Three Little Women's Success: A Story for Girls

nsequently, that autumn Jean had been enrolled among its pupils, and her place in the public school at which she and Constance had been pupils knew her no more, and Jean was much di

turally in the public school were many children from the less well-to-do families of Riveredge, and not a few from those in very straitened circumstances. Among the latter were three girls very near Jean's own age. They were sisters, and were ambitious to complete the grammar school course, in

Don't you think you could make Mrs. Hodgeson understand that she could get on with fewer of them, Mother? You see, the clothes never do hold out, and as for that last baby carriage you managed to get for her, why, it's just a wreck already. Th

better ask some other friends if the

think she's got to get a brand new baby to put into it, for

the old ones, both babies and carriage, I

and Jean snuggled close into the encircling arms of the big chair

don't believe they can. I was talking to Mrs. Hodgeson about it just the other day, and she said she was afeered her man couldna buy one nohow

meant extortionate,"

five cents they won't have a thing when the

I have asked that one be sent to the Hodgesons," was Mrs. Car

nage one all right, 'cause you could get one sent to her. My, but she got mad! And she told me she guessed she could get along without no charity turkey; that Hodgeson always had managed to fill up the young ones somehow, and if he couldn

; they were everlasting. But she was hardly prepared for Jean's solution o

the day. According to her Southern traditions, the meal was ordered for two o'clock instead of the more fashionable hour favored by her Northern friends. Her gue

am is s

Mammy and Charles. In their chariot of state, drawn by Baltie, they had driven to South Riveredge, selected every article, and carried it home in their own baskets. Once that lordly turkey had been scientifically poked and pinched by her and met with approval, she was not going to let it out of her sight "an' have no secon'-rater sont up to de house inst

, while Homer Forbes turned to the two girls. As she rose to accept Hadyn's a

e is

ort time ago, mother. Shall

e will wait just

turn in two minutes with const

Mrs. Carruth, resignation to any

-and-" the words ended in a laugh

demanded Eleanor. "W

"You can't make me believe she has broken

e she has done?-invited, sans ceremony, Victoria Regina, Mar

ever!" cried

s very minute putting the finishing t

now that National bird is a bouncer, and big enough to feed a doz

gnity and sense of propriety were continually rece

leanor? I thought you were a strong advocate of settlement work, and here you are overlooking an opportunity sent to your very door.

r door," added Homer Forbes. "Moreover, it will give me a wonderful opportunity to pursue my psychological studies. Didn't know I was knee-deep in

ake them miserable. Jean has made one wild break, but there shall be no more if I can prevent it. Since she has brought them

rder," agreed Hadyn, though his tw

us entertain 'em

" laughed Mrs. Carruth. "Now fly, Con

No one noticed that Jean's conversational powers, never mediocre, were now phenomenal. She talked incessantly and as rapidly as a talking machine, albeit her listeners seemed to offer small encouragement for such a ceaseless flow of language. They sat with their eyes fastened to their plates-plates which would require very little scraping before washing. To and from pantry and dining room vibrated Charles. The vege

n't lak dey was strangers, dey's all ob de family, so to speak, ma'am" (Mammy was too excited to notice that the cheeks o

mares' nests when others were unable to do so, but surprised by this one, nevertheless. Mammy did

run inter Miss Connie's kitchen fer ter git some ob dem little frilly papers I need fer its laigs, an-an' it mus' 'a' been stole whilst I was in dar, er else de very debbil hisself done fly away wid it right fro

e roar which at that instant arose from two masculine throats would have been more than enough; but when Homer F

de tuckey!" correct

, our turke

I wouldn't be pestered," was Mammy's Hibernian reply. "It's

the table and springing to his feet. "Come on. Mammy, whom do you suspec

had. If yo' wants to know who I thinks is got him, I thinks it's a man what done stop at ma door when I was a-stuffin' dat tucky early dis mawnin'. He was a tromp,

walking-stick, Mrs. Carruth? Bring along the wheelb

e to draw her head toward her and whisper something into the listening ear. Jean's guests sat l

e prepared; we shall not starve. Ladies and gentlemen, circumstances render explanations s

ere the words which rattle

ruth's upraised hand, Etna would have broken forth. But Jean knew her hour of reckoning would come later. Her conversational powers seemed to have suffered a reaction. Her

what did you do

hanksgiving compliments, when I went after the girls. They wouldn't eat a charity turkey, but a

ed to Constance, who sat at the other side, and sa