"Just like lying abed on a holiday," said Viola, "one never enjoys it.
I believe we always want what we cannot get, and scarcely ever appreciate what we have."
"I find it that way sometimes," admitted Dorothy, "but to make sure I am not mistaken I often suppose myself without that which I fail to appreciate. It is a good test of one"s real self, you know."
"But a lot of trouble," sighed Viola. "I take things as they come--and always want more, or to be rid of some. But I have one real love, and that"s music. I was called Viola because my dear grandfather was a celebrated violinist, and perhaps that is why I have such a pa.s.sion for music."
"Do you play?" asked Dorothy, interested.
"Yes, I study the piano and violin, but of course I like the violin best. There is one of your cousins--"
"Nat!" called Dorothy, as that boy ran across the lawn. "Come over here a minute, if you can spare time from that un-understandable game."
"Don"t you know that game?" asked Nat, coming up to the rustic bench upon which the two girls were seated. "Why, I"m surprised. That is a genuine American game "Follow the Leader.""
"Let me introduce you to a friend," began Dorothy, indicating Viola.
"This is Miss Green--Mr. Nat White."
Nat bowed and spoke pleasantly--he was no country boy. Viola had noticed that long ago.
"Viola has just been telling me her one hobby is music," said Dorothy, to start the small talk, "and she studies the violin. I think it so much more interesting than the piano," she commented.
"Oh, I"ve tried it," admitted Nat. "It is more interesting for others, but when it comes home to a fellow it is awfully scratchy and monotonous. But I suppose Miss Viola has gone past that period. I stuck there."
"That is because you did not start early enough," said Viola. "To do anything with the violin one ought to start before the squeaks and scratches can be realized."
"Good idea," agreed Nat. "That work should certainly be done in the--sub--conscious state."
"I"ll leave you to settle the violin," said Dorothy, "while I pay my respects to Mrs. MacAllister. She has just come out, and wasn"t it splendid of her to let us all come here?"
Dorothy made her way across the lawn to the knot of girls where Mrs.
MacAllister was gracefully presiding.
But instantly Tavia saw that Nat was alone with Viola--the very thing she wanted to avoid. Nat might tell her the truth about the "chariot race," as the police patrol ride had become known. Besides, Viola could find out so many things from an unsuspecting boy.
"Come with me," said Tavia to Nettie, dragging the innocent girl along.
"I want to present you to a friend of mine. Do you see that boy over there? The best looking fellow here? Well, he"s a friend of mine."
"Delighted--I"m sure," agreed Nettie. "But what about the other girl?
Miss Nile Green?"
"Cut her out," said Tavia, in her most business-like way, using the slang with the old as well as the newer significance.
"Certainly," responded Nettie, with a coquettish toss of her head.
"I"m on the boys committee--as a matter of fact they are all here in my care," and straightforth the pair made for Viola"s bench.
"Wasn"t it too funny!" Viola was exclaiming as Tavia came up.
"I should think so," they heard Nat answer, "But Dorothy was ready to--"
"Hush!" whispered Viola, but the warning was just a moment too late, for Tavia heard it. Then Viola said something that Tavia did not hear.
Nat was very pleasant to Nettie. It was evident the introduction had broken in on something interesting to Viola, if not to Nat, but he gave no sign of the interference being annoying, although the girl was not so tactful.
"Nettie is the committee on boys," declared Tavia, "so I thought it high time she had a chance to censure you--I mean to look over your credentials."
"Well, if you and the others would join me in a swallow of that lemonade I see under yonder tree, Miss Nettie,--No, not you Tavia, nor Miss Green? Then we will have to drink alone, for I am deadly thirsty," and at this he walked away with Nettie, leaving Viola on the bench with Tavia.
"Oh, there"s Tom looking for me," exclaimed Viola, jumping up instantly, "won"t you let me introduce you, Tavia?" (she actually said Tavia!) "He"s a stranger and some out of place."
"Yes," said Tavia vaguely, probably referring to the "out of place"
clause, and not exactly giving a.s.sent to the introduction.
Then came Viola"s turn--she left Tavia with Tom and as promptly made her own escape!
"Of all the--clams," Tavia was saying to herself, rather rudely, it must be confessed.
But Tom evidently liked Tavia, at any rate he talked to her and showed a remarkable aptness in keeping up the tete-a-tete, "against all comers," said Nat to himself, noticing the monopoly.
"That"s the time Miss Tavia was beaten at her own game," was Viola"s secret comment. "How glad I am to get rid of that bore. I heartily wish I--that he had not been asked."
"What do you think of that?" inquired Alice of Dorothy, observing the girl"s change of partners. "Look at Nat with Viola and Tavia with Tom!"
"I would like to hear what Tavia has to say," and Dorothy smiled at the idea of Tavia"s possible conversation. "I"m just dying to tell her that Viola"s name did not come from the vegetable kingdom."
"We had really better break up these little confabs," said Alice, feeling her responsibility as hostess, "or we may have reason to doubt the advisability of giving a lawn party with boys."
"The simplest games will be the most enjoyable, I think," suggested Dorothy. "I would begin with "drop the handkerchief.""
"Fine idea," replied Alice. "But notice how many times Tom gets a "drop." I"ll bet the girls will be afraid he would keep the handkerchief. He looks girlie enough to fancy one with lace on," and at this Alice went forth to inaugurate the old-time game.
CHAPTER XI
OFF FOR GLENWOOD
The lawn party ended in a shower; not only a linen shower as May Egner had planned, but in a specific downpour of rain. The day, so beautifully promising, suddenly changed colors and sent, from a sky of inky blackness, one of the heaviest rainfalls of the season. But this change only added sport to the festivities, for a game of blindman"s buff had to be finished in the dining-room, and the way the boys ducked under the big table actually put the "blind man" (Nettie) out of business.
It had been a splendid afternoon, every moment of the hours spent seemed to all present the best time of their gay young lives, and that Viola had contributed to the merriment and made herself particularly agreeable, left nothing to be wished for, Alice thought.
Dorothy and Tavia felt that the time had come to make their adieux, and were about to undertake that task when, at a signal from Alice, the room was suddenly filled with flying bits of linen--the other shower.
"Hurrah!" cried the boys, catching the gifts and tossing them up again and again.
"Fen!" called Tavia, using a marble game expression, but the boys would not desist. They liked the linen shower first-rate, and insisted on keeping it going.
"Then let us s...o...b..ll the travelers," suggested Sarah Ford, and at this Dorothy and Tavia were forced into a corner and completely snowed under with the linen.