The very next day Mrs. Hargrave was called into the country to see a
sick cousin. She telephoned Minnie before she left and told her that she
felt that things were going along as well as anyone could possibly
expect, and that she was delighted with Rosanna and her little friend.
This message distressed Minnie for she was just about to go to see Mrs.
Hargrave.
Minnie was not happy. Silly and foolish as it was, she well knew that
the proud old Mrs. Horton would not be willing to accept as poor and
simple a child as Helen for Rosanna's closest friend, no matter how
sweet and well mannered she might be. Minnie, who knew real worth when
she saw it, despised Mrs. Horton for her overbearing ideas, but what to
do she didn't know. She feared a storm if she let things go until Mrs.
Horton's return, yet she dreaded a separation for the children, when
they might enjoy each other for two or three weeks longer.
Rosanna was improving daily. Minnie was pleased and proud to see how she
continued to do for herself and learn in every way to be independent.
Her sewing was wonderful. She was working eagerly on a little dark blue
dress like Helen's for herself, and with Minnie's help was even putting
a little simple cross-stitching on the cuffs and yoke. Rosanna was
prouder of that dress than of anything she had ever had in her
beautiful, crowded wardrobe.
Minnie felt that she wanted to consult with someone, and the most
sensible person she knew was Mrs. Hargrave. But with Mrs. Hargrave away,
all Minnie could see to do was to let things go along, and "trust to
luck" as she put it. Minnie didn't like "trusting to luck" at all; and
every time she saw the two children playing together so happily and
busily she shook her head and sighed.
Rosanna, too, in a dim way was feeling troubled, because she too knew
her grandmother, and remembered other times when she had been severely
scolded for trying to make friends with children whose parents did not
measure up to the standard set by Mrs. Horton.
In fact, for all the seeming happiness, no one was wholly happy but
Helen!
Helen had been taught by her wise young mother that the most important
things in life are not to be measured as anything that money can buy.
According to Mrs. Culver, a little girl must be obedient and truthful
and well behaved and kind. She must have a low and pleasant voice and be
able to sit in the presence of her elders without trying to enter the
conversation unless asked to do so. These things she had taught Helen,
and her little girl had been a ready pupil. Mrs. Culver was justly proud
of her.
Rosanna was just a bit afraid. And the fear caused her to go in a line
that was not _perfectly_ straightforward. She was sorry enough for it
afterward--sorrier than she thought she could ever be. But that did not
mend things in the least.
Because she did not know just how to turn around and explain everything
to her grandmother and still be sure of her happy time, to say nothing
of protecting her dear Helen from distress, when she answered her
grandmother's letter she wrote as follows:
Dear Grandmother:
"I was glad to get your letter, and I am glad Uncle Robert is home
again. Give my love to him, please. I am glad you are having a good
time, and I hope you will stay away as long as you like. I am having a
very good time. Oh, grandmother, I am having a lovely time. What do you
think? Mrs. Hargrave had Helen and me to luncheon with her, and she
likes Helen as much as I do, only she doesn't belong to the Lee family,
and after luncheon Mrs. Hargrave took us down town with her, and before
we came home she bought each of us a gold notebook with a gold pencil on
a gold chain fastened to it. She bought herself one too so we each have
one just like a secret society.
"I am learning to cook and to sew. I am making myself a dress. It is
very pretty. I shall make a good many of my dresses after this. It saves
a good deal of money, Minnie says, and I can help the poor with it.
"We went out to Jacobs Park for a picnic, and five poor little children
had lost their basket of supper. So I thought what you would do if you
saw five little children who had lost their supper, and I asked them to
have supper with us. There was enough, on account of our taking Uncle
Robert's hamper, and Uncle Robert always liking to be generous.
"We have planned a great many things. If they don't all get done before
you come home, grandmother, perhaps you will enjoy doing them too.
"I am learning a great deal about the Girl Scouts. I want to be one.
"Did you know our cook has a little lame boy at home? I was glad to find
it out. It is one more person to be kind to. I have sent him all my set
of puzzle pictures.
"Minnie is planning to get married. She has a trunk of things. When you
come home won't it be nice because we can go down town and buy something
for her. She will like something you have given her.
"She likes you very much, I am sure, because she always says, 'Well, all
I can say is there's not many like your grandmother in this world.'
"I think it is so nice to be liked. I want to grow up to be liked. I
think being a Girl Scout will help. Helen says all sorts of girls
belong, rich as well as poor, and that it broadens you.
"This is a long letter, grandmother, but I had a good deal to tell you.
So please have a good time, grandmother, and I am your loving little
girl
"ROSANNA."
Minnie sent a letter too. It read:
"Mrs. Horton:
"I wish to report that everything seems to be going smoothly. Mrs.
Hargrave has taken a great liking to Miss Rosanna, and her new friend
Miss Helen, and likes to have them with her. Miss Rosanna practices and
studies faithfully, and her music teacher says she never had such a
bright pupil. I have her take a rest in the middle of each day. The day
you left she broke her bottle of tonic, and I could not get more, as you
have the prescription. But I do not think she needs it. She has gained
two pounds since you left us. I give her hair a hundred strokes each
night. I think she wants to bob her hair, it is so very long and heavy,
but I tell her not for worlds, as you are so proud of it.
"We are keeping to the routine you ordered except when Mrs. Hargrave
has made some slight change, but of course I know that is all right, as
you told me she might wish to do so.
"Respectfully,
"MINNIE."
And Mrs. Hargrave wrote from the country a letter full of praise for
both little girls and for Minnie.
Mrs. Horton received all three letters the same day. She slipped them
away in her portfolio, thinking as she did so, with a smile, of Cousin
Hendy's trunks full of letters.
One thing troubled her a little. It seemed as though she could see in
all the letters evidences that little Rosanna was undergoing some slight
changes in her way of thinking and acting. And Mrs. Horton did not care
to have Rosanna change in the least. She was perfectly satisfied the way
she was. It had not occurred to Mrs. Horton to wonder if poor little
motherless Rosanna was satisfied with her pampered, lonely life.
Mrs. Horton had Rosanna's life all mapped out. However, she remembered
the high stone wall and reflected that the child could see very little
of the outside world if she was kept behind that.