College students -- Juvenile fiction; Young women -- Juvenile fiction
No need to tell Molly and Nance who "they" were. These girls were fully
aware that Judy treated her mother and father exactly like two
sweethearts, giving each an equal share of her abundant affections; but
the others were not so well informed about Judy's family relations.
Otoyo Sen began to clap her hands and laugh joyously in sympathy.
"Is it two honorable young gentlemen who arriving come to see Mees
Kean?"
"Now, Otoyo, how often have I told you not to say 'arriving come,'"
exclaimed Molly. "I know it's a fascinating combination and difficult to
forget in moments of excitement, but it's very bad English."
"Mees Kean, she is so happee," replied the Japanese girl, speaking
slowly and carefully. "I cannot remembering when I see so much great
joy."
"Wouldn't you be happy, too, if your honorable mamma and papa were
coming to Wellington to visit you, you cunning little sparrow-bird?"
asked Judy, seizing Otoyo's hands and dancing her wildly about the room.
"Oh, it is honorable mother and father! That is differently. It is not
the same in Japan. Young Japanese girl might make great deal of noise
over something new and very pretty,--you see? But it is not respectful
to jump-up-so about parents arriving."
There was a great laugh at this. Otoyo was an especial pet at Queen's
with the older girls.
"She's like a continuous performance of 'The Mikado,'" remarked Edith
Williams. "Three little maids from school rolled into one,--the
quaintest, most adorable little person."
"And when do these honorable parents arriving come?" asked Margaret
Wakefield.
"To-morrow afternoon," answered Judy. "Where shall I get rooms? What
shall I take them to see? Shall I give a tea and ask the girls to meet
them? Don't you think a sleighing party would be fun? And a fudge party
in the evening? Papa loves fudge. Do you think it would be a good idea
to have dinner up here in Molly's and Nance's room, or let papa give a
banquet at the Inn? Do suggest, everybody."
Judy was too excited to sit down. She was walking up and down the room,
her cheeks blazing and her eyes as uncannily bright as two elfin lights
on a dark night.
"Be calm, Judy," said Molly, taking her friend by the shoulders and
pushing her into a chair. "You'll work yourself into a high fever with
your excitable ways. Now, sit down there and we'll talk it over quietly
and arrange a program."
Judy sat down obediently.
"I suppose it does seem funny to all of you, but, you see, mamma and
papa and I have been brought up together----"
"You mean you brought them up?" asked Edith.
"We brought each other up. They call me 'little sister', and until I
went off to college, because papa insisted I must have some education,
life was just one beautiful lark."
"What a jolly time you must have had!" observed Nance with a wistful
smile which reminded the self-centred Judy at last that it was not
exactly kind to pile it on too thickly about her delightful parents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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