CHAPTER XV
DOROTHY AS A COMFORTER
Roland Scott and Tom Jennings were on hand that evening, when the youngfolks at The Cedars "put their heads together" for the selection of MotherGoose characters.
Mrs. White "presided," and in the matter of reading rhymes andimpersonating the characters, it must be admitted the young gentlemen hadthe advantage.
It was decided that the tableaux, or charades, would be presented "withoutlabels," and the audience would be permitted to guess what they stood forin nursery lore.
"They won't need another guess on Dorothy's 'Bo Peep,'" said Tom. "Thatcrook is more famous in history than that of the original shepherds. 'BoPeep' is always a winner."
"I am sure," retaliated Dorothy, "they will know yours instantly. But itis a pity we have to make them living pictures. You will hardly be ableto refrain from actually putting in your thumb if we provide one ofNorah's pies."
"And what a perfectly darling 'Little Jack Horner!'" added Tavia, for thecharacters were being selected with a view to making them as ridiculous aspossible, and Tom would make a very funny "Jack Horner." Tom surveyed histhumb in anticipation.
Roland and Tavia were assigned "Jack Spratt and His Wife." Roland could bemade up to look very lean, indeed, and Tavia was just stout enough to be"practical for building purposes." Her face was of the broad, good-naturedtype, and so her figure could readily be built up to correspond.
Nat insisted on being "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater," and wanted to havethe privilege of selecting the pretty Eva Brownlie to put in the pumpkinshell, "for," argued Nat, "that is the only way any fellow will ever beable to keep the wily Eva."
The character of "Old King Cole" was assigned to Ned, with theinstructions that he should get his "fiddlers three."
"Also the pipe and bowl," insisted Nat; "and see to it that you don't takemy pipe or the 'bumper' I brought from the doings the other night. Youwouldn't carry one home yourself."
"I'll tell you a tableau hard to guess," suggested Dorothy. "'The BeggarsComing to Town.' We could have half a dozen ragged people in that, and Natcould bark behind the scenes."
"And we could have 'Mary, Mary, quite contrary,'" proposed Tavia. "MakeLily Bently take that."
"Lily is a real sweet girl," spoke Mrs. White. "I hardly think she wouldlike such a character."
"She would make a dear 'Miss Muffet,'" said Dorothy, "and I'm sure Nat canmake up a wonderful spider--all strung by electrical wire, squirmingand--"
"Wiggling," added Tom. "That ought to make a hit."
And so they went on, selecting from the familiar rhymes and theirillustrations. There was some discussion as to just what this part of theentertainment should be called. Living pictures seemed to the young folksrather too ordinary, and it was finally decided to call it "Mother Gooseillustrated." A large frame was to be built, and Mrs. White offered to goto town to procure what costumes could be found appropriate to assist theyoung people's auxiliary.
In order to give a dozen illustrations the same persons had to impersonatemore than one character. When the last were being decided upon, Rolandtook "Jack Be Nimble," and to show how well he understood the part hejumped over the piano stool for the "candlestick." It was not a difficultmatter at all, but Roland landed wrong and strained his ankle painfully.
At first he pretended it was nothing, and tried to laugh it off, saying ifthat was the only accident they encountered during the "show" they wouldindeed be fortunate.
But a strained ankle has the faculty of getting more painful as the victimbegins to realize that something hurts. In about an hour it becomes almostlike a very bad toothache.
This was how it was with Roland, and on account of the trifling accidentthe party was obliged to break up before all the arrangements had beencompleted, and Tom had to assist Roland back to The Elms.
"How unfortunate!" sighed Mrs. White. "Do you think it will be very bad,Ned?"
"Oh, nothing at all, mother," answered Ned. "We often do that at school,and it is all gone in twenty-four hours."
"I do hope his will be," she added in concern.
"Don't let it worry you the least bit," continued Ned. "Roland will bearound for rehearsal as spry and as pretty as ever to-morrow evening."
From that time on "the play was the thing" at The Cedars, and, indeed, thewhole little village of North Birchland seemed deeply interested in theaffair to be held for the Hillside Hospital benefit. Naturally, there wasconsiderable rivalry when the parts were assigned, but Mrs. White, withthe other ladies on the board of managers, understood and expected this,so they were ready to meet the objections of some and the requests ofothers.
"We have decided upon these pictures," said Mrs. White at the firstrehearsal, "and if any one is unwilling to take the part assigned we mustsimply look for substitutes."
Roland was there, as Ned had promised, "spry and as pretty as ever." Heappeared to "hang around Dorothy," but she was too busy to notice theattention. Tavia, however, did not miss observing the young man's attemptsto attract Dorothy, and she also noted that the same matter seemeddistasteful to Ned.
Tom had a way of helping every one. He laughed with all the girls, and hadplenty of jollity left for the boys--he was considered an "all-around goodfellow." Naturally, Dorothy felt at ease with him, but Edith Brownlie madeno pretense of hiding her intentions--she wanted to be in a picture withTom.
Agnes Sinclair, considered the richest girl in Ferndale, proposed "doing apicture" with Ned--"The Maiden All Forlorn!"
To this Ned readily agreed, with the result that the rehearsal of the partcaused no end of merriment. Agnes was a jolly girl, and showed a decidedpreference for the White boys--those from Ferndale never appeared tointerest the wealthy Agnes.
When the rehearsal was finally over Dorothy was very tired, for she felt apersonal interest in the affair, as it was almost entirely in Mrs. White'shands. The others had all congregated about Mrs. Brownlie's tea-table,where that lady was dispensing the refreshing beverage, but Dorothy sankdown for a few moments in a secluded corner of the parlor where thepractice had been held.
Presently she thought she heard something stir near her, then shedistinctly heard a sob. Brushing aside the heavy portiere, Dorothy foundlittle Mary Manning, her face hidden in her hands, and her whole slenderform shaking convulsively.
"What is the matter, Mary dear?" asked Dorothy, her arms instantly aboutthe little sufferer.
"Oh, I'm so unhappy!" sobbed Mary. "I wanted a part and nobody thought ofme."
It then occurred to Dorothy that surely enough no one had thought of Mary,for from the time when the parts were given out until all the rehearsalwas over Mary had never once either been seen or heard from. She was poor,not pretty, and not popular, but since she belonged to the auxiliary itwas certainly too bad to have overlooked her.
"Why, I guess no one saw you," faltered Dorothy. "You surely would havebeen given a part had auntie seen you."
"Well, the girls looked--so queer at me," sobbed the miserable Mary. "Ifelt I had to keep back. But I do know how to play. My own mother was areal actress."
Dorothy looked down at the child in wonderment. Mary's mother an actress!No one seemed to know who the child's mother was, as she had always livedwith the Mannings, an elderly couple.
"Well, we must give you a pretty part," promised Dorothy. "And I tell you,just come over to The Cedars to-morrow and Aunt Winnie--Mrs. White--willhave it all made out for you. There, now, don't cry another tear. Come outto the tea-room with me and forget all your troubles. No, your eyes arenot red. Come along," and she slipped her arm through that of littleMary, while she led the child out to the party of gay young folks, thereto entertain her and bring to the queer little girl that sort of enjoymentwhich often follows acute grief--a reaction as uncontrollable as had beenthe bitterness which had caused the sorrow.