“What could be nicer? O! It is so lovely!” and Hilary looked in the mirror again. “It surely is a surprise. I don’t feel I ought to have it, but thank you a thousand times!” Hilary hugged the happy Cathalina, who said, “Put on for dinner your white organdy with the V neck and see how this looks with it.”
“All right. I’ll have to change again, though, can’t risk my pretty dress unpacking.”
“Grace says that the girls usually wear their kimonos at a late spread.” As she spoke, Cathalina smiled, thinking what her mother would say if she saw her daughter in the big figured kimono which she had purchased at the Greycliff Heights “emporium”. Her lacy negligee she had found scarcely suitable for Greycliff “stunts”.
Lessons, Gym practice, dinner, committee meetings and a turn outdoors were all over at last. Hilary’s “sparkler”, as Isabel called it, had been duly admired and commented on by dozens of girls. She and Cathalina flew up to their suite and were joined by Isabel and Avalon, who had begged to be allowed to help.
“We’ll get the dishes all ready before we unpack the box. Then we can set the goodies right on the table, Isabel. Will you please go to 57 and borrow the girls’ kettle for the cocoa?”
“I’ll make that,” offered Avalon. She was taking domestic science and welcomed a chance to practice.
“All right; I brought up the milk and put it out on the window ledge. And I wonder if you wouldn’t help gather up dishes now. Run around to Grace and Eloise first. With theirs and those from fifty-one, and ours, of course, we’ll have enough, I think. O, yes,—tell ’em to bring what spoons they have.” So directed Hilary.
Books and papers were piled on window sills and floor. Whisk went the table runner and Cathalina came trotting with a dust cloth. A clean dresser scarf and paper napkins made sufficient covering for the table, and a pile of wooden plates was placed on one end. “Now let’s see,” pondered Hilary. “Two can sit on the cedar chest here, three on your new box, Cathalina,” whirling around a light box which had been another purchase at the Emporium, and contained little of weight as yet. “That’s five, and four chairs, nine; and when the box is empty it can stand on end with a cushion on it. A few chairs from Lil’s will finish out nicely.”
“What’s the matter with cushions on the floor?”
“O, well, we’re having more than light refreshments and I’m afraid it would get tiresome.”