“Oh, dear, if that will please you so much,” said Lucindy, entirely willing to gratify them, “I’ll go and get one of Mrs. Randolph’s prettiest dresses and show you. It wont take me a minute.”
“Oh, do, Lucindy! we’re just crazy to see it! She’ll never know it,” said Carrie, with eagerness.
Lucindy had no scruples whatever in procuring so coveted a pleasure for her dear friends. She ran back to the house and up into Mrs. Randolph’s room. She fumbled over the dresses, and thinking it was as well to take out two or three, that they might feast their eyes upon a variety, she piled two silk dresses and an India mull upon her arm, and hurried out.
They dragged considerably upon the dusty path, but this was not noticed, and the wild delight of the girls, when they really had them in their hands, amply repaid Lucindy for any risk, she thought.
They fingered them over, the bead embroideries and lace trimmings, and examined the fashion of each with untiring interest.
“Let’s put them on!” said Carrie, “and see how we would look in them.”
“We’ll look sweetly stylish,” said Freda.
“Oh, do let us, Lucindy! Mrs. Randolph wont be back until evening. It’ll be such fun!” insisted Carrie.
“All right, let us; I don’t care how much fun we have with them, the more the better,” returned Lucindy. No sooner said than done; over their clothing they stretched the dresses, and jerked and settled them into the proper set. Shouts of laughter greeted every ridiculous pose and awkward stumble, and certainly nothing could be more provocative of merriment than their appearance. They trailed the dresses over the stubble in mock dignity; they improvised a dance, and went through all the grotesque changes they could invent. Their comments and jokes were most spicy and personal, and in all Lucindy led.
After a good time enjoyed in this way, the fun lost its point and novelty, and they threw the dresses in a heap on the grass, and sat and chatted over the gossip connected with the school at the cross roads. The afternoon was wearing on, and Lucindy thought it time to produce her good things, and taking up the dresses, ran along to the house.