“Oh, mother, please say I may go!” cried Ruth excitedly, jumping up and down on tiptoe. “Mildred wants an answer soon, so that her mother can make her plans.”
“Why, my dear, I think you may go,” said her mother, “if I can get your new dress made by the twenty-eighth. You have grown so fast that I have not been able to keep up with you in sewing.”
“I am so happy with the thought of going,” exclaimed Ruth, “that I can scarcely wait for the day. You know, mother, Mildred is older than I, and it is a great honor to be invited to her party.”
“Yes, indeed, it is,” agreed her mother. “Naturally Mildred could not invite all the children in your grade at school; so if I were you I would not talk about the party before the other children. You see, it might hurt the feelings of some who were not invited.”
“That’s just what Mildred said, mother; she asked us to keep it a secret for that reason.”
“Well, dear, if you do keep it secret, do not make a mystery of it, whispering among the fortunate ones and letting the others wonder why you all say, ‘Hush,’ when they happen to come near.”
“Why, mother! how did you know?” asked Ruth flushing. “Now that I think of it, that is just what we did do.”
“Instead of just telling Mildred that you will come,” said her mother, “I think it would be better to write a note accepting the invitation.”
“I’ll do it right away!” exclaimed Ruth, running to her little desk. “Will you help me with the words?”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Duwell. “How would it do to say this: