The girls hurried along with the rest of the crowds going to recitation rooms. It must be said that Betty’s mind wandered a little occasionally, whenever it was safe to let it wander, from the subjects of the lessons to the delightful prospect of next Saturday. This was the first of the week. What should she wear? She did not like to ask Carolyn, but perhaps she could manage to bring up the subject with Peggy, or some of the other girls, when she knew who were invited. Suppose there should be some freshman boys. Peggy hadn’t said and neither had Carolyn.
That afternoon, after school, Betty rushed into the house with her books for night study and deposited them on the table with a slight thud. Her eyes were alight and the “one dimple” was much in evidence. “Mother, I’m invited to a garden party! It’s at Carolyn’s on Saturday afternoon and they’re going to have a picnic dinner outdoors. Can I go? May I go, I mean?”
“I shall certainly want to say yes, if you want to go, as I judge you do.” Mrs. Lee was smiling, too, as she looked at her glowing young daughter. She folded a garment she had been mending and laid it aside. “Tell me about it.”
“Well, you know who Carolyn is, don’t you?”
“I ought to by this time,” and Mrs. Lee’s eyes twinkled. “It occurs to me that I have heard you mention her before.”
Betty laughed. “I suppose I have raved about Carolyn. But she is the dearest thing.”
“I am sure that it is a perfectly proper friendship, Betty,” assented Betty’s mother. “The Gwynne place has been mentioned more than once in the paper and I read of a large garden party given there by Carolyn’s mother, about two weeks ago, I think.”
“Oh, was that the gorgeous place that had the pictures of it in the Sunday paper?” Betty looked a little dismayed. “Why, they must be very stylish and wealthy folks–but Carolyn likes me–I know she does.”
“To be stylish and wealthy, my dear, does not always make people snobs, and there are other assets that they may recognize in other people, too. If you and Carolyn are congenial, there is no reason why there should not be a pleasant friendship between you, at least now.”
Betty looked thoughtful. “You mean that after a while their way of living might make a difference and that Carolyn would have different friends!”