Patty at Home.
by Carolyn Wells.
CHAPTER I
THE DEBATE
In Mrs. Elliott"s library at Vernondale a great discussion was going on.
It was an evening in early December, and the room was bright with firelight and electric light, and merry with the laughter and talk of people who were trying to decide a great and momentous question.
For the benefit of those who are not acquainted with Patty Fairfield and her relatives, it may be well to say that Mrs. Elliott was Patty"s Aunt Alice, at whose home Patty and her father were now visiting. Of the other members of the Elliott family, Uncle Charley, grandma, Marian, and Frank were present, and these with Mr. Fairfield and Patty were debating a no less important subject than the location of Patty"s future home.
"You know, papa," said Patty, "you said that if I wanted to live in Vernondale you"d buy a house here, and I do want to live here,--at least, I am almost sure I do."
"Oh, Patty," said Marian, "why aren"t you quite sure? You"re president of the club, and the girls are all so fond of you, and you"re getting along so well in school. I don"t see where else you could want to live."
"I know," said Frank. "Patty wants to live in New York. Her soul yearns for the gay and giddy throng, and the halls of dazzling lights. "Ah, Patricia, beware! the rapids are below you!" as it says in that thrilling tale in the Third Reader."
"I think papa would rather live in New York," said Patty, looking very undecided.
"I"ll tell you what we"ll do," exclaimed Frank, "let"s debate the question. A regular, honest debate, I mean, and we"ll have all the arguments for and against clearly stated and ably discussed. Uncle Fred shall be the judge, and his decision must be final."
"No," said Mr. Fairfield, "we"ll have the debate, but Patty must be the judge. She is the one most interested, and I am ready to give her a home wherever she wants it; in Greenland"s icy mountains, or India"s coral strand, if she chooses."
"You certainly are a disinterested member," said Uncle Charley, laughing, "but that won"t do in debate. Here, I"ll organise this thing, and for the present we won"t consider either Greenland or India. The question, as I understand it, is between Vernondale and New York. Now, to bring this mighty matter properly before the house, I will put it in the form of a resolution, thus:
"RESOLVED, That Miss Patty Fairfield shall take up her permanent abode in New York City."
Patty gave a little cry of dismay, and Marian exclaimed, "Oh, father, that isn"t fair!"
"Of course it"s fair," said Mr. Elliott, with a twinkle in his eye. "It doesn"t really mean she"s going, but it"s the only way to find out what she is going to do. Now, Fred shall be captain on the affirmative side, and I will take the negative. We will each choose our colleagues. Fred, you may begin."
"All right," said Mr. Fairfield "As a matter of social etiquette, I think it right to compliment my hostess, so I choose Mrs. Elliott on my side."
"Oh, you choose me, father," cried Marian, "do choose me."
"Owing to certain insidious wire-pulling I"m forced to choose Miss Marian Elliott," said Uncle Charley, pinching his daughter"s ear.
"If one Mrs. Elliott is a good thing," said Mr. Fairfield, "I am sure two would be better, and so I choose Grandma Elliott to add to my collection of great minds."
"Frank, my son," said Uncle Charley, "don"t think for a moment that I am choosing you merely because you are the Last of the Mohicans. Far from it. I have wanted you from the beginning, and I"m proud to impress your n.o.ble intellect in my cause."
"Thank you, sir," said Frank, "and if our side can"t induce Patty to stay in Vernondale, it won"t be for lack of good strong arguments forcibly presented."
"Modest boy!" said his mother, "You seem quite to forget your wise and clever opponents."
In great glee the debaters took their places on either side of the library table, while Patty, being judge, was escorted with much ceremony to a seat at the head. An old parlour-croquet mallet was found for her, with which she rapped on the table after the manner of a grave and dignified chairman.
"The meeting will please come to order," she said, "and the secretary will please read the minutes of the last meeting."
"The secretary regrets to report," said Frank, rising, "that the minutes of the last meeting fell down the well. Although rescued, they were afterward chewed up by the puppy, and are at present somewhat illegible.
If the honourable judge will excuse the reading of the minutes, the secretary will be greatly obliged."
"The minutes are excused," said Patty, "and we will proceed at once to more important business. Mr. Frederick Fairfield, we shall be glad to hear from you."
Mr. Fairfield rose and said, "Your honour, ladies, and gentlemen: I would be glad to speak definitely on this burning question, but the truth is, I don"t know myself which way I want it to be decided. For, you see, my only desire in the matter is that the wise and honourable judge, whom we see before us, should have a home of such a character and in such a place as best pleases her; but, before she makes her decision, I hope she will allow herself to be thoroughly convinced as to what will please her. And as, by force of circ.u.mstance, I am obliged to uphold the New York side of this argument, I will now set forth some of its advantages, feeling sure that my worthy opponents are quite able to uphold the Vernondale side."
"Hear, hear!" exclaimed Frank, but Patty rapped with her mallet and commanded silence.
Then Mr. Fairfield went on:
"For one thing, Patty has always lived in a city, and, like myself, is accustomed to city life. It is more congenial to both of us, and I sometimes fear we should miss certain city privileges which may not be found in a suburban town."
"But we have other things that you can"t get in the city," broke in Marian.
"And I am very sure that they will be enthusiastically enumerated when it is your turn to speak," said Mr. Fairfield, smiling.
"The gentleman has the floor," remarked Patty, "the others will please keep their seats. Proceed, Mr. Fairfield."
So Mr. Fairfield proceeded:
"Other advantages, perhaps, will be found in the superior schools which the city is said to contain. I am making no allusion to the school that our honourable judge is at present attending, but I am speaking merely on general principles. And not only schools, but masters of the various arts. I have been led to believe by the a.s.sertions of some people, who, however, may be prejudiced, that Miss Fairfield has a voice which requires only training and practise to rival the voice of Adelina Patti, when that lady was Miss Fairfield"s age."
"Quite true," said the judge, nodding gravely at the speaker.
"This phenomenal voice, then, might--mind; I say might--be cultivated to better purpose by metropolitan teachers."
"We have a fine singing-master here," exclaimed Frank, but Patty rapped him to silence.
"What"s one singing-master among a voice like Miss Fairfield"s?" demanded the speaker, "and another thing," he continued, "that ought to affect you Vernondale people very strongly, is the fact that you would have a delightful place to visit in New York City. Now, don"t deny it. You know you"d be glad to come and visit Patty and me in our brown-stone mansion, and we would take you around to see all the sights, from Grant"s tomb to the Aquarium."
"We"ve seen those," murmured Frank.
"They"re still there," said Mr. Fairfield, "and there will probably be some other and newer entertainments that you haven"t yet seen."
"It does sound nice," said Frank.
"And finally," went on Mr. Fairfield, "though I do not wish this argument to have undue weight, it certainly would be more convenient for me to live in the city. I am about to start in business there, and though I could go in and out every day, as the honourable gentleman on the other side of the table does, yet he is accustomed to it, and, as I am not, it seems to me an uninteresting performance. However, I dare say I could get used to a commutation ticket, and I am certainly willing to try. All of which is respectfully submitted," and with a bow the speaker resumed his seat.
"That was a very nice speech," said the judge approvingly, "and now we would be pleased to hear from the captain gentleman on the other side."
Uncle Charley rose.
"Without wishing to be discourteous," he said, "I must say that I think the arguments just set forth are exceedingly flimsy. There can be no question but that Vernondale would be a far better and more appropriate home for the young lady in question than any other spot on the globe.
Here we have wide streets, green lawns, fresh air, and bright sunshine; all conducive to that blooming state of health which our honourable judge now, apparently, enjoys. City life would doubtless soon reduce her to a thin, pale, peaked specimen of humanity, unrecognisable by her friends. The rose-colour in her cheeks would turn to ashen grey; her starry eyes would become dim and l.u.s.treless. Her robust flesh would dwindle to skin and bone, and probably her hair would all fall out, and she"d have to wear a wig."
Even Patty"s mallet was not able to check the burst of laughter caused by the horrible picture which Uncle Charley drew, but after it had subsided, he continued: "As to the wonderful masters and teachers in the city, far be it from me to deny their greatness and power. But the beautiful village of Vernondale is less than an hour from New York; no mosquitoes, no malaria; boating, bathing, and fishing. Miss Fairfield could, therefore, go to New York for her instructions in the various arts and sciences, and return again to her Vernondale home on a local train. Add to this the fact that here she has relatives, friends, and acquaintances, who already know and love her, while, in New York, she would have to acquire a whole new set, probably have to advertise for them. As to the commuting gentleman: before his first ticket was all punched up, he would be ready to vow that the commuter"s life is the only ideal existence.