Seeing that she was really asleep, Patty beckoned to Mona, and the
two girls slipped away, leaving Mary in charge.
"Oh, Patty!" cried Mona, as soon as they were out of hearing.
"Isn't it awful! How CAN we stand having such a horrid old fusser
around?"
"Whoopee! Mona! moderate your language! Mrs. Parsons isn't so very
old, and she isn't horrid. If she's a fusser, that's just her way,
and we must politely submit to it."
"Submit, nothing! If you think, Patty Fairfield, that I'm going to
be taken care of by that worry-cat, you're greatly mistaken!"
"Stop, Mona! I won't let you call her such names; it isn't nice!"
"She isn't nice, either!"
"She's your aunt, and your guest; and you must treat her with
proper respect. She isn't an old lady; I don't believe she's
fifty. And she IS ill, and that makes her querulous." "Well, do
you want to wait on her, and read to her, and put up with her
fussiness all summer?"
"It doesn't matter whether we want to or not. We have to do it.
Your father sent for her, and she's here. You can't send her
away."
"I suppose that's so. But, oh, Patty, how I do dislike her! She's
changed so. When I saw her some years ago, she was sweet and
gentle, but not so fidgety and self-centred.
Pages:
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79