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Wiggin, Kate Douglas Smith, 1856-1923

"Mother Carey's Chickens"


"Or freckled Cyril Lord," interpolated Julia.
"He looks like an unbaked pie!" This from Kitty.
Nancy flushed. "He's shy and unhappy and pale, and no wonder; but he's
as nice and interesting as he can be."
"I can't see it," Julia said, "but he never looks at anybody, or talks
to anybody but you, so it's well you like him; though you like all boys,
for that matter!"
"The boys return the compliment!" asserted Kitty mischievously, "while
poor you and I sit in corners!"
"Come, come, dears," and Mrs. Carey joined in the conversation as she
picked up a pillow before returning to the house. "It's a little early
for you to be talking about rich noblemen, isn't it?"
Nancy followed her out of the door, saying as she thoughtfully chewed a
straw, "Muddy, I do believe that when you're getting on to sixteen the
rich nobleman or the fairy prince or the wonderful youngest son does
cross your mind now and then!"

XX
THE PAINTED CHAMBER

Matters were in this state of forwardness when Nancy and Kathleen looked
out of the window one morning and saw Lallie Joy Popham coming down the
street. She "lugged" butter and milk regularly to the Careys (lugging is
her own word for the act), and helped them in many ways, for she was
fairly good at any kind of housework not demanding brains. Nobody could
say why some of Ossian Popham's gifts of mind and conversation had not
descended to his children, but though the son was not really stupid at
practical work, Lallie Joy was in a perpetual state of coma.


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