"Isabel's very extravagant."
"Extravagance becomes a virtue when Isabel wears the clothes,"
commented grandpa. Grandpa often said "deep" things like that, which
were hard to understand exactly.
"She shouldn't squander Charlie's money," insisted grandma.
"Charlie doesn't seem to mind it," put in mother in her gentle way.
"He's as pleased as Punch buying her pretty things."
"Yes--poor Charlie!" agreed grandma. "And there's another thing:
Isabel's always been used to so much attention, I hope she won't
give poor Charlie anxiety."
Why did grandma keep calling him "poor" Charlie? Missy had always
understood that Uncle Charlie wasn't poor at all; he owned the
biggest "general store" in Pleasanton and was, in fact, the "best-
fixed" of the whole Merriam family.
But, save for fragments, she soon lost the drift of the family
discussion. She was absorbed in her own trend of thoughts. At Uncle
Charlie's she was sure of encountering Romance. Living-and-breathing
Romance. And only two days more! How could she wait?
But the two days flew by in a flurry of mending, and running
ribbons, and polishing all her shoes and wearing old dresses to keep
her good ones clean, and, finally, packing.
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