“But I’m not a monkey, Uncle Walter,” she returned in a slightly resentful tone. “You wouldn’t have me for your niece if I was.”
“No; and you haven’t the least look like one. So if you can do without their companionship, I hope you will be permitted to go to all the parties talked of.”
“If she is a good girl she shall go to all the parties she’s invited to; all the daytime ones in the connection, I mean,” said her mother.
“Oh, thank you, mamma!” exclaimed the little girl; “and I may go to-day with you and papa, may I?”
“You shall go somehow and with somebody; we will get it all arranged presently. There are conveyances enough for all to ride if they wish, and it is a delightful day for walking so short a distance if any one prefers to do that.”
Some did prefer it, and in a few moments their plans in regard to that were all arranged.
In the meantime Lucilla had made her housekeeping arrangements and toilet for the day, the next-door neighbors had done likewise, the baby, beautifully attired, was sleeping in her carriage, which Max was proud to draw with his own hands, and they set out on their trip across the lawn to Woodburn.
They received a joyous welcome there, and were told they were just in time to prevent the call from being made in the other direction.
“We were just about to start for Sunnyside,” said Violet, “for we were all hungry for a sight of my little granddaughter.”
“Oh, mamma, she isn’t that, and you don’t look a bit like a grandmother!” exclaimed Elsie.