SKATING AND DANCING
"Kenneth thinks an awful lot of you, Patty," said Elise, as, after the
Christmas party was all over, the girls were indulging in a good-night
chat.
"Pooh," said Patty, who, in kimono and bedroom slippers, nestled in a big
easy-chair in front of the wood-fire in Elise's dressing-room. "I've
known Ken for years, and we do think a lot of each other. But you needn't
take that tone, Elise. It's a boy and girl chumminess, and you know it.
Why, Ken doesn't think any more of me than Roger does."
"Oh, Roger! Why, he's perfectly gone on you. He worships the ground you
walk on. Surely, Patty, you've noticed Roger's devotion."
"What's the matter with you, Elise? Where'd you get these crazy notions
about devotion and worship? If you'll excuse my French,--you make me
tired!"
"Don't you like to have the boys devoted to you, Patty?"
"No, I don't! I like their jolly friendship, of course. I like to talk to
Ken and Roger, or to Clifford Morse, or any of the boys of our set; but
as for _devotion_, I don't see any."
"None so blind as those who won't see," said Elise, who had finished
brushing her hair, and now sank down on an ottoman by Patty's side.
"Well, then, I'll stay blind, for I don't want to see devoted swains
worshipping the Persian rugs I walk on! Though if you mean these
beautiful rugs that are on all the floors of your house, Elise, I don't
know that I blame the swains so much. By the way, I suppose some of them
are 'prayer rugs' anyway, so that makes it all the more appropriate."
"Oh, Patty, you're such a silly! You're not like other girls."
"You surprise me, Elise! Also you flatter me! I had an idea I belonged to
the common herd."
"Patty, _will_ you be serious? Roger is terribly in love with you."
"Really, Elise? How interesting! Now, what would you do in a case like
that?"
"I'd consider it seriously, at any rate."
Patty put one finger to her forehead, frowned deeply, and gazed into the
fire for fully half a minute. Then she said:
"I've considered, Elise, and all I can think of is the 'Cow who
considered very well and gave the piper a penny.' Do you suppose Roger
would care for a penny?"
"He would, if you gave it to him," returned Elise, who was almost
petulant at Patty's continued raillery.
"Then he shall have it! Rich as the Farringtons are, if the son of the
house wants a penny of my fortune, it shall not be denied him!"
Patty had risen, and was stalking up and down the room with jerky
strides, and dramatic waving of her arms. Her golden hair hung in a curly
cloud over her blue silk kimono, and her voice thrilled with a tragic
intensity, though, of course, exaggerated to a ludicrous degree.
Having finished her speech, Patty retained her dramatic pose, and glared
at Elise like a very young and pretty Lady Macbeth.
"Oh, Patty," cried Elise, forgetting the subject in hand, "you ought to
be an actress! Do you know, you were quite stunning when you flung
yourself round so. And, Patty, with your voice,--your singing voice, I
mean,--you ought to go on the stage! _Do_, will you, Patty? I'd love to
see you an opera singer!"
"Elise, you're crazy to-night! Suppose I should go on the stage, what
would become of all these devoted swains who are worshipping my
feetsteps?"
"Bother the swains! Patty, my heart is set upon it. You must be an
actress. I mean a really nice, gentle, refined one, like Maude Adams, or
Eleanor Robson. Oh, they are so sweet! and such noble, grand women."
"Elise, you have lovely ambitions for your friends. What about yourself?
Won't you be a circus-rider, dear? I want you to be as ambitious for you
as you are for me."
"Patty, stop your fooling. I was quite in earnest."
"Then you'd better begin fooling. It's more sensible than your
earnestness. Now, I'm going to run away to bed and leave you to dream
that you're a circus-rider, whizzing round a ring on a snow-white Arab
steed. Good-night, girlie."
Alone in her room, Patty smiled to herself at Elise's foolishness. And
yet, though she had no desire to be an actress, Patty had sometimes
dreamed of herself as a concert singer, enchanting her audiences with her
clear, sweet voice, which was fine and true, if not great. She was
ambitious, though as yet not definitely so, and Elise's words had roused
a dormant desire to be or to do something worth while, and not, as she
thought to herself, be a mere social butterfly.
Then she smiled again as she thought of Elise's talk about Ken and Roger.
But here no answering chord was touched. As chums, she thoroughly liked
both boys, but the thought of any more serious liking only roused a
feeling of amusement in her mind.
"Perhaps I may be glad to have somebody in love with me some day," she
thought; "but it will be many years from now, and meantime I want to do a
whole lot of things that are really worth doing."
Then, with a whimsical thought that to sleep was the thing most worth
doing at the present moment, Patty tumbled into the soft, white nest
prepared for her and was soon sound asleep.
Christmas Day was one of the finest. No snow, but a clear, cold, bracing
air, that was exhilarating to breathe.
"Skating this afternoon?" said Roger, after the Merry Christmas greetings
had been exchanged.
"Yes, indeed," cried Patty and Elise in one breath.
"Let's get up a party, shall us?" went on Roger, "and skate till dusk,
and then all come back here and have tea under the Christmas tree?"
"Lovely!" cried Elise, but Patty hesitated.
"You know we have the dance on for to-night," she said.
Patty was not robust, and continuous exertions often tired her. Nan had
cautioned her not to attempt too much gaiety during this visit, and she
wanted to rest before the evening's dance.
"Oh, pshaw!" said Elise, "there'll be lots of time. The dance won't begin
till nine, anyway."
So Patty agreed, and Roger went off to invite his skating party by
telephone.
He secured Kenneth, and the two Morses, and then he hung up the receiver.
"That's enough," he declared. "I don't like a big skating party. Slip
away, girls, and get your bonnets and shawls; the car'll be here in half
an hour."
The girls went off to dress, and Patty viewed her new skating costume
with decided approval.
It was all of white. A white cloth frock, with short skirt; white
broadcloth coat and a Russian turban of white cloth and fur; long white
leather leggings, and her Christmas furs, which added a charming touch to
the costume.
As being more comfortable for skating, she had returned to her former
mode of hair-dressing, and so two big white ribbon bows bloomed at the
back of her head. These, and the short skirt, quite took away Patty's
grown-up air, and made her seem a little girl again.
"Hello, Baby," said Roger, as he saw her come downstairs, with rosy
cheeks and eyes sparkling with pleasurable anticipation, for Patty loved
to skate.
"Mam-ma!" said Patty, putting her finger in her mouth, and assuming a
vacant, babyish stare.
Roger laughed at her foolishness, and then Elise came along and they all
went out to the car.
Elise's suit was of crimson cloth, bordered with dark fur, and as a
consequence the two girls together made a pretty picture.
"You're such a comfort, Patty," Elise said, as they climbed into the big
car. "You always dress just right to harmonise with my clothes."
"Sure you do!" said Roger, looking at the two girls admiringly. "No
fellow on the ice will escort such beautiful ladies as I have in my
charge. Now, we'll pick up Ken and the Morses, and then make a dash for
the Pole."
They reached the Park by three o'clock, so had nearly two hours of
skating before the dusk fell.
Patty was a superior skater, and so were most of the others, for Roger
had chosen his party with care.
"Skate with me, Patty, will you?" said Roger, just at the same moment
that Kenneth said, "Of course you'll skate with me, Patty."
Patty looked at both boys with a comical smile. "Thank you," she said;
"but I always like to pick out my own escort." Then, turning to Clifford
Morse, she said:
"Skate with me, won't you, Cliff? We're a good team."
"We are that!" he replied, greatly pleased, if a little surprised at
Patty's invitation.
Kenneth and Roger grinned at each other, and then turned quickly to the
other girls, who had not heard the little parley.
Of course Roger skated with Clementine Morse, and Kenneth with Elise,
which arrangement quite satisfied the dark-eyed beauty.
"You look like Little Red Riding-hood," said Kenneth, as they started
off, with long, gliding strokes.
"Don't be a wolf, and eat me up," laughed Elise, for Kenneth had fur on
his cap and overcoat, and with his big fur gloves, seemed almost like
some big, good-natured animal.
"You skate beautifully, Elise," said Kenneth, "and all you girls do. Look
at Clementine; isn't she graceful?"
"Yes," agreed Elise, "and so is Patty."
"Patty," echoed Kenneth. "She is a poem on ice!"
She was, and Elise knew it, but a naughty little jealousy burned in her
heart at Ken's words.
She bravely tried to down it, however, and said: "Yes, she is. She's a
poem in every way."
"Well, I don't know about that. In some ways she's more of a jolly, merry
jingle."
"A nonsense rhyme," suggested Elise, falling in with his metaphor.
"Yes; how quick you are to see what I mean. Now, Clementine is a
lyric,--she glides so gracefully along."
"And I?" asked Elise, laughing at his witty characterisation.
"You? Well, I can't judge unless I see you. Skate off by yourself."
Elise did so, and Kenneth watched the scarlet-clad figure gracefully
pirouetting and skilfully executing difficult steps.
"Well?" she said, as she returned to him, and again they joined hands and
glided along in unison.
"Well, you're delightful on ice. You're a will o' the wisp."
"But I want to be a poem of some sort. The other girls are."
Kenneth smiled at the pretty, anxious face.
"You are a poem. You're one of those little French forms. A virelay or a
triolet."
Elise was a little uncertain as to what these were, exactly, but she
resolved to look them up as soon as she reached home. At any rate, she
knew Kenneth meant to be complimentary, and she smiled with pleasure.
Then the others joined them and they all skated together for a time, and
then the sun set, and Roger said they must go home.
He was a most reliable boy, and always took charge of their little
expeditions or outings. Elise never thought of questioning his authority,
so again they all bundled into the car, and started homeward.
"I ought to go right home," said Clementine.
"Oh, come round for a cup of Christmas tea," said Roger, "and I'll take
you home in half an hour."
So the Morses consented, and the six merry young people had tea under the
Christmas tree, and told stories by the firelight, and laughed and
chatted until Clementine declared she must go, or she'd never get back in
time for the dance.
"What are you going to wear, Patsy?" asked Elise, as they went upstairs,
arm in arm.
"I've a new frock, of course. Did you think I'd come to your dance in one
I'd worn before? Nay, I hold Miss Farrington in too high esteem for
that!"
"Well, scurry into it, for I'm crazy to see it. If it's prettier than
mine, I won't let you go down to the ballroom!"
"It won't be," returned Patty; "don't worry about that!"
But when the two girls were dressed, Patty's frock, though not so
expensive, was quite as attractive as Elise's.
Patty's was of apricot-coloured satin, veiled all over with a delicate
thin material of the same shade. A pearl trimming encircled the slightly
low-cut throat and the short sleeves. It was very becoming to pretty
Patty, and she knew herself that she had never looked better.
Elise's gown was of white silk, draped with silvered lace. It was lovely,
and suited Elise's dark hair and eyes, and really both girls were
pictures. But Patty's face was sunny and happy, while Elise's red mouth
drooped in a little curve of discontent.
The girl was discontented by nature, and though she had everything that
heart could wish, she was never brimming over with content and happiness,
as Patty always was.
The dance was in the tennis court, where a smooth crash had replaced the
snowy floor of the Christmas Eve celebration. The Christmas tree still
stood there, as it formed a beautiful decoration for that end of the
ballroom.
It was not a large party, for Mrs. Farrington would not allow Elise to
act like a young lady out in society. About thirty young people were
asked, and the hours were from nine till twelve.
But the music was of the finest, and as Patty's favourite amusement was
dancing, she had a most enjoyable time.
An exquisite dancer, she was, of course, besieged by partners, but in her
merry, wholehearted way, she treated them all alike, showing favouritism
to none, and dancing with less desirable partners as pleasantly and
happily as with those she liked better.
Roger grumbled at this.
"You're wasted on a fellow like Harry Barr," he said, as he and Patty
started for a turn. "He dances like a grain-thresher, and yet you bob
along with him as smilingly as if you were dancing with a decent
tripper."
"Why not?" returned Patty; "he's pleasant and kind. He doesn't _talk_
like a grain-thresher, and he can't help his dancing. Or rather, his lack
of it, for you can't call those gymnastics of his dancing. Oh, Roger,
there's Mr. Hepworth!"
Sure enough, Mr. Hepworth had just come in, and as Patty spoke, he caught
her eye and smiled.
She smiled back, and when the dance was over asked Roger to take her to
him.
"Old Hepworth?" said Roger, in surprise. "You can't waste time on him,
Patty; your dance card is full, you know."
"I don't care, I must just speak to him. I haven't seen him since I came
home. Whoever belongs to my next dance can wait a few minutes."
"All right; come on, then." Roger led her across the room, and with a
smiling face, and in tones of glad welcome, she said:
"Oh, Mr. Hepworth, how do you do?"
"Patty!" he exclaimed, taking her hands in his. "I'm so glad to see you
again."
There was a thrill in his voice that startled her, but she only said,
"And so am I glad to see you. Why haven't you been to call on me?"
"I've just returned from a Southern trip. Only reached New York
to-night,--and here I am."
"Here I am, too, but I can't talk to you now. My programme is full, and I
make it a point always to keep my engagements."
"Not one dance left?" said Mr. Hepworth, looking over the scribbled card.
"Not one! I'm so sorry,--but, of course, I didn't know you were coming."
"Of course not. Run along now, and enjoy yourself, and I'll call on you,
if I may, some time when you are at home."
"Yes, do," said Patty, realising that Mr. Hepworth was the same kind,
thoughtful friend he had always been.
"I wonder why I'm so glad to see him," she thought to herself, as she
walked away with her new partner; "but I am, all the same."