Small silver dishes of almonds, olives, and confectionery were dotted about, and finger-bowls with plates were set out on the side-table.
Certainly it was all very beautiful, and Patty surveyed it with feelings of absolute satisfaction.
"We will have tea at five o'clock, Pansy," she said, "and just before that, you light the candles and fill the glasses and see that everything is ready." "Yes, Miss Patty," said Pansy, who adored her young mistress, and who was especially quick in learning to do exactly what was expected of her.
The afternoon was slipping away, and Patty suddenly discovered that she had only time to get dressed before the girls would arrive.
So she announced to Mancy that she must finish up such things as were not finished, and without waiting to hear the old woman's remarks of disapproval, Patty ran up to her room.
There she found that Marian had kindly laid out her dress and ribbons for her, and was ready to help do her hair.
"You're a good old thing, Marian," she said, as she dropped into a chair in front of her toilet mirror, "I'm as tired as a bicycle wheel, and besides, I do love to have somebody do my hair.

Sometimes Pansy does it, but to-day she's too busy." "Taking days as they go," said Marian in an impersonal manner, "I don't think I ever saw a more busy one than to-day has seemed to be.

The Tea Club does seem to make a most awful amount of fluster in a new house." "Yes, it _is_ exacting, isn't it ?" said Patty, who caught her cousin's eye in the mirror and looked very demure, though she refused to smile.
"There are some of the girls coming in at the front gate now," said Marian as she tied the big white bow on Patty's pretty, fluffy hair.
"Didn't I time this performance just right ?" "You did indeed," said Patty, and kissing her cousin, she ran gaily downstairs.
How the Tea Club girls did chatter that afternoon! there was so much to see and talk about in Patty's new home, and there were also other weighty matters to be discussed.
The proposed entertainment was an engrossing subject, and as various opinions were held, the arguments were lively and outspoken.
"You can talk all you like," said Helen Preston, "but you'll find that a bazaar will be the most sensible thing after all.

You're sure to make a lot of money, and the boys will help, and we all know exactly what to do and how to go about it." "It may be sensible," said Laura Russell, "but it won't be a bit of fun.
Stupid, poky, old chestnut; nobody wants to come to buy things, they only come because they think they have to.

Now if we had a play--" "Yes," said Elsie Morris, "a play would be the very nicest thing.