Hildegarde's Holiday a story for girls   By: Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards (1850-1943)

THE

HILDEGARDE MARGARET SERIES

By Laura E. Richards

Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, per volume, $1.75

Queen Hildegarde Hildegarde's Holiday Hildegarde's Home Hildegarde's Neighbors Hildegarde's Harvest Three Margarets Margaret Montfort Peggy Rita Fernley House The Merryweathers

The above eleven volumes boxed as a set, $19.25

L. C. PAGE & COMPANY 53 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass.

[Illustration: "'DO TELL US ABOUT HER, PLEASE!'"]

THE HILDEGARDE SERIES

Hildegarde's Holiday

A STORY FOR GIRLS

BY

LAURA E. RICHARDS

Author of

"The Margaret Series," "The Hildegarde Series," "Captain January," "Melody," "Five Minute Stories," etc.

ILLUSTRATED

[Illustration]

THE PAGE COMPANY

BOSTON PUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1891 BY ESTES AND LAURIAT

Made in U. S. A.

Twenty fourth Impression, May, 1927 Twenty fifth Impression, January, 1930

THE COLONIAL PRESS C. H. SIMONDS CO., BOSTON, U. S. A.

To H. R.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. INTRODUCTORY 11

II. MISS WEALTHY 20

III. THE ORCHARD 34

IV. THE DOCTORS 53

V. ON THE RIVER 74

VI. A MORNING DRIVE 94

VII. A "STORY EVENING" 126

VIII. FLOWER DAY 151

IX. BROKEN FLOWERS 178

X. THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD 201

XI. "UP IN THE MORNING EARLY" 222

XII. BENNY 241

XIII. A SURPRISE 254

XIV. TELEMACHUS GOES A FISHING 278

XV. THE GREAT SCHEME 300

XVI. THE WIDOW BRETT 314

XVII. OLD MR. COLT 337

XVIII. JOYOUS GARD 354

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE "'DO TELL US ABOUT HER, PLEASE!'" (p. 128) Frontispiece "'AND EVERYTHING IS RIGHT FOR SUPPER, MARTHA?'" 23 "'DO SAY IT'S ALL RIGHT, JEREMIAH!'" 77 "THEN THEY HUGGED EACH OTHER A LITTLE" 111 "'DON'T YOU THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH FLOWERS, ROSY?'" 174 "SO DOWN PLUMPED HILDEGARDE" 194 "'OH, SUCH A DEE OLE KITTY!'" 247 "'NOT A THING IN THE HOUSE!'" 333

HILDEGARDE'S HOLIDAY.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

In a small waiting room at Blank Hospital a girl was walking up and down, with quick, impatient steps. Every few minutes she stopped to listen; then, hearing no sound, she resumed her walk, with hands clasped and lips set firmly together. She was evidently in a state of high nervous excitement, for the pupils of her eyes were so dilated that they flashed black as night instead of gray; and a bright red spot burned in either cheek. In the corner, in an attitude of anxious dejection, sat a small dog. He had tried following his mistress at first, when she began her walk, and finding that the promenade took them nowhere and was very monotonous, had tried to vary the monotony by worrying her heels in a playful manner; whereupon he had been severely reprimanded, and sent into the corner, from which he dared not emerge. He was trying, with his usual lack of success, to fathom the motives which prompted human beings to such strange and undoglike actions, when suddenly a door opened, and a lady and gentleman came in. The girl sprang forward. "Mamma!" she cried. "Doctor!"