So Ruth came, and arrived only the day before Christmas. She reached The Wilberforce in the morning, and Patty was surprised to see how little change a year had made in the Boston girl. She was just the same mild, placid, unemotional child that she had been when Patty saw her last. Her peculiarly Puritan effect was still evident in her face, her manner and her dress. She wore a plain little frock of a dull brown, with a jacket and hat that were inconspicuously old-fashioned.
In her quiet way she seemed truly glad to see Patty again, and Patty, knowing Ruth’s natural shyness, did all in her power to make her visitor feel at ease.
In this Grandma Elliott helped, for that dear old lady had a knack of rendering people comfortable; and, too, her heart immediately went out to the shy New England girl.
“There’s to be a party to-night,” said Patty, whose mind was full of this all-important subject; “it’s at my friend Clementine Morse’s; and we’re both going, you and I. It’s a Cinderella party, and papa’s going to take us and come for us again at twelve o’clock. Won’t it be fun?”
“But I can’t go to a party,” exclaimed Ruth, in dismay; “I haven’t any party frock to wear.”
“Oh pshaw, yes you have; your best dress is good enough, whatever it is. Where is it? Let’s unpack your things and look at it.”
But Patty was obliged to confess that Ruth had spoken truly. The girl’s best dress was a blue cashmere, neat and well made, and trimmed with silk to match, but Patty knew that among the light and pretty evening dresses of the other girls it would look altogether out of place.
“It isn’t just right, Ruth,” she said frankly; “but we must fix you up somehow. Do you suppose you could wear one of my frocks? I’ve lots of ’em, though of course most of them are not as pretty as the one I’m going to wear myself to-night.”
“Oh, Patty, of course I couldn’t wear your dress. It wouldn’t fit me at all; and besides I don’t care to go to the party, truly I don’t. Please let me stay at home with Mrs. Elliott, and you go without me. I’ll be a great deal happier—honestly I will.”
Patty looked at her guest with a comical smile.