In spite of all this, Rollo was dull and despondent. He was just beginning to wonder whether he should go out in the hall and push the elevator-buttons, or remove the telephone receiver from the hook, or what he should do to amuse himself when his mother looked up from a letter she was reading and said, “Rollo, how should you like to go to luncheon to-morrow with your Cousin Stella?”
“Splendid,” said Rollo, “anything for a change. But I did not know I had a cousin Stella. Who is she?”
“She is not really your cousin,” said his mother, “but the daughter of an old friend of mine, Mrs. Bradley. We have always spoken of her as Aunt Estelle. Stella is about your age. She lives in the city and would like to have you lunch with her to-morrow at the Ritz. She is a débutante or what I prefer to call ‘a bud.’”
“What is that?” asked Rollo eagerly.
Rollo’s mother explained that “a bud” was the term used to describe an innocent young lady who is just beginning to go about to sociables and lectures by herself.
So pleased was Rollo with his plans for the morrow that he played quite contentedly until bedtime and was not surprised to hear his father say, “Our little Rollo is so good to-day!... there must be something the matter with him.”
Rollo at first thought he should take his luncheon with him in a basket, but his mother explained that she did not think Mr. Ritz would like that, and that in the city “luncheon” meant the noon-day meal.
“Remember, my son,” said his father, “this is to be your dinner, so eat heartily and enjoy yourself. Here is a dime for pocket-money, but be sure not to spend it.”
Rollo had no difficulty whatsoever in finding the Ritz, but, once there and safely through the strange doors which revolved like a great mill-wheel, it was quite another matter to find his Cousin Stella. Rollo decided to solve his own difficulty in the simplest way. Standing in the center of the hall-way, he shouted lustily, “Cousin Stel-la! Cousin Stel-la!” It was not long before he heard an answering voice cry, “Rollo,” and saw a beautiful young lady waving and beckoning to him from a table in the corner. Walking toward it, Rollo said, “Is this Cousin Stella?” It was even so, and Rollo, after bowing very low and presenting his cousin with a large, bright orange which he had brought for her, took his place by her side and the famous luncheon began.