TER VIII.

WE GIVE A RECEPTION.

Everything pleasant comes to an end, even pleasant vacations, and when
the golden-rods were bowing to the asters, like gallant knights to their
ladyloves, and the red sumachs were hanging out the first flags of
autumn, we girls had to think of school once more.

The books which had been closed for almost three months beckoned us
again, and delightful as the Clover Leaf meetings had grown, we knew
that for the next nine months we should hold them only on Saturdays,
perhaps not always then.

"Girls," said Linda Curtis, "what shall we do for a wind-up to the
summer? Something which has never been done in Bloomdale. Something
which will be remembered when we are grown up and have forgotten our
girlish pranks?"

Linda's suggestion was approved unanimously, but nobody could propose
anything which everybody liked.

Finally Jeanie and Amy, who had been putting their heads together, and
whispering until the Chair had to call them to order, showed by their
smiling faces that they had a bright idea.

"Miss President," said Jeanie, "if I may, I should like to make a
motion."

"Miss Cartwright has the floor," said the President, gravely.

"I move that the Bloomdale Clover Leaf Club give a reception in the
Academy to all the Bloomdale neighbors and friends, _with a programme_,
and refreshments afterward."

"Is the motion seconded?" inquired the President.

"I second the motion," exclaimed Miss Amy Pierce, rapturously.

"It is moved and seconded that we give a reception at the Academy, with
a programme and refreshments. Are there any remarks?"

I should think there were. Why, they flew about like snow-flakes in a
hurricane.

"Why in the Academy?"

"Why not in somebody's parlor?"

"What sort of a programme?"

"Tableaux would be splendid!"

"Not tableaux! Charades?"

"Why not have a little play? That would be best, and we could all act."

"What sort of refreshments? A regular supper, or lemonade and cake, or
cake and ice-cream?"

At last it was resolved to carry out the reception idea, and to have a
little play in which Dot and Dimpsie could be brought in, also a very
magnificent Maltese cat belonging to Patty Curtis, and Miss Muffet's
parrot. The cat, arrayed in a lace ruff, with a red ribbon, would be an
imposing figure, and the parrot would look well as one of the
properties. Miss Muffet herself, in some character, probably as a Yankee
school-mistress, must be persuaded