o the next-door neighbors any whiffs of refreshing fragrance. For before it crossed the hedge, which marked the bounda

, all of which articles were splashed with paint of different colors. The landscape which hung in Peggy's mother's room, and which had been the cause of so much discuss

from the standpoint of an unbiassed spectator. Its cane seat had long ceased to be practical for purposes of support, and its battered, scarred appearance sug

did not impress the beholder as successful, for the chair had been painted black in the first place, and the original hue, showing distinctly through the coat of paint, suggested a brown cheek veiled in white. But, undisturbed by her failure to produce the effect she wanted, without a

led into a smile of such unmistakable pleasure that only a very pec

ch came near to overturning the can of paint. "I can't ask you to take a chair, because the onl

hastily. She was on the point of saying more, but quite

she was quite mortified. Amy is plump, and she decided right away that she wouldn't eat any more candy for six months, if she was getting so big that

prise causing her to give a rather

new kind, you know. But I almost think I like them all the better. Take this chair, for instance." Peggy ind

ly glad to find a point on which sh

hick enough, so that the black doesn't show through, I'll tack a square of blue denim o

tion over her own negligence. "O, I forgot!" she exclaimed, and hesitated. She was so plainly embarrassed that Peggy fe

she objects to the smell of pain

ression Peggy had formed of her. As for Peggy herself, she was equally divided be

he smell of paint. It seems so clean, and it always makes me think how nice things are going to look when you are done." She studied the unfinished chair

till she was aroused from her absorption by a question. The voice which asked it was

te, hate, hat

calico skirt, as Peggy stared up at her interrogator. "Why, I do

s?" Elaine made a scornful gesture, in the direction of the woe-begone chair. "Just

ion isn't equal to that," she replied cheerily.

laine, with an

up so that it is useful and pretty is real fun. And so a

moved a little nearer Peggy, as if afraid of losi

the left-overs, you know, the cold potatoes, and the ends of t

ht that would be easy. It burned to start with, and then instead of puffing up light, it flattened out t

n, then hesitated, remembering her past experience. But having started the sentence there se

ce to the Elaine who had frigidly declined the cinnamon rolls. She drew a long, sighing br

t. "It's Sally's day out," she said. "I'm going to g

it wouldn't

ined. With a face as radiant as if she had just received notification o

mood, which was rather remarkable considering that she had been prevented from finishing the task on which she had started. Lake all ener

little embroidered apron, about the size of a pocket-handkerchief. Peggy regar

lancing down at it complacently

or she must begin with the fundamentals. "Chafing dishes and the aprons that go with them are all right for fun, b

the preliminary mysteries of household economy. "There are five of us Raymonds to get supper for," Peggy said

ot. I don't know

ng, you ought to help eat the things. That's half the fun. I don't know how anybody

d in a baking dish, with cream sauce between the layers and crumbs on top, would be even more delicious than the fish in its original state. Peggy also decided on baking powder biscuits. "T

lving a palatable supper from materials which the eye of inexperience had found unpromising. Elaine asked a great many questions, helped a little, in an awkward fashion, which unkind critic

iscuits. She dusted her hands, and went to answer it. "Very well, fathe

father's friends." She reflected a moment, frowning thoughtfully. "I guess we'll put some potatoes in th

ttle more flour. Then the door bell rang and there was a sound of voices in the hall.

ust come. I suppose they'll stay for su

ve enough," Peggy

want me t

ain the company." As her mother slipped away, looking relieved, Peggy added to Elai

emanded Elaine, feeling rather oppressed by

h hot biscuit, and, besides, it takes off the edge of their appetite," Peggy expla

nce of coffee being most in evidence. Peggy had just taken a pan of biscuit from the oven, and

, Pe

This is our new neigh

f his head in Elaine's direc

, de

s father, too, and the hired girl won't fuss to fix him anythi

ignedly. As the door closed and Dick's footsteps echoed along the hall, she fl

not necessary for the matter to be explained to her satisfaction.

lly make much difference. Besides we like to have Dick feel that his friends are welcome. When you are bringi

biscuit plates were cleared, it was the promptness with which they were refilled, each time with flaky, smoking-hot biscuits, which fairly melted in one's mouth. Only in one respect had Peg

t that the baking dish had been scraped clean before her turn came, and that her baked potato was overdon

n. And, besides, I dare say I need to learn t

mportant. She had seen a girl not far from her own age equal to an emergency which older housekeepers would have found trying, keeping her head c

declared, when the last dish was in its place.

erge of an admission. "Mamma doesn't mind being alone," she ended, bu

nd tried her own door. It was locked, and Elaine knocked and waited till her mother came to let her in. As the door o

as lowered. All that Peggy saw was an extended arm and a white hand pulling down th

ownstairs at the door, and they haven't any servant, and

ssons, and, closing the door, ran upstairs to her school books. By bed-time she