“Isn’t he just a beauty! How I wish mamma could see how he looks,” said the little girl in a longing tone.
“How would you like to have auntie paint his picture before he is ready to fly away?” asked her aunt.
Neva’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, will you?” she exclaimed. “I’ll run and get your paints.”
A few minutes later the Danais was taken from the box and placed on the tablespread and Aunt Doris’ brush was doing rapid work.
Neva was fascinated as her eyes traveled from her live butterfly to the beautiful deep orange wings trimmed with black and white which her aunt was painting.
“Why Aunt Doris,” she said, “It’s a zact match, it’s ’most a reg’lar twin. How large it is!”
“Yes, it is four and a half inches across the wings. It is the largest kind of an American butterfly.”
By the time the painting was finished the butterfly commenced flitting about the room. It soon found its way to the screen door and Neva said, “It looks just as if it was coaxing to go out.”
“Yes, butterflies don’t like to be shut up in the house,” said Aunt Doris, “and I think a certain little girl must want to play out too by this time, so I’ll open the door and watch you both fly.”
A few minutes later a happy little voice called from the lawn, “Oh, just look, auntie, Danais Archippus seems to be kissing all the flowers, he’s so glad to see them.”