Patty's Social Season by Carolyn Wells

As was not to be wondered at, Patty slept late the next morning. And / when she awakened, she lay, cozily tucked in her coverlets, thinking / over the occurrences of the night before.

Presently Jane came in with a dainty tray of chocolate and rolls, and / then, with some big, fluffy pillows behind her, Patty sat up in bed, / and thoughtfully nibbled away at a crust.

Then Nan came in, in her pretty morning gown, and, drawing up a little / rocker, sat down by Patty's bedside.

"Are you in mood for a gossip, Patty? " she asked, and Patty replied, / "Yes, indeedy! I want to talk over the whole thing. In the first / place, Nan, it was a howling, screaming success, wasn't it?"

"Why, yes, of course; how could it be otherwise? with the nicest / people and the nicest flowers and the nicest girl in New York City!"

"In the whole United States, you mean," said Patty, complacently, as / she took a spoonful of chocolate. "Yes, the party in all its parts was / all right. There wasn't a flaw. But, oh, Nan, I got into a scrap with / the boys."

"What boys? and what _is_ a scrap? Patty, now that you're out, you / mustn't use those slang words you're so fond of."

"Nan," and Patty shook her spoon solemnly at her stepmother, "I've / come to realise that there is slang and slang. Now, the few little / innocent bits I use, don't count at all, because I just say them for / fun and to help make my meaning clear. But that man last night, -- that / Lansing man, -- why, Nan, his slang is altogether a different matter."

"Well, Patty, he, himself, seems to be an altogether different matter / from the people we know."

"Yes, doesn't he? And yet, Nan, he isn't so bad. Well, anyway, let me / tell you what Mr. Galbraith says."

"That's just it! " declared Nan, after Patty had finished her story. / "That man _is_ a fortune-hunter, and he means to try to marry Mona for / the sake of her father's money!"

"Oh, my! " exclaimed Patty, laughing; "isn't it grand to be grown up! I / see I'm mixed up in a matrimonial tangle already!"

"Nothing of the sort, you foolish child! There won't be any matrimonial / tangle. Mr. Galbraith is quite right; this man must be discouraged, and / Mona must be made to see him in his true light."

"But, Nan, he isn't so awful. You know, sometimes he was quite / fascinating."

"Yes, you think that, because he has big dark eyes and rolled them at / you."

"Goodness! it sounds like a game of bowls. No, I don't mean that; / but -- well, I'll tell you what I do mean. He said we weren't fair to / him, to judge him adversely, not knowing anything about him. And I / think so, too, Nan; it doesn't seem fair or right to say a man is a / bounder, -- that's what Roger called him, -- when we don't know anything / about him, really."

"Patty, you're a goose! Don't you suppose we'll find out about him? Of / course, _we_ can't, but your father and Mr. Galbraith, -- yes, and Roger / Farrington, will soon find out his standing."

"Well," said Patty, with a relieved sigh, "then I needn't bother about / _him_ any more. But, Nan, I have troubles of my own. Philip and Roger / are both mad at me!"

"Goodness! Patty, how awful! Do you suppose they'll stay mad all day?"

"Oh, it isn't just a momentary tiff; they are up and down angry! Why, / neither of them danced with me or even spoke to me after supper last / night!"