After all, there was something in this honest, transparent
child, from which evil had always seemed to slide, as dust slips from a
polished mirror; and she said with conviction,--
"Molly, we'll both do differently. I like people too little, you perhaps
too much; but after this I'll cultivate a fondness for them. There is no
reason why we shouldn't both go out more, in certain ways, and see
something of the life about us. If you will give up these wretched
street acquaintances you shall have a party next Saturday."
"A party? O Sara!" her eyes dazzling in their delight.
"What kind of one?"
"A tea-party. Let's see, you might have nine girls, besides yourself;
that would about fill our table, and I'll wait on you. I presume Morton
will be off, as usual, on a geological ramble, so we needn't count him."
"O Sara! and may I have the table trimmed, and flowers all around? and
may I make the cake? And oh!" clasping her hands together, "may I have
Mr. Hoffstott freeze some cream?"
"Yes," laughed Sara; "yes, every one, if you'll keep your part of the
contract."
"Sara," with intense solemnity, "if a student speaks to me I'll look
right through him, like this," with a stare of Gorgonian stoniness; "and
if he isn't completely silenced, I'll wither him this way," and she
swept her sister with a slow, lofty, contemptuous glance, that would
have scathed an agent.
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