"You have, indeed, but you were such dear little girls then, and now
you are growing distressingly tall; I do not half like it." Miss Brown
shook her head disapprovingly as she looked around the circle.
"I think it will be very nice to be grown up," said Elsie, who was
already beginning to consider herself a young lady at fourteen.
"I'd much rather stay a little girl. I don't like growing up. Next
year Carl is going away to school, and all our good times will be
over," and Bess sighed as though the weight of years already rested on
her shoulders.
"Well, we _are_ only little girls yet, so what is the use of
worrying?" said Louise, who, though she was tallest of all, was more
of a child than any of the others.
Dora was perhaps more changed than any of her friends. She was growing
very sweet and womanly, and her manners were as simple and frank as
ever. Her mother's feeble health brought her more care than fell to
the share of most girls of her age, and this made her seem older than
she really was.
This afternoon she seemed somewhat preoccupied and silent. When
appealed to she answered as brightly as usual, but a thoughtful,
anxious look came to her face when she turned to her work.
Miss Brown noticed it and wondered what was troubling her.
Pages:
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212