely with Patty, and she strongly hoped that she would win the prize.
The markings of the Themes counted for a great deal, and the uniform excellence of Patty’s essays kept her average up in spite of her occasional low marks in mathematics, a study which she detested.
It was no trouble for Patty to write imaginative compositions. Her fertile fancy and her sense of humour provided ample material, and her natural gift of expression made it easy for her to write excellent Themes.
One Wednesday afternoon in November she sat down to write her paper for Friday.
“Give me a subject, Grandma,” she said gaily; “I want to get my Theme done in a jiffy to-day.”
Grandma Elliott looked at the pretty girl who sat at her desk with her pen held above her paper. Patty’s sunshiny face, in its frame of curling gold hair, was an ideal vision of youth and happiness.
“Why don’t you write on the ‘Spirit of Happiness?’ ” said Grandma, “and then you can put yourself right into your work.”
“I’ll do it!” cried Patty; “I am happy, and I might as well tell it to the world at large.”
She dashed into her subject, and scribbled rapidly for some time.
“There!” she said, as she finished the last page, “I do believe, Grandma, that’s the best Theme I’ve written; and if you want to read it, you may. I’m much obliged to you for suggesting the subject.”