“Well,” said Rollo, “will you belong to it?”
“Yes,” said Mary.
“And we can choose our officers by lilac ballots,” said James.
“We’ll have the first meeting to-morrow afternoon,” said Rollo. “I will go in the morning, and ask Henry to come,—if mother will let me.”
His mother did let him, and the next afternoon the children all collected in the yard, intending to form their society, and proceed regularly. Mary promised to meet with them, and help them make their arrangements. They were to meet in the play room.
Before the time of the meeting, Mary went in, and, with Rollo’s help, made some seats of boards, not far from the cabinet, so that all the members of the society might sit down. The children played about in the yard, some gathering lilac leaves for ballots, and some talking about the curiosities they meant to collect, until, at length, Mary came down and told them it was time to go and have their meeting. She had a great many little papers in one hand, and some pencils in the other. James asked her what she was going to do with those papers. She said they were for ballots.
“O, we have been getting lilac leaves for ballots,” said Lucy.
“Papers are better,” said Mary, “when there is a good deal of balloting to be done.”