Patty at Home

in early December, and the room was bright with firelight and electric light, and merry wit

nt Alice, at whose home Patty and her father were now visiting. Of the other members of the Elliott family, Uncle Charley, grandma, Marian, an

Patty, "you said that

ouse here, and I do want

most su

of the club, and the girls are all so fond of you, and you're getting a

gay and giddy throng, and the halls of dazzling lights. 'Ah, Patricia, beware! t

live in New York," said Pat

, honest debate, I mean, and we'll have all the arguments for and against clearly sta

She is the one most interested, and I am ready to give her a home wherever she

is thing, and for the present we won't consider either Greenland or India. The question, as I understand it, is between Vernon

ty Fairfield shall take

ork C

smay, and Marian exclaimed, "

ng, but it's the only way to find out what she is going to do. Now, Fred shall be captain on the affi

social etiquette, I think it right to compliment

father," cried Mar

ous wire-pulling I'm for

e Charley, pinching

eld, "I am sure two would be better, and so I choose G

you merely because you are the Last of the Mohicans. Far from it. I have wanted

t induce Patty to stay in Vernondale, it won't be f

, "You seem quite to forget y

g judge, was escorted with much ceremony to a seat at the head. An old parlour-croquet mallet was f

she said, "and the secretary will pleas

e well. Although rescued, they were afterward chewed up by the puppy, and are at present somewhat illegib

proceed at once to more important business. Mr. Fred

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 w

k, but Patty rapped with her

Fairfield

med to city life. It is more congenial to both of us, and I sometimes fear we

that you can't get in th

usiastically enumerated when it is your tu

ed Patty, "the others will please kee

irfield p

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 assertions of some people, who,

he judge, nodding gr

ind; I say might-be cultivated to bet

r here," exclaimed Frank, but

ernondale 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 g

those," mu

and there will probably be some other and ne

und nice,"

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

pprovingly, "and now we would be pleased to hea

Charle

ot 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

itoes, 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

l now be pleased to hear from the next speaker on the affirmative sid

tokened Fairfield decision of character. "I will say exactl

a debate, you know, and you must make up opinions

be away all day at his business, she will enjoy the loneliness of a big brown-stone city house; she will enjoy the dark rooms and the entire absence of grass and flowers and trees, which she hates anyway

ntion, Aunt Alice sat down amid great cheer

win; and, though for many reasons she wished it would be so, yet, at the sam

, she o

to order, in order to listen t

ssed the chair and the ladies and gentlem

field goes to live in New York, or anywhere except Vernondale, I think she's just the horridest, meanest old thing on the face of the earth! Why, I wouldn't let her go! I'd lock her in her room, and poke bread and water to her through the keyhole, if she dared to think of such a thing! Go to New York, indeed! A ni