Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
PATTY'S SUITORS
BY CAROLYN WELLS
Author of The Patty Books, The Marjorie Books, etc.
Illustrations by E.C. Caswell
CONTENTS
I A VALENTINE PARTY
II ON THE TELEPHONE
III THE HEPWORTHS AT HOME
IV A PERFECTLY GOOD JOKE
V THREE PICTURES
VI PRINCESS POPPYCHEEK
VII SUITORS
VIII A HOUSE PARTY
IX EDDIE BELL
X QUARANTINED
XI MEETING IT BRAVELY
XII A SURPRISE
XIII SISTER BEE
XIV KENNETH
XV AN INVITATION
XVI BELLE HARCOURT
XVII MAY-DAY
XVIII MOONLIGHT
XIX IN THE RUNABOUT
XX THE RIDE HOME
ILLUSTRATIONS
"BEWARE, TAKE CARE, SHE IS FOOLING THEE"
AFTER DINNER THE WHOLE PARTY WENT TO THE OPERA
"NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN A CASE LIKE THAT?"
"BILL!" SHE CRIED, "LITTLE BILLEE!"
CHAPTER I
A VALENTINE PARTY
"It IS a boofy frock, isn't it, Nansome?"
Patty craned her head over her shoulder, as she waited for her
stepmother's response, which was only, "Yes."
"Oh, my gracious, Nan! Enthuse! Don't you know half the fun in life is
enthusiasm?"
"What shall I say?" asked Nan, laughing.
"Oh, say it's a peach! a hummer! a lallapaloosa!"
"Patty, Patty! what language!"
"Oh, yes; I forgot I meant to stop using slang. But when any one is so
lukewarm in her admiration as you are, forcible language is called for."
"Well, it certainly is a lovely gown, and you never looked prettier.
There! since you are fishing for compliments, are you pleased now?"
Patty was far from being conceited over her pretty face, but she
honestly liked admiration, and, indeed, she was accustomed to receive
it from all who knew her. At the present moment, she was standing
before a long mirror in her boudoir, putting the last touches to her
new party toilette. Louise, the maid, stood by, with a fur-trimmed
wrap, and Patty drew on her long gloves with a happy smile of
anticipation.
"I just feel sure I'm going to have a good time to-night," she said;
"it's a presentiment or premonition, or whatever you call it."
"Don't flirt too desperately," said Nan, not without cause, for pretty
Petty was by nature a coquette, and as she had many admirers she
merrily led them a dance.
"But it's so interesting to flirt, Nancy. And the boys like it,--so why
not?"
Why not, indeed? thought Nan. Patty's flirtations were harmless,
roguish affairs, and prompted by mischief and good nature. Patty was a
sweet, true character, and if she teased the young men a bit, it was
because of her irrepressible love of fun.
"And this is St. Valentine's night," went on Nan, "so I suppose you
think yourself privileged to break all the hearts you can."
"Some hearts are so brittle, it's no fun to break them," returned
Patty, carelessly, as she adjusted her headdress.
She was going to a Valentine party, where the guests were requested to
come in appropriate costume.
So Patty's gown was of white lace, softly draped with white chiffon. On
the modish tunic were love-knots of pale blue velvet, and a border of
tiny pink rosebuds. The head-dress, of gold filigree, was a heart
pierced by a dart; and on Patty's left shoulder, a dainty little figure
of Cupid was wobbling rather uncertainly.
"You'll lose that little God of War," said Nan.
"I don't care if I do," Patty answered; "he's a nuisance, anyway, but I
wanted something Valentinish, so I perched him up there. Now, good-bye,
Nancy Dancy, and I expect I'll be out pretty late."
"I shall send Louise for you at twelve, and you must be ready then."
"Oh, make it one. You know a Valentine party is lots of fun."
"Well, half-past twelve," agreed Nan, "and not a minute later!"
Then Louise wrapped Patty in a light blue evening cloak, edged with
white fur, and the happy maiden danced downstairs.
"Good-bye, Popsy-Poppet," she cried, looking in at the library door.
"Bless my soul! what a vision of beauty!" and Mr. Fairfield laid down
his paper to look at his pretty daughter.
"Yes," she said, demurely, "everybody tells me I look exactly like my
father."
"You flatter yourself!" said Nan, who had followed, and who now tucked
her hand through her husband's arm. "My Valentine is the handsomest man
in the world!"
"Oh, you turtle-doves!" said Patty, laughing, as she ran down the steps
to the waiting motor.
Unless going with a chaperon, Patty was always accompanied by the maid,
Louise, who either waited for her young mistress in the dressing-room
or returned for her when the party was over.
"Shall you be late, Miss Patty?" she asked, as they reached their
destination.
"Yes; don't wait for me, Louise. Come back about half-past twelve; I'll
be ready soon after that."
Louise adored Patty, for she was always kind and considerate of the
servants; and she thought Louise might as well have the evening to
herself, as to be cooped up in a dressing-room.
The party was at Marie Homer's, a new friend, with whom Patty had but
recently become acquainted.
The Homers lived in a large apartment house, called The Wimbledon, and
it was Patty's first visit there. Miss Homer and her mother were
receiving their guests in a ballroom, and when Patty greeted them, a
large crowd had already assembled.
"You are a true valentine, my dear," said Mrs. Homer, looking
admiringly at Patty's garlanded gown.
"And this is a true Valentine party," said Patty, as she noted the
decorations of red hearts and gold darts, with Cupids of wax or bisque,
here and there among the floral ornaments.
Marie Homer, who was a pretty brunette, wore a dress of scarlet and
gold, trimmed with hearts and arrows.
"I'm so glad to have you here," she said to Patty; "for now I know my
party will be a success."
"I'm sure your parties always are," returned Patty, kindly, for Marie
was a shy sort of girl, and Patty was glad to encourage her.
As soon as the guests had all arrived St. Valentine appeared in the
doorway.
It was Mr. Homer, but he was scarcely recognisable in his garb of the
good old Saint.
He wore a red gown, trimmed with ermine, and a long white beard and wig.
He carried an enormous letter-bag, from which he distributed valentines
to all. They were of the old-fashioned lace paper variety, and
beautiful of their kind.
Mrs. Homer explained that on the valentine of every young man was a
question, and the girl whose valentine had an answer to rhyme with it,
was his partner for the first dance.
The young men were requested to read their valentines aloud in turn,
and the girls to read their responsive answers.
This proceeding caused much hilarity, for the lines were exceedingly
sentimental, and often affectionate.
When it was Roger Farrington's turn, he read out boldly:
"Where's the girl I love the best?"
and Marie Homer, who chanced to hold the rhyming valentine, whispered,
shyly:
"I am sweeter than the rest!"
"You are, indeed!" said Roger, as he offered his arm with his
courtliest bow.
Then Kenneth Harper read:
"Who's the fairest girl of all?"
and Mona Galbraith read, with twinkling eyes:
"I'll respond to that sweet call!"
Then it was Philip Van Reypen's turn. He glanced at his valentine, and
asked:
"Who's a roguish little elf?"
Everybody laughed when a tall, serious-faced girl responded:
"I guess I am that, myself!"
It was toward the last that Clifford Morse asked:
"Who's the dearest girl I know?"
and as Patty's line rhymed, she said, demurely:
"Guess I am,--if YOU think so!"
"I'm in luck," said Clifford, as he led her to the dance. "You're such
a belle, Patty Fairfield, that I seldom get a whole dance with you."
"Faint heart never won fair lady," laughed Patty, shaking her fan at
him. "I always accept invitations."
"Accept mine, then, for the next dance," said Philip Van Reypen, who
overheard her words as he was passing.
"No programmes to-night," returned Patty, smiling at him. "Ask me at
dance time."
As no dances could be engaged ahead, except verbally, Patty was
besieged by partners for every dance.
"Oh, dear," she cried, as, at the fourth dance, five or six eager young
men were bowing before her; "what shall I do? I'd have to be a
centipede to dance with you all! And I can't divide one dance into six
parts. And I can't CHOOSE,-that would be TOO embarrassing! Let's draw
lots. Lend me a coin, somebody."
"Here you are," said Van Reypen, handing her a bright quarter.
Patty took it, and put both hands behind her.
"You may try first, Phil, because you put up the capital. Right or
left?"
"Right," said Philip, promptly.
Patty gaily brought her hands into view, and the quarter lay in her
left palm.
"Next!" she said; "Mr. Downing."
"Left," chose that young man, as Patty again concealed her hands.
But that time she showed the coin in her right hand.
"My turn now," said Ken Harper, "AND, you'll please keep your hands in
front of you! You don't do it right."
"Do you mean that I cheat?" cried Patty, in pretended rage.
"Oh, no, no! nothing like that! Only, this game is always played with
the fists in view."
So Patty held her little gloved fists in front of her, while Kenneth
chose.
"Right!" he said, and her right hand slowly opened and showed the
shining coin.
"Were you going to take me, anyway?" asked Kenneth, as they walked off
together. "And why did you turn down poor Van Reypen? He was awfully
cut up."
"Ken Harper, do you mean to insinuate that I didn't play fair?"
"Yes, my lady, just that. Oh, cheating never prospers. You have to put
up with me, you see!"
"I might do worse," and Patty flashed him a saucy glance.
"I wish you meant that."
"Oh, I do! I DO, Ken. Truly, there are lots of worse people than you in
the world."
"Who?"
"Well,--there's Eddie Perkins."
"Oh, Patty! that fop! Well, I'll bet you can't think of another."
"No; I can't."
"Patty, how dare you! Then you'll sit right here until you can."
Laughingly Kenneth stopped dancing, and led Patty to an alcove where
there were a few chairs. As they sat down, Philip Van Reypen came
toward them.
"Oh, Ken," Patty cried, "I've thought of a man worse than you are! Oh,
EVER so much worse! Here he is! And I simply adore bad men, so I'm
going to dance with him."
Naughty Patty went dancing off with Van Reypen, and Ken looked after
them, a little crestfallen.
"But," he thought, "there's no use being angry or even annoyed at that
butterfly of a girl. She doesn't mean anything anyway. Some day, she'll
wake up and be serious, but now she's only a little bundle of
frivolity."
Kenneth had been friends with Patty for many years; far longer than any
of her other young men acquaintances. He was honestly fond of her, and
had a dawning hope that some time they might be more than friends. But
he was a slow-going chap, and he was inclined to wait until he had a
little more to offer, before he should woo the pretty butterfly.
And, too, Patty would never listen to a word of that sort of thing. She
had often proclaimed in his hearing, that she intended to enjoy several
years of gay society pleasures, before she would be engaged to any one.
So Kenneth idly watched her, as she circled the room with Van Reypen,
and took himself off to find another partner.
"Oh, Valentine, fair Valentine," said Van Reypen to Patty, as they
danced.
"Wilt thou be mine, and I'lt be thine," returned Patty, in mocking
sing-song tones.
"Forever may our hearts entwine," improvised Philip, in tune to the
music.
"Like chickwood round a punkin-vine," Patty finished.
"Pshaw, that's not sentimental. You should have said, Like sturdy oak
and clinging vine."
"But I'm not sentimental. Who could be in a crowded ballroom, in a
glare of light, and in a mad dance?"
"What conditions would make you feel sentimental?"
"Why,--let me see. Moonlight,--on a balcony,--with the right man."
"I'm the right man, all right,--and you know it. And if I'm not greatly
mistaken, here's moonlight and a balcony!"
Sure enough, a long French window had been set slightly ajar to cool
the overheated room, and almost before she knew it, Patty was whisked
outside.
"Oh, Philip! Don't! you mustn't! I'll take cold. I ought to have
something around me."
"You have," said Van Reypen, calmly, and as he had not yet released her
from the dance he held his arms lightly round her shoulders.
Patty was angry. She knew Philip loved her,--several times he had asked
her to marry him,--but this was taking an unfair advantage.
The February wind itself was not colder than the manner with which she
drew away from him, and stepped back into the ballroom.
"My dear, my dear," exclaimed Mrs. Homer, who chanced to be near, "how
imprudent! You should not go out without a wrap."
"I know it, Mrs. Homer," and Patty looked so sweetly penitent that her
hostess could but smile at her. "But, truly, I just stepped out a
single second to get a tiny breath of air. The room IS warm, isn't it?
May I stay here by you a few moments?"
"Yes, indeed," and Mrs. Homer drew the girl down beside her on the
sofa. "You're not robust, my child, and you mustn't run foolish risks."
"You're quite right, and I won't do it again. But on a night not quite
so cold, that balcony, flooded with moonlight, must be a romantic spot."
"It is, indeed," said Mrs. Homer, smiling. "My young people think so;
and I hope you will have many opportunities in the future to see it for
yourself."
"Your young people? Have you other children besides Marie?"
"Yes; I have a daughter who is away at boarding-school. And, also, I
have a nephew, whose home is in this same building."
"Is he here to-night?"
"No; Kit hates dances. Of course, that's because he doesn't dance
himself. He's a musician."
"Kit? What a funny name."
"It's Christopher, really, Christopher Cameron; but he's such a
happy-go-lucky sort of chap, we naturally call him Kit."
"I think I should like him," said Patty. "Would he like me?"
"No," said Mrs. Homer, her eyes twinkling at Patty's look of amazement.
"He detests girls. Even my daughters, his cousins, are nuisances, he
says. Still he likes to come down here and sit on my balcony, and tease
them. He lives with his parents in the apartment just above us."
"He sounds an interesting youth," said Patty, and then, as Roger came
up and asked her for a dance, she promptly forgot the musical nephew.
At supper-time, Patty's crowd of intimates gathered around her, and
they occupied a pleasant corner of the dining-room.
"What'll you have, Patsums?" asked Roger, as a waiter brought a tray
full of dainty viands.
"Sandwiches and bouillon," said Patty, promptly; "I'm honestly hungry."
"The result of exercise in the open air," murmured Philip Van Reypen,
as he took a seat directly behind her.
Patty gave an involuntary giggle, and then turned upon Philip what she
meant to be an icy glare. He grinned back at her, which made her
furious, and she deliberately and ostentatiously ignored him.
"Hello, you two on the outs?" inquired Kenneth, casually.
"Oh, no!" said Philip, with emphasis; "far from it!"
So, as Patty found it impossible to snub such cheerfulness, she
concluded to forgive and forget.
"There's something doing after supper," remarked Roger. "Miss Homer
dropped a hint, and even now they're fixing something in the ballroom."
"What can it be?" said Elise, craning her neck to see through a doorway.
"It's a game," said Marie Homer, who had just joined the group. "I told
mother, you all considered yourselves too grown-up for games, but she
said she didn't want to have the whole evening given over to dancing.
So you will play it, won't you?"
"Sure we will!" declared Kenneth, who admired the shy little girl.
Marie was new in their set, but they all liked her. She was timid only
because she felt unacquainted, and the good-natured crowd did all they
could to put her at ease.
"Games!" exclaimed Philip; "why, I just love 'em! I'll play it,
whatever it is."
"I too," said Patty. "It will be a jolly change from dancing."