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Page 6
"Well, Patricia Fairfield!" she exclaimed to her own reflection.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself! YOU, who are supposed to be
of amiable disposition, YOU whom people call 'Sunshine,' because
of your good nature, YOU who have every joy and every blessing
that heart can wish, you look like a sour-faced, cross-grained,
disgruntled old maid! So there now! And, Miss, do you want to know
what _I_ think of you?" She picked up her hair brush, and shook it
at the flushed, angry face in the mirror. "Well, _I_ think you're
a monster of selfishness! You're a dragon of ingratitude! And a
griffin of cross-patchedness! Now, Miss, WILL you drop this
attitude of injured innocence, and act like a civilised human
being?"
Patty was a little over hard on herself. She hadn't at all
exhibited such traits as she charged herself with, but she was not
a girl to do things by halves. She sat, calmly looking at her own
face, until the lines smoothed themselves out of her forehead, the
dimples came back to her cheeks, and the laughter to her blue
eyes.
"That's better!" she said, wagging her head at the pretty, smiling
face. "Now, never again, Patty Fairfield, let me see you looking
mopy or peevish about anything! Mind, not about anything at all!
You have enough blessings and pleasures to make up for any
disappointments that may come to you. So, now that you've braced
up, just STAY braced up! See?"
The scolding, though self-inflicted, did Patty good, and humming a
lively tune, she busied herself with arranging some fans and
frills in boxes to take away with her.
If stray thoughts of the Pageant or the Fancy Dance crept into her
mind, she determinedly thrust them out, and forced her
anticipations to the unknown fun and gaiety she would enjoy at the
big Mountain Houses.
And when at last, ready for bed, she stood in front of her long
cheval glass, the folds of her blue dressing gown trailing away
from her pretty, lace-frilled nightgown, she shook her forefinger
warningly at the smiling reflection.
"Now, mind you, Patricia, not a whimper out of you to-morrow! Not
a shadow of a shade of disappointment on your fair young brow?
Only happy smiles and pleasant words, and just MAKE yourself enjoy
the prospect of those poky, gloomy, horrid old mountains!"
It will be easily seen that Patty was amenable to discipline, for
next morning she went dancing downstairs, looking like amiability
personified. Even Nan came to the conclusion that Patty was
reconciled to the mountain trip, and had begun to see the
pleasanter side of it.
Mr. Fairfield regarded his daughter approvingly. Though Patty had
not been cross or glum the day before, she had been silent, and
now she treated her hearers to a flood of gay and merry chatter.
Only a fleeting shadow across her face, or a sudden, pained look
in her eyes when Spring Beach matters were mentioned, revealed to
her watchful father the fact that Patty's gaiety was the result of
brave and honest will-power. But such shadows passed as quickly as
they came, and the girl's pleasant and sweet demeanour was not
unappreciated by her elders.
She joined heartily in the plans for the mountain trip; discussed
itineraries with her father, and costumes with Nan.
As the three sat on the veranda, thus engaged, a flying figure
came through the gate like a whirlwind, and Mona Galbraith
precipitated herself into the family group.
"Why, Mona, you look a little,--er,--hasty!" exclaimed Patty as,
out of breath, their visitor plumped herself into a swing and
twirled its tasselled ropes, while she regained her breath.
"Yes,--yes,--and well I may!" she panted. "What DO you think,
Patty? Oh, Mr. Fairfield, DO say yes! Coax him to, won't you, Mrs.
Fairfield! Oh, I can't tell you,--I daren't! I just KNOW you won't
do it! Oh, Patty, do,--DO!"
Impetuous Mona had swayed out of the swing in her eagerness, and
was now kneeling by Patty's side, stroking her hand, and gazing
into her face with imploring eyes.
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