Patty's Summer Days   By: Carolyn Wells (1862-1942)

by

CAROLYN WELLS

Author of "Idle Idylls," "Patty in the City," etc.

Illustrated

[Illustration]

New York Dodd, Mead & Company 1909

Copyright, 1906, by Dodd, Mead & Company

Published, September, 1906

To ELEANOR SHIPLEY HALSEY

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE I A Gay Household 1 II Wedding Bells 13 III Atlantic City 27 IV Lessons Again 40 V A New Home 53 VI Busy Days 66 VII A Rescue 79 VIII Commencement Day 92 IX The Play 105 X A Motor Trip 118 XI Dick Phelps 130 XII Old China 143 XIII A Stormy Ride 155 XIV Pine Branches 169 XV Miss Aurora Bender 182 XVI A Quilting Party 195 XVII A Summer Christmas 208 XVIII At Sandy Cove 221 XIX Rosabel 234 XX The Rolands 246 XXI The Crusoes 259 XXII The Bazaar Of All Nations 271 XXIII The End Of The Summer 287

ILLUSTRATIONS

"Patty fairly reveled in Nan's beautiful trousseau" 8

"'There, you can see for yourself, there ain't no chip or crack into it'" 147

"Although a successful snapshot was only achieved after many attempts" 176

"Patty arrayed herself in a flowered silk of Dresden effect" 203

"In a few minutes Patty was feeding Rosabel bread and milk" 234

PATTY'S SUMMER DAYS

CHAPTER I

A GAY HOUSEHOLD

"Isn't Mrs. Phelps too perfectly sweet! That is the loveliest fan I ever laid eyes on, and to think it's mine!"

"And will you look at this? A silver coffee machine! Oh, Nan, mayn't I make it work, sometimes?"

"Indeed you may; and oh, see this! A piece of antique Japanese bronze! Isn't it great? "

"I don't like it as well as the sparkling, shiny things. This silver tray beats it all hollow. Did you ever see such a brightness in your life?"

"Patty, you're hopelessly Philistine! But that tray is lovely, and of an exquisite design."

Patty and Nan were unpacking wedding presents, and the room was strewn with boxes, tissue paper, cotton wool, and shredded paper packing.

Only three days more, and then Nan Allen was to marry Mr. Fairfield, Patty's father.

Patty was spending the whole week at the Allen home in Philadelphia, and was almost as much interested in the wedding preparations as Nan herself.

"I don't think there's anything so much fun as a house with a wedding fuss in it," said Patty to Mrs. Allen, as Nan's mother came into the room where the girls were.

"Just wait till you come to your own wedding fuss, and then see if you think it's so much fun," said Nan, who was rapidly scribbling names of friends to whom she must write notes of acknowledgment for their gifts.

"That's too far in the future even to think of," said Patty, "and besides, I must get my father married and settled, before I can think of myself."

She wagged her head at Nan with a comical look, and they all laughed.

It was a great joke that Patty's father should be about to marry her dear girl friend. But Patty was mightily pleased at the prospect, and looked forward with happiness to the enlarged home circle.

"The trouble is," said Patty, "I don't know what to call this august personage who insists on becoming my father's wife."

"I shall rule you with a rod of iron," said Nan, "and you'll stand so in awe of me, that you won't dare to call me anything."