Pearl held her head high and was very much the body-guard
as she lifted the weighty ruler to the ground. Mrs. Ducker
ran down the steps and kissed the czar ostentatiously,
pouring out such a volume of admiring and endearing
epithets that Pearl stood in bewilderment, wondering why
she had never heard of this before. Mrs. Ducker carried
the czar into the house, Pearl following with one eye
shut, which was her way of expressing perplexity.
Two little girls in very fluffy short skirts, sat demurely
in the hammock, keeping their dresses clean and wondering
if there would be ice-cream. Within doors Maudie worried
out the "Java March" on the piano, to a dozen or more
patient little listeners. On the lawn several little
girls played croquet. There were no boys at the party.
Wilford was going to have the boys--that is, the
Conservative boys the next day. Mrs. Ducker did not
believe in co-education. Boys are so rough, except Wilford.
He had been so carefully brought up, he was not rough at
all. He stood awkwardly by the gate watching the girls
play croquet. He had been left without a station at his
own request. Patsey Watson rode by on a dray wagon, dirty
and jolly. Wilford called to him furtively, but Patsey
was busy holding on and did not hear him. Wilford sighed
heavily. Down at the tracks a freight train shunted and
shuddered. Not a boy was in sight. He knew why. The
farmers were loading cattle cars.
Pearl went around to the side lawn where the girls were
playing croquet, holding the czar's hand tightly.
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