It was better
still to see her hug Christie, when the latter emerged, flushed and
breathless, from the chaos of arms, legs, and chubby faces in which
she was lost for several tumultuous moments; and it was best of all
to see the good woman place her cherished "bunnit" in the middle of
the parlor table as a choice and lovely ornament, administer the
family pocket-handkerchief all round, and then settle down with a
hearty:
"Wal, now, Mis Sterlin', you've no idee how tickled we all was when
Mr. David came, and told us you was goin' to have a galy here
to-day. It was so kind of providential, for 'Lisha was invited out
to a day's pleasuring so I could leave jest as wal as not. The
childern's ben hankerin' to come the wust kind, and go plummin' as
they did last month, though I told 'em berries was gone weeks ago. I
reelly thought I'd never get 'em here whole, they trained so in that
bus. Wash would go on the step, and kep fallin' off; Gusty's hat
blew out a winder; them two bad boys tumbled round loose; and dear
little Victory set like a lady, only I found she'd got both feet in
the basket right atop of the birthday cake, I made a puppose for
Christie."
"It hasn't hurt it a bit; there was a cloth over it, and I like it
all the better for the marks of Totty's little feet, bless 'em!" and
Christie cuddled the culprit with one hand while she revealed the
damaged delicacy with the other, wondering inwardly what evil star
was always in the ascendant when Mrs.
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