Two Little Women

by Carolyn Wells

  CHAPTER III

  THE NEW ROOMS

  In the cushioned swing on the Fayres' verandah the two girls sat.

  An artist would have stopped to admire the picture. Dorinda, her pinkand white face framed in its golden halo of curlilocks, her light bluefrock, neat and smooth, was calmly and daintily nibbling at a piece ofcake, catching the crumbs carefully as they fell.

  Beside her, Dorothy was rapidly munching her cake as she talked, andletting the crumbs fall where they might. Her black hair framed her rosycheeks and her eyes snapped and sparkled as she gesticulated with bothhands. It was Dorothy's habit to emphasise her remarks with expressivelittle motions, and her father often said that if her hands were tiedbehind her, she couldn't say a word!

  Her pink lawn dress was rather tumbled by reason of her wriggling andjumping about, but Dorothy's frocks were rarely unrumpled after she hadhad them on ten minutes.

  "We've been friends more than a week now," she said, as she finishedher cake in one large bite and brushed a few stray bits out of her lap."And I think you're just fine! I'm _so_ glad we came to live in Berwick.I like you better than any girl I ever knew." Dotty spread her handswide as if embracing all the girls who had figured in her previousexistence. "Do you like me as much as that?"

  As she spoke, she touched her toes to the floor and sent the swing up inthe air with a mad jump.

  "Oh!" gasped Dolly, as her cake flew out of her hand; "how--how suddenyou are!"

  "Never mind! _Do_ you like me as much as I like you?"

  "I don't know," and Dolly looked thoughtful; "I like you, of course, butI wish you'd sit stiller."

  "Can't; I'm always jumpy. But you _do_ like me, don't you, Dollyrinda?"

  "Yes, but I can't hop into a liking the way you do. We're awfullydifferent, you know."

  "'Course we are! That's what makes us like each other. Just think,Dolly, we'll be fifteen soon. Don't you think we ought to be called byour full names and not Dolly and Dotty any more?"

  "I don't know. Why?"

  "Oh, 'cause we're too big for baby names. I'm going to stop wearinghair-ribbons."

  "You are! How ever will you keep your hair back? And you've such a lotof it."

  "I know. So've you. Why, I'll just braid it, and let the end flutter.But Mother says she won't let me till I'm sixteen. Well, we'll see. Doyou want to grow up, Doll?"

  "I don't know."

  "You don't know anything! I never saw such a girl! Well, what are yougoing to do when you're fifteen?"

  "I haven't thought about it. Do I have to do anything different fromwhen I'm fourteen?"

  "You don't _have_ to! But don't you _want_ to? What do you want to bewhen you're grown up?"

  "Oh, _then_! Why, then I'm going to be an opera singer."

  "Can you sing?"

  "Not much yet. But Trudy says I have a nice voice and I'm going tolearn."

  "Pooh! I don't believe you'll ever sing in opera. I'm going to be anactress."

  "Huh! Can you act?"

  "Not yet; but I'm going to learn." Dotty smiled as she realised thattheir ambitions were at least equally promising. "Wouldn't it be fun ifwe did both get to be famous! Me an actress and you a singeress. But Imay change my mind about mine. I do sometimes. Last winter I was crazyto be a trained nurse; but Mother wouldn't let me."

  "Will she let you be an actress?"

  "I haven't asked her yet. There's no hurry. I couldn't begin to studyfor it till I'm out of school. What are you going to get for yourbirthday?"

  "I haven't decided yet. Mother said I could have my bedroom all doneover or have a gold watch."

  "Oh, have the room things. And I'll do the same! Do you know, when wemoved into our house, I took a room on the other side, but I'm going tomove across so I can be on this side toward you. And Mother is going tohave the room done up for me, and I'm to choose the things. So you dothat too, and we'll have 'em alike!"

  Dotty had jumped out of the swing in her excitement, and stood at oneside, her foot on the step, pushing it sideways.

  "Don't do that, Dot, you'll break the swing."

  "Well, will you? Will you choose the room fixings 'stead of the watch?"

  "I don't know; I'll have to think."

  "Fiddlesticks! Don't think! Jump at it, and say yes!"

  "I believe I'd rather, anyway; it would be fun to have our things alike.I'll ask Mother."

  "But she said you could have your choice."

  "Yes, but of course, I'll talk it over with her. And Dotty, we don'twant the same coloured things, you know."

  "Why don't we?"

  "Why, because we're so different. What colour do you want?"

  "Oh, I've got it all picked out. I'm going to have rose and grey. It'sall the rage. Rose pink, you know, and French grey."

  "Well, I don't want that. I want pale green and white."

  "You do! Why rose and grey is ever so much more fashionable."

  "I don't care. I know what I want. Now, see here,-- But do come and sitdown! Don't climb over the back of the swing!"

  Dotty jumped down from the back of the swing, and came around and seatedherself beside Dolly. For nearly five minutes she sat quietly while theydiscussed the colours.

  "But, don't you see," said Dolly at last, "it will be nicer for us tohave our own colours and have the things alike. We can have just thesame shape furniture and everything, only each stick to our own colour."

  Dotty was persuaded, and they agreed that the two mothers could easilybe brought to see the beauty of their plans.

  And so it was. A neighbourly friendliness already existed between thehouseholds, and as the two birthdays fell so near together, it seemedfitting that the girls should have their gifts alike.

  So the paperhanger was visited and Dolly chose a lovely paper of stripedpattern, but all white; to be crowned with a border design of hangingvines and leaves in shades of green.

  Dotty's paper was the same stripe, in soft greys; and her border was adesign of pink roses and rosebuds.

  Dolly's woodwork was to be painted white and Dotty's light grey.

  The two sets of furniture were exactly alike, except that one wasenamelled grey and one white.

  Each room had a bay window, and the window seats were cushioned in greenor rose, and the numerous pillows that graced them were of harmoniouscolouring.

  The parents of the girls agreed that a fifteenth birthday was amemorable occasion, and one not likely to occur again, so they made thefurnishings of the two rooms complete to the smallest detail.

  Each had a large rug of plain velvet carpeting; Dotty's rose pink andDolly's moss green. Window curtains of Rajah silk fell over dainty whiteones, and pretty light-shades of green and pink, respectively, gave therooms a soft glow at night.

  Trudy contributed wonderful _filet_ embroidered covers fordressing-tables and stands, and dainty white couch pillows, withmonograms and ruffles.

  Dotty's Aunt Clara gave each of the girls a picture, which they wereallowed to choose for themselves. They took a whole afternoon for this,and at last Dolly made up her mind to take "Sir Galahad," and Dottychose, after long deliberation, a stunning photograph of the "WingedVictory."

  These, framed alike in dark, polished wood, were hung in similarpositions in the two rooms.

  Altogether, the rooms were delightful. It was hard to say which wasprettier, but each best suited its happy owner.

  There was quite a discussion as to when they would take possession, foreverything was in readiness by Dolly's birthday, which was on the tenth.

  "I'll tell you!" cried Dotty, with a sudden inspiration; "let's averageup! Dolly's birthday is the tenth and mine the twentieth. Let'scelebrate both on the fifteenth, that's half way between, and as we'refifteen anyway, it makes it just right!"

  This was agreed to as a fine scheme, and then Mrs. Fayre electrified thegirls by proposing that they have a little party by way of furthercelebration.

  "Together, of course," she said, smiling; "not in either house, but anoutdoor party, on
the lawn, half-way between."

  "Oh, Mumsie!" and Dolly clasped her hands in ecstatic joy at theprospect.

  "Oh, Mrs. Fayre!" and Dotty flung her hands above her head, and dancedup and down the room where these plans were being talked over.

  They were in the Fayre house, having just come down from an inspectionof Dolly's room, and these inspections were of almost daily occurrenceand usually participated in by several members of both families.

  "Good idea!" said Mrs. Rose. "It will let Dotty get acquainted with theyoung people here, and that's what I want. But let me make the party,Mrs. Fayre, and you and Dolly invite the guests as we know so few peopleas yet."

  "No; the party must be half and half as to responsibility and expense.If our two D's are to be so friendly, we must share and share alike intheir doings."

  So it was agreed, and as there was but a week in which to get ready,plans were hurried through.

  They decided to ask thirty of the Berwick young people, fifteen girlsand fifteen boys.

  "I wish Bob could be home!" sighed Dotty; and Dolly echoed the wish forher own brother. But the boys of the two families were deep in schoolexams and could not think of coming home for a party.

  Of course the Fayres decided on the invitation list, but everything elsewas mutually arranged.

  It was to be entirely a lawn party; first because that seemedpleasanter, and too, because then, it could take place on the adjoininglawns and so be the party of both.

  "Only,--if it rains!" said Dolly, with an anxious face.

  "It won't rain!" declared Dotty; "it _can't_ rain on our doublebirthday! It will be the beautifullest, clearest, sunshiniest day in theworld! I know it will!"

  The girls decided to sleep in their new rooms for the first time thenight before the party.

  "For," said Dolly, shaking her head sagely, "the night after the party,we'll be so tired and thinky about it, that we can't enjoy our rooms somuch."

  "All right," agreed Dotty, "I don't care. I'm crazy to get into mine;the sooner the better, I say."

  The two girls had a birthday present for each other, and though theydidn't know it, the two mothers had planned these so they should bealike.

  But they did know that the mothers had these gifts in readiness, andthat they would see them when they awoke on the birthday morning.

  By common consent the real birthdays were ignored, and the fifteenth ofJune accepted as the right anniversary for both.

  Very formal were the rites preparatory to the occupancy of the newrooms.

  Dotty had planned them and after some discussion Dolly had agreed.

  "You come over and wish me good-night in my room," Dotty said, "and thenI'll go over and wish you good-night in yours. And then, I'll go homeagain, and when we're all ready for bed, we'll put out our lights andstick our heads out of our windows and holler good-night across."

  "Somebody might hear us," objected Dolly.

  "Pooh! they won't. And what if they did? Neighbours have got a right tosay good-night to each other, I guess."

  "But that's disturbing the peace, or something like that."

  "Huh! the Peace must be awful easy disturbed! Well, you've got to do it,anyhow."

  "I haven't got to, either! Not just 'cause _you_ say so!"

  Dotty was beginning to learn that mild-mannered Dolly had a will of herown, and she said, placatingly: "Well, what do you want to do, then?"

  "Let's do something like this. When we're all ready to hop into bed,let's turn our lights up and down three times in succession; that'llmean good-night."

  "Oh, yes, I see; now, listen! we'll do it separately. You flash firstand then I will; and after three flashes, we'll leave the lights out andjump into bed at the same minute!"

  So it was settled, and the eventful occasion duly arrived.

  The girls' bedtime hour was nine o'clock, but some time before that theywere in their new rooms, enjoying their beauty and freshness.

  At quarter before nine, Dolly appeared at the Rose house, and saidsolemnly, "I've come over to wish Dorothy good-night."

  "Come in," said Mrs. Rose, trying not to smile at the ceremonial visit."You'll find her in her room; go right up."

  Dolly went up, and found Dotty waiting for her.

  "_Isn't_ it pretty!" Dolly exclaimed, seeing, as if for the first timethe beauties of the room. The bed was turned down, and a lovely newnightdress, with a rose-coloured ribbon run through its lace edge, layin readiness for the sleeper.

  "Oh, it's _lovely_!" returned Dotty; "I can hardly wait to go to bed! Goon, say your piece."

  Dolly stood a minute, her hands clasped, her eyes wandering about with athoughtful far away gaze.

  "It's all gone," she said at last; "I can't remember it, only a line:

  "Sleep sweetly in this quiet room, oh, thou, whoe'er thou art; Nor let a troublous something or other disturb thy peaceful heart.

  "Honest, that's all I can remember."

  "Well, that's enough. Thank you, sweet friend and playmate, now go Iwith thee!"

  Grabbing Dolly by the arm, Dotty flew downstairs and across the lawn tothe other house; Dolly running by her side.

  Up to Dolly's new room they went.

  "Lovely!" exclaimed Dotty, as she saw almost the counterpart of her ownroom, even to the new nightdress,--only Dolly's had a white ribbon.

  "You might have had green," said Dotty, doubtfully.

  "No, I don't like coloured ribbons in my underclothes. They're all rightfor you," Dolly added politely, "but I never did like them."

  "Now I'll say _my_ piece;" and Dotty bowed to her audience of one. "Ihaven't forgotten it, but it's very short.

  "Early to bed and early to rise Makes a girl healthy and wealthy and wise.

  "Thank you, sweet friend and playmate, now go I with thee."

  "No; _you_ don't say that! You've _been_ with me. Now, I go home and weboth get ready for bed. When you're all ready, put out your light and--"

  "Yes, I know."

  Dotty scampered downstairs and over home, and fairly flew up to herroom.

  In less than twenty minutes Dotty was all ready for bed; she put outher light, and throwing a dressing-gown over her nightdress, she sat inthe window, watching the light in Dolly's room.

  She waited and waited, but the light behind the pulled-down shaderemained.

  "H'm!" said Dotty to herself, yawning, "she is the _slowest_ thing! Icould have undressed twice in this time!"

  But at last, Dolly's light went out, and her shade was slowly raised.

  Then, according to their plan, Dotty flashed her light on and off again.Dolly's light repeated this manoeuvre. Then Dotty did it again, andthen Dolly did. The third time the flashes came and went, and then allceremonies over, the two girls went to their new pretty, inviting beds,and were very soon asleep.