Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad
For to make others happy means
a lot of joy for yourself--a secret you were trying to keep from me, you
crafty young woman, until I discovered it by accident. Now, here I am
with three nieces on my hands--"
"You may say two, sir," interrupted the Major. "Patsy can take care of
herself."
"Hold your tongue," said Uncle John. "I say I've got three nieces--as
fine a trio of intelligent, sweet and attractive young women as you'll
run across in a month of Sundays. I dare you to deny it, sir. And they
are all at an age when an European trip will do them a world of good. So
off we go, a week from Tuesday, in the first-class steamer 'Princess
Irene,' bound from New York for the Bay of Naples!"
Patsy's eyes showed her delight. They fairly danced.
"Have you told Beth and Louise?" she asked.
His face fell.
"Not yet," he said. "I'd forgotten to mention it to them."
"For my part," continued the girl, "I can get ready in a week, easily.
But Beth is way out in Ohio, and we don't know whether she can go or
not."
"I'll telegraph her, and find out," said Uncle John.
"Do it to-day," suggested the Major.
"I will."
"And to-morrow you must see Louise," added Patsy. "I'm not sure she'll
want to go, dear. She's such a social butterfly, you know, that her
engagements may keep her at home."
"Do you mean to say she's engaged?" asked Mr. Merrick, aghast.
"Only for the parties and receptions, Uncle. But it wouldn't surprise me
if she was married soon. She's older than Beth or me, and has a host of
admirers."
"Perhaps she's old enough to be sensible," suggested the Major.
"Well, I'll see her and her mother to-morrow morning," decided Uncle
John, "and if she can't find time for a trip to Europe at my expense,
you and Beth shall go anyhow--and we'll bring Louise a wedding present."
With this declaration he took his hat and walking stick and started for
the telegraph station, leaving Patsy and her father to canvass the
unexpected situation.
John Merrick was sixty years old, but as hale and rugged as a boy of
twenty.
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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