y after tomorrow, Mr. Jerry, my Aunt Kate's going to take me. I've
never been to a city school so I can imagine it's just like a palace
with gold seats for the children and thrones for the teachers who are
all fairy princesses with beautiful golden hair and white satin
dresses."

"Mary Rose! Oh, Mary Rose!" Mr. Jerry regarded her sadly. "You are a
living proof that anticipation is greater than any old participation.
I'm only doing you a kindness when I tell you that there is not a
golden seat for any child in the Lincoln School. There isn't even one
throne. And if you don't have an old witch for a teacher instead of a
golden-haired fairy I'm a goat. I tell you this for your own good,
Mary Rose, believe me."

Mary Rose shook her head until her hair refused to stay in the ribbon
Aunt Kate had tied on it. "All the same I'm going to believe in the
golden seats. They are pleasant things to think of."

It was the next day that she was in the hall with Jenny Lind. They had
been calling on Mrs. Schuneman and Germania and had had a pleasant
time. Mary Rose had eaten two pieces of coffee cake and drunk a glass
of ginger ale and Jenny Lind had had a crumb of coffee cake which
seemed to be all she cared for.

Mrs. Schuneman had told Mary Rose a great secret, that Lottie was going
to be married to the brother of one of her bridge-playing friends and
that Mary Rose might come to the wedding. Mary Rose was so excited she
could scarcely speak. She had never been to a wedding in all of her
"going on fourteen" years.

"I've been to three funerals and a revival meeting--" ecstasy made her
voice tremble--"but I've never been to a wedding. Gladys went to one
and she said it was grand. Her grandmother cried all the time and her
grandfather blew his nose six times. Gladys counted. Oh, Mrs.
Schuneman, will Miss Lottie really invite me? It would be something,"
and she clasped her hands as she stood in front of Mrs. Schuneman, "for
me to remember all of my life!"

"Sure, she'll invite you, you and Jenny Lind. She can hang in the
window with Germania and sing for the bride."

Mary Rose threw herself against Mrs. Schuneman. "I wouldn't exchange
you for Cinderella's godmother!" she half sobbed. "I'd rather go to a
wedding than have a dozen pumpkin coaches. Jenny Lind and I can't tell
you how obliged we are."

She was in a whirl of excitement as she shut the door. She heard her
name called softly from above and looki