THE BIG FRONT DOOR IS LEFT ALONE.
"If Dora could only go!" Bess said, as she and Louise flew around in a
delightful bustle of preparation.
As this was quite out of the question, Dora was content to stay at
home. She promised Helen that she would go over and pet Mr. Smith, the
cat, occasionally, that he might not feel her absence too deeply, and
Aunt Zelie told her to help herself to all the flowers she wanted.
Uncle William sent her half a dozen new books, and the girls and Carl
promised to write often.
The boys felt themselves to be most important members of society as
the time for leaving drew near, for they were petted and feasted and
made much of generally.
Aunt Marcia gave them an elegant dinner; Elsie had a fete in their
honor; but best of all was the farewell tea-party at Miss Brown's the
evening before they left, to which only the ten were invited.
It would be impossible to tell of all the fun they had, and how Mary
actually came so near laughing at some of the nonsense that she had
to beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen to save her dignity.
They drank the health of the departing members in lemonade, and then
Ikey proposed "the Lady of the Brown House, who has been altogether
jolly, though we did begin by breaking her window."
This was received with great applause, and Aleck said, "You must make
a speech, Miss Brown."
"I am afraid I shall not be equal to the occasion," she answered; "but
I must say that I have always been glad of that broken window. I owe
to it some of my happiest hours, and I thank you all for you kindness
to your invalid neighbor."
"Three cheers for Miss Brown!" cried Aleck.
"I think she will be just as much complimented if we make less noise,"
suggested Bess. "I am sure she knows that we all love her, and if we
have given her any happiness it is only a piece of the pleasure she
has given us come back to her."
"Hurrah for Bess!" cried the irrepressible one.
Next Will proposed the Big Front Door.
Great enthusiasm prevailed as Carl rose to respond. They all expected
one of his spread-eagle efforts, but instead he said: "I thank you all
in the name of the Big Front Door and the people who live behind it.
We have had good times there and hope to have more in the future, but
besides this it has helped us to do right sometimes, and though our
Order may seem rather childish now, let us not forget our motto, and
keep our silver keys to remind us to be helpers wherever we go."
He sat down with a flushed face, rather abashed at his own
earnestness.
"Good for you!" said Jim cordially, and the others responded, "We
will! We will!"
In the midst of the festivities Louise was discovered in tears. "I did
not mean to," she said, "but it seems as if everything was coming to
an end."
"It is only the end of a chapter, and we will begin another
presently," Dora suggested brightly.
In two minutes Louise was laughing through her tears, and the party
came to an end as cheerfully as it had begun.
Dora waved a good-by to the travellers as they passed early the next
morning. In the afternoon she went over to the deserted house, where
only Sukey was left in charge, petted Mr. Smith, and cut some roses;
then she went out and sat on the carriage block and recalled the day
three years before when she had stopped there to rest, and had
wondered who lived in that pleasant house.
There was the same big, hospitable door, but it would not open to-day
to let out two merry little maidens.
From her window Miss Brown nodded and beckoned, so she ran across and
paid her a visit.
"Come often and cheer me up, for I shall miss my neighbors
dreadfully," that lady said as she was leaving.
"I will," answered Dora, adding merrily, "but you still have the Big
Front Door."
THE END.
* * * * *