The red plant

by Lucy Ellen Guernsey

But Flora did not seem to care anything about Mr. Mansfield's money; and had not admired the house and furniture half as much as Tilly thought she ought have done. And now here was a fine chance to take Florry down. It almost consoled Tilly for the loss of her watch, to think that she could whisper to all the girls that she had left Flora Lester alone in her room a minute, and that Flora must have opened her drawer and taken out her new watch and chain. Mr. Mansfield and Emmeline had gone away for a few days, and there was no one at home but herself and the housekeeper, Mrs. Griggs, who had come with them from New York, and with whom Tilly was always at war.

"I won't tell her," thought Tilly. "She will be sure to take Florry's part. I mean to write to father, though, this very minute."

Tilly was as good as her word. She sat down on the instant, and wrote to her father, telling him that Florry had stolen her watch, and asking him what she should do about it. This letter she posted on her way to school. She met Florry at the gate, and Florry was going to speak to her as usual; but Tilly passed her with only a very cold nod and a toss of her head, and went into the school-room, where she met Jenny Fleming and several of the other girls, who all seemed to be in a great frolic.

"Come and make your manners to Jenny Fleming," said Priscilla Steele, laughing, as Tilly entered the room. "She is head of the school, now that Merry is gone; and she feels as proud as a peacock."

"Jenny Fleming is not so old as I am," said Tilly. "She will be eleven next month, I know; and I was eleven last January."

"Yes; but it doesn't go by that," explained Priscilla. "It is only our age in school that counts. Jenny Fleming has been in the school ever since it began."

Now Tilly had asked the ages of all the girls anywhere near her own, and having found out that she was the oldest, she had concluded that she should be head girl when Florry left. She had made up her mind that she would be very kind and obliging, especially to the little ones; that she would take a great deal of notice of the poorer girls, and "show that she was not proud," as she said. It was very vexatious to have all this magnanimity thrown away; and it somehow increased her displeasure at Florry.

"It will seem odd not to have Florry in school, won't it?" remarked Emily Dean. "The Kindergarten won't seem half so pleasant, now that Florry is gone."

"Oh, you think a great deal of Florry," said Tilly, tossing her head again. "I guess, if you knew what I do! But you will see how fine she will look when my father comes home. I guess Miss Van Ness and the rest won't think quite so much of her after this."

"Tilly Mansfield, what do you mean?" exclaimed Priscilla and Jenny, together. "What has Florry done?"