CHAPTER XXVI.[ToC]
THE BIG FRONT DOOR IS LEFT ALONE.
"If Dora could only go!" Bess said, as she and Louise flew around in a delightful bustle of preparation.
As this was quite out of the question, Dora was content to stay at home. She promised Helen that she would go over and pet Mr. Smith, the cat, occasionally, that he might not feel her absence too deeply, and Aunt Zélie told her to help herself to all the flowers she wanted. Uncle William sent her half a dozen new books, and the girls and Carl promised to write often.
The boys felt themselves to be most important members of society as the time for leaving drew near, for they were petted and feasted and made much of generally.
Aunt Marcia gave them an elegant dinner; Elsie had a fête in their honor; but best of all was the farewell tea-party at Miss Brown's the evening before they left, to which only the ten were invited.
It would be impossible to tell of all the fun they had, and how Mary actually came so near laughing at some of the nonsense that she had to beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen to save her dignity.
They drank the health of the departing members in lemonade, and then Ikey proposed "the Lady of the Brown House, who has been altogether jolly, though we did begin by breaking her window."
This was received with great applause, and Aleck said, "You must make a speech, Miss Brown."
"I am afraid I shall not be equal to the occasion," she answered; "but I must say that I have always been glad of that broken window. I owe to it some of my happiest hours, and I thank you all for you kindness to your invalid neighbor."