E-text prepared by Roger Frank and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) PATTY'S SOCIAL SEASON by CAROLYN WELLS Author of The TWO LITTLE WOMEN Series The MARJORIE Books etc. Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers New York Copyright, 1913 By Dodd, Mead and Company Printed in the United States of America CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I Flowers! 9 II At the Dance 25 III Happy Saturdays 42 IV An Invitation 60 V Happy Guests 76 VI Confidences 94 VII More Making Up 108 VIII A Delightful Invitation 125 IX Fern Falls 141 X Christmas Eve 158 XI The Christmas Spirit 174 XII Coasting 192 XIII Hide and Seek 208 XIV A Proposal 225 XV A Christmas Card 243 XVI Stormbound 260 XVII The Country Club Ball 284 XVIII Back to New York 300 XIX An Exciting Chase 316 XX Bridesmaid Patty 333 CHAPTER I FLOWERS! "Patty, do come along and get your luncheon before everything grows cold!" "'And the stars are old, And the leaves of the judgment book unfold,'" chanted Patty, who had just learned this new song, and was apt to sing it at unexpected moments. She sat on the floor in the middle of the long drawing-room of her New York home. To say she was surrounded by flowers, faintly expresses it. She was hemmed in, barricaded, nearly smothered in flowers. They were or had been in enormous florist's boxes, and as fast as Patty opened the boxes and read the cards which accompanied the blossoms, Jane took the boxes away. It was the great occasion of Patty's debut, and in accordance with the social custom, all her friends had sent her flowers as a message of congratulation. "You certainly have heaps of friends," said Elise, who was helping arrange the bouquets. "Friends!" cried Patty; "nobody could have as many friends as this! These flowers must be also from my enemies, my casual acquaintances, and indeed from utter strangers! I think the whole hilarious populace of New York has gone mad on the subject of sending flowers!" Even as she spoke, Jane came in with several more boxes, followed by Miller, fairly staggering under an enormous box that was almost too much for one man to carry. Behind him was Nan, who went straight to Patty and held out both hands to assist her to rise. "Patty," she said, "if you don't come out this minute, you never _can_ get out! A few more of these boxes, and the door will be completely blocked up." "That's so, Nan," and Patty scrambled to her feet. "Come on, girls, let's gather our foodings while we may. These flowers will keep; but I shudder to think of the accumulation when we come back from luncheon!"