riven the nail straight to the mark that time. I could have
wailed; but was I going to have Lize Jane go home and tell that I was
a baby? No! and I spoke up very pertly,--

"Where's _your_ pairsol, Lize Jane Bean? You never had one any more 'n
me."

"No; but there's something I have got, though, better than that. Good
to eat, too. And I'll tell you what; if you'll ask me to your party,
I'll bring you some in a covered dish."

"What is it, Lize? Ice cream?"

For her face was wondrous sweet.

"Ice cream! How'd you s'pose I kep' that froze? No!" and the
bewitching sparkle of her eye called up luscious ideas. I could almost
see apricot preserves, pine apples, and honey-heart cherries floating
in the air. But why was it a covered dish? "Somethin' nuff sight
better 'n ice cream, but I shan't tell what."

"O, I wish you'd bring it to me in the covered dish, 'thout any
party, for my mother won't let me have one, Lize, now truly."

"Then you can't have the--what I was goin' to bring," said Lize Jane,
firmly.

"That's too bad," I cried; but it was of no use talking; she couldn't
be moved any more than the gravel walk, or the asparagus bed.

"Your mother ain't much sick, is she?"

"Not now," replied I; "her strength is better."

"Well, then, why don't you ask some girls to come, and she'll get 'em
some supper; see if she don't."

I was so shocked that I almost fell into a currant bush.

"Lize Jane Bean, what you talking about?"

"Why, you said your mother warn't sick."

"No, her strength is better, but she don't 'low me to do things, Lize
Jane Bean, 'thout--'thout she lets me."

"Of course not; but I guess she don't know you want a party so
dreadful bad, Maggie, or she _would_ let you. I don't believe your
mother is ugly."

"But she never said I might have a party, though."

"No, for she don't think about it. She ain't a bad woman, your mother
ain't, only she don't think. Your mother don't _mean_ to be ugly."

Lize Jane spoke in a large-hearted way, at the same time stripping
currant-stems very industriously. "She'd feel glad afterwards,
s'posing you _did_ have a party, I'll bet."

"O, Lize Jane, what a girl! 's if I'd do it 'thout my mother said I
might."

"O, I didn't mean a real big party; did you s'pose I did? I didn't
know but you could ask me and some of the girls to supper, and not
call it a party. We'd play ou' doors."

"O, I didn't know _that's_ what you meant. But I
can't,--'cause,--'cause."