"Bet chure life, Boss!" was Jeb's snappy reply.
Eleanor now pulled Sary's head down in order to whisper into her ear.
"Sary, when you get back to Pebbly Pit, Mrs. Brewster will give you a
pile of finery I left for your trousseau. You will be delighted to get
the laces and other trimmings for your hope-box."
"Ah, Nolla, won't ah, jest! An' when Ah comes to Noo York to see
you-all, you won't know me in my fine togs!" was Sary's eager reply.
"Oh! were you expecting to come, Sary?" Eleanor asked.
"Shure thing, Nolla. Onct Ah'm married Ah'm goin' to travel every year!"
exclaimed Sary.
"New York's a long way off from here, Sary," ventured Eleanor.
"Oh, Ah don't mean to say Jeb an' me'll go thar fust. Ah'm goin' to
figger on takin' a side trip to Chicargo fust, you know. Mebbe you kin
fix it so's we-all kin visit your maw whiles we-all stop at that town,
Nolla. An' nex' time we-all kin go on to Noo York, like-as-how Ah said."
Eleanor caught her breath at this astounding news. The picture of
Barbara and her mother receiving Sary and Jeb proved too much for her
risibles and she laughed merrily as she replied to Sary's announcement.
"Sary, if Jeb and you _would_ honor our house with a visit, I'd tell
Daddy to look after you-all. But you must let me know, first, so my
father can meet you two and see that you are shown about in true style."
"Nolla, that Ah will, when we-all get time to go thar. Ah says to
mahself, jest the other day, Ah ain't never had no fun or chanct to
better mahself, Ah says: 'Sary Dodd, when you get Jeb you plan to go
about like-as-how Anne Stewart is doin'.' Nolla, thar ain't nuthin' like
a bit of travel to polish folks up, is thar now?"
"You're right, Sary! Just exactly right," laughed Eleanor.
But Sam Brewster was now heard calling Eleanor that the train was ready
and the gates were opened, so Sary caught Jeb by his sleeves and
followed after the others when the entire group started for the New York
train.
One would think, to hear Sary's excited tones, that she was about to
take the long, long journey from which there is no returning; but once
Anne Stewart and her charges were aboard the long Pullman train, the
ones who remained behind stood upon the platform waiting for the girls
to find their compartments and open the windows in order to converse
until the last moment.
Sam Brewster went over to a guard and asked several questions, then he
hurried back and said to his party: "We
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