I guess I'll be glad when father comes home and I get out of this house!" Joy fastened the gaudy silver pins with a jerk into the heavy white chenille that she was tying about her throat and hair, turned herself about before the glass with a last complacent look, and walked, in her deliberate, cool, provoking way, from the room.

Gypsy got up, and--slammed the door on her.
Very dignified proceedings, certainly, for girls twelve and thirteen years old.

An unspeakably important matter to quarrel about--a piece of white chenille! Angry people, be it remembered, are not given to over-much dignity, and how many quarrels are of the slightest importance?
Yet the things these two girls found to dispute, and get angry, and get miserable, and make the whole family miserable over, were so ridiculously petty that I hardly expect to be believed in telling of them.

The front side of the bed, the upper drawer in the bureau, a hair-ribbon, who should be helped first at the table, who was the best scholar, which was the more stylish color, drab or green, and whether Vermont wasn't a better State than Massachusetts--such matters might very appropriately be the subjects of the dissensions of young ladies in pinafores and pantalettes.
Yet I think you will bear me witness, girls, some of you--ah, I know you by the sudden pink in your cheeks--who have gone to live with a cousin, or had a cousin live with you, or whose mother has adopted an orphan, or taken charge of a missionary's daughter, or in some way or other have been brought for the first time in your life into daily and hourly collision with another young will just as strong and unbending as yours--can't you bear me witness that, in these little contests between Joy and Gypsy, I am telling no "made-up stories," but sad, simple fact?
If you can't, I am very glad of it.
No, as I said before, matters were not going on at all comfortably; and every week seemed to make them worse.

Wherein lay the trouble, and how to prevent it, neither of the girls had as yet exerted themselves to think.
A week or two after the adventures that befell that unfortunate kitten, something happened which threatened to make the breach between Gypsy and Joy of a very serious nature.