Manchurian Books

Laughing and dancing--oh, oh! What ages
ago it seemed when she too had laughed and danced!
Oh, why hadn't she gone home with Mrs. Allen and Kitty before her
silly pleasure had turned to anguish? But, of course, that was what
life was: pain crowding elbows with pleasure always--she had read
that somewhere. She was just inevitably living Life.
Consoled a trifle by this reflection and by a certain note of
sublimity in her experience, Missy leaned against the gatepost upon
which a lantern was blinking its last shred of life, and gazed at
the slow-rising, splendid moon.
She was still there when Cousin Jim, walking quickly and his shoes
creaking loudly, returned. "Hello!" he said. "What're you doing out
here?"
"Oh, just watching the moon."
"You're a funny girl," he laughed.
"Why am I funny?" Her tone was a little wistful. "Why, moon-gazing
instead of dancing, and everything."
"But I like to dance too," emphasized Missy, as if to defend herself
against a charge.
"I'll take you up on that. Come straight in and dance the next dance
with me!"
Missy obeyed.


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108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132