266 THE LAND OF PLUCK

We all laughed heartily as the old lady ended her story,
and she laughed with us.

“Tt so happened,” she added, “that I was seated quite
near the children, and I heard the whole thing. Their
parents were with them, but were separated from them by
Robby’s little hat and coat, and Patty’s big Leghorn hat,
which lay on the seat.

“By the way, did n’t one of you young folks tell me a
while ago that Patty Burlock herself is going to be married
next week ?”

«Yes, indeed, Grandmother. We have cards for the
wedding—and you must go, too.”

“Not I, my dears. Grandmas getting a little too stiff
in her old age to be ambling to weddings and such things—
but your young eyes will see it all, and, you ’ll tell me all
about it.”

The pleasant old lady leaned back in her rocker with so
happy and satisfied an air as she said this, that, later, when
Elsie, my sister, and I were sauntering through the grounds
toward the summer-house, I could not help saying to our
young hostess: “How changed your grandmother is! and
for the better; she used to be so very quiet and grave.
And how charmingly she told that little story!”

A peculiar expression crossed Elsie’s face, as though the
remark had given her both pain and pleasure. Then she
replied, as she led the way into the crimson-vined summer-
house :

“ Yes, Grandmother has changed. So have we, for that
matter. Come in and sit down a moment. Ill tell you
how it all came about: