I started to school Tuesday, and I'm awfully sorry I
was not there the first day, for my seat isn't one bit
nice. I'd a _great deal_ rather have the one Altie
Crawford is in. She can look out the window and see
everybody drive by. There's a real hateful girl sits
just behind me too. She is always twisting my curls
around her finger; or if she isn't doing that, why, she
is borrowing my white-handled knife--the one Mr. Dodds
gave me. Miss Milton has a new blue dress. Priscilla
took her a _great big_ bunch of white chrysanthemums
to put in her belt, and she looked lovely. She is the
meanest teacher, though, that I ever had. She won't
listen to a word you say to her, and she makes me lend
my eraser to everybody in school.
I don't think that's one bit nice of her, and its
most worn out, too! She just does it because it is a
pretty one. There's a new boy named Robert Wilkie, just
started to school, and Miss Milton pets him to death.
She is always holding him up for an example, but I
think he don't know his lessons any better than the
rest of us. I told the girls that you were going to
send me a packet, and they were all as _excited_ trying
to guess what would be in it!
I've been trying to be real good, and I help grandma
wash the dishes most every day, _especially_ when she
looks tired. Last evening I got supper all by myself. I
fried potato cakes. The edges were a speck jagged, but
they were just as brown and nice!
Now I'll have to stop. I've thought and thought, but
there isn't anything else to write about. I wonder
what you'll put in the packet. I told Priscilla I most
thought it would be a ribbon. She's crazy to see what
is in it.
Your loving niece,
ROSE.
P. S. Priscilla says she can't bear that new boy
either. Miss Milton sent her love to you.
"I think that is quite a nice letter," said Mrs. Harrison, when Rose
had come to the end. "But however your aunt is to answer it is more
than I can guess."
"Don't it seem a long time to wait until Saturday?" said Rose as she
folded the letter carefully and put it in an envelope which she brought
to her grandmother to address.
"The more patiently you wait the shorter the time will seem," returned
Mrs. Harrison.
Rose did wait patiently and cheerfully, and on Saturday afternoon it
was a happy girl who rode home beside Farmer Dodds in the spring wagon.
As they drew near the white picket gate she saw Priscilla sitting on
the horseblock.
"Have you got it?" cried Priscilla, jumping down, and running to meet
the wagon.
For answer Rose held up a square package wrapped in white paper.
"I don't know yet what is in it," said Rose when they drew nearer, "for
grandma told me not to open it until I got home. It feels flat, and
then there's something round, like a stick of candy, only its pretty
large."
The white horse had come to a decided stop by this time and Priscilla
held out her hand for the package, while Rose clambered down from the
wagon.
"I thank you for the ride, Mr. Dodds," said she, when she reached the
ground, "and I'll tell you what is in my packet the next time you come
by."
"All right," replied Mr. Dodds, with a sort of merry chuckle, "but be a
leetle careful how ye open it. It _might_ be candy, and it _might_ be
red pepper."
So saying, he drove off uphill.
"There might be something you wouldn't like," suggested Priscilla,
looking a little doubtfully at the package.
"O pshaw!" retorted Rose; "I know better than that. Let's get the
scissors."