THE FAREWELL PARTY
Spring made an early appearance in New York and decked itself more
charmingly than ever. The trees showed tiny green buds, and the grass
freshened under the warm showers, almost as you looked.
Jonquils and crocuses appeared to welcome the fat robins that returned
to their nests, and all Nature hummed and fluttered in its eager
preparations.
Janet and Phyllis were busy planning a farewell party, as they sat in
the sunshine in the park one Sunday morning.
"If we could only think of something different to do," Phyllis wailed.
"I am so tired of dances and skating parties and afternoon teas. We've
been going to them all winter."
"I know," Janet agreed, "but what else is there to do?"
"Nothing, I suppose," Phyllis replied. "So which shall it be?"
"I don't know,"--Janet refused to decide. "Let's ask Auntie Mogs."
"No, let's make up our own minds," Phyllis insisted. "If we were only
at Old Chester we could have a picnic."
"But there'd be no one to go to it but Harry Waters and the Blakes,"
Janet reminded her.
"That's right, I forgot Peter and Jack are at school; but anyhow a
picnic would be fun."
"Where could you have one around here?" Janet demanded, practical as
ever.
Phyllis looked at her disapprovingly.
"Jan, you're a wet blanket!" she exclaimed.
"I'm not. I'm only trying to be sensible."
"Well, stop; it's too gorgeous a day to be anything but happy, so don't
let's bother about that stupid party any more."
"What party was ever stupid, may I ask?" a voice inquired from above
them, and they looked up to see Mr. Keith.
They made room for him on the bench, and he sat down between them.
"Tell me about the stupid party," he invited.
"It isn't one really," Janet explained; "it's just going to be."
"We're going to give it," Phyllis continued, "and it's going to be
stupid because we can't think of anything to do that hasn't been done a
million times before."
Mr. Keith's eyes twinkled, but he answered very gravely:
"I see."
"A picnic would be wonderful this weather, but there's no place to have
a picnic in the city," Phyllis went on dejectedly.
"Quite so," Mr. Keith agreed; "let's all think for two minutes and then
see who has an idea."
They thought, and at the end of the two minutes he said,
"Any ideas?"
"Not a one."
"Worse than ever."
Mr. Keith smiled and stood up.
"Then I have a suggestion to make," he said. "When is this party to
be?"
"A week from yesterday," Phyllis told him.
"Then don't make any plans until you hear from me. I will think hard
all day, and to-morrow sometime I will call you up, and now I must go
and find Don. I promised to watch him sail his boat." He lifted his
silk hat and walked away, humming a little tune.
"I like him, ever so much," Janet said as she watched him.
"I adore him!" Phyllis exclaimed. "He's a perfect darling, but then
he's Don's father, so he'd have to be."
The promised 'phone message did not come until Monday evening after
dinner. The girls made up their minds that he had forgotten all about
them, and had started new plans.
Phyllis answered the 'phone.
"Am I speaking to the Page twins!" a voice asked.
"Part of them," Phyllis laughed.
"Well, I have a message for them both. They are to be ready to go on a
picnic Saturday morning at ten o'clock."
"Oh, but--" gasped Phyllis.
"And in the meantime they are not to worry about their guests. They
have all been invited and they have all accepted," the voice went on,
"and they are not to worry about food either, for the luncheon has all
been attended to." The voice stopped.
"Is that you, Mr. Keith?" Phyllis demanded, but a laughing "good night"
was her only answer.
She flew back to the snuggery to tell Janet the news, and they both
went down to the library to tell Auntie Mogs. She did not look as
surprised as she might have been expected to, but they were too excited
to notice that.
"What do you suppose he means?" Phyllis demanded. "Where can we be
going?"
"Auntie Mogs, do say something," Janet begged.
"Wait and see,"--Miss Carter laughed, and they had to be content with
that.
Saturday dawned clear and warm; the sun beamed and spread his rays to
the farthest corner of the sky. It looked as though some one had
ordered a day for a picnic, and Dame Nature had done her best to
satisfy them.
At ten o'clock the girls heard loud tootings, and Janet, who was
putting on her hat, hurried to the window.
"Oh, Phyl, do look; three automobiles full of every girl and boy you
ever knew."
They rushed downstairs, and Mr. Keith met them at the door.
"All ready?" he inquired. "Come along, Miss Carter; we will lead the
way."
The girls were too excited to answer. They followed their aunt to the
waiting cars, where a babble of greetings met them. Mr. Keith helped
Miss Carter into the first one, and the girls into the second.
"Go ahead," he called to the chauffeurs, and jumped in after them.
Phyllis could see that Mrs. Vincent was in the last car. She smiled
and waved to her.
Daphne and Chuck and Jerry and Howard were in their car, and they
squeezed up to make room for Janet and Phyllis. Mr. Keith sat in the
front beside the driver.
A buzz of questions and speculations rose from every car, but no one
seemed to have the least idea where they were going.
They picked their way carefully through the city streets, but once in
the country they flew along. Towns whizzed by, and at last they slowed
up for Poughkeepsie, crossed the river on the ferry, and snorted up the
hill on the other side.
As they reached the top of a hill and began the descent everybody said
"Oooooh," for beneath them and on every side was a veritable fairyland
of apple blossoms.
They stopped at an old farmhouse, and all jumped out to find the picnic
spread out for them under the apple trees. Chicken, salads, tarts and
every kind of fruit covered the white cloth, and the air had whipped
their appetites into being. They needed no second invitation but threw
themselves on to the ground and did justice to the tempting repast.
After luncheon they wandered about under the trees until it was time to
go home.
As each guest passed Mrs. Vincent before they got into the motors, she
gave them each a box. They opened them in surprise, that turned
quickly to exclamations of delight as they gazed at the contents.
Tiny gold butterflies and enameled wings for the girls and stick pins
with bumble bees in black and gold for the boys. On the back of each
pin was the date and Janet's and Phyllis's initials.
The girls were so excited watching their guests' delight that they
forgot to open their own boxes until Daphne reminded them of them.
"I know yours will be different," she said.
They opened them to find butterflies, like the rest, but twice as
large. On the back was inscribed, "In memory of the stupid party."
"Oh, Mr. Keith, how are we ever going to thank you!" Janet exclaimed.
"It has been the most beautiful stupid party that ever was," Phyllis
added. "Oh, please, please, believe that we are truly grateful."
"Nonsense," laughed Mr. Keith. "You forget I am still heavily in your
debt, and to-day has only added to that indebtedness, for I can
honestly say I never enjoyed a picnic as much as this in all my life."