Produced by Al Haines
Nancy
_of_
Paradise Cottage
_by_
SHIRLEY WATKINS
THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO
COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY
GEORGE W. JACOBS & COMPANY
_All rights reserved_
Printed in U. S. A.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I THE HEROINE GOES TO MARKET II INSIDE THE COTTAGE III A MODERN CINDERELLA IV LADIES OF FASHION V A RETICENT GENTLEMAN--AND MISS BANCROFT VI MISS BANCROFT BEARDS THE OGRE VII A MAN OF "PRINCIPLES" VIII THE FIRST NIGHT AT SCHOOL IX A QUARREL X THE OGRE REAPPEARS XI ALMA MAKES COMPLICATIONS XII ALMA IN A SCRAPE XIII NANCY HAS A GREAT ADVENTURE XIV PARADISE COTTAGE XV THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE MR. PRESCOTT
Nancy of Paradise Cottage
CHAPTER I
THE HEROINE GOES TO MARKET
"Let's see--bacon, eggs, bread, sugar, two cans of corn, and jam. Have I gotten everything, Alma?" Nancy, checking off the items in her marketing list, looked over toward her sister, who had wandered to the door and stood gazing out into the street where a gentle September rain was falling. Alma did not answer, seeming to have gone into a dream, and the grocer waited patiently, his pencil poised over his pad.
"Alma, do wake up! Have I forgotten anything? I'm sure there was something else," said Nancy, frowning, and studying her list, with her under lip thrust forward. "I regularly go and forget something every Saturday night, when there's no Hannah to concoct something out of nothing for Sunday luncheon."
"You said you were going to bake a cake--a chocolate layer cake," suggested Alma, turning, and viewing the proceeding disinterestedly with her hands in her pockets.
"That's it. I have to get flour, and some cooking chocolate, and vanilla. Alma, you've got to help me carry these things. I'm not Goliath."
"Mercy, Nancy, we don't have to take all that home with us, do we? Can't you send them, Mr. Simpson?"
The grocer shrugged apologetically.
"It's Saturday, Miss Prescott, and the last delivery went out at three--all my boys have gone home now or I'd try to accommodate you."
"I do hate to go about looking like an old market woman, with my arms full of brown paper parcels," murmured Alma, _sotto voce_ to her sister.
"Goodness, I don't imagine there'll be a grand stand along the way, with thousands watching us through opera glasses," laughed Nancy. "Would you mind telling me whom you expect to meet who'd faint with genteel horror because we take home our Sunday dinner? I don't intend to starve to spare anybody's feelings."
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: Nancy of Paradise Cottage by Shirley Watkins
- 2: And not respectable Melbrook at all
- 3: And Alma can stay at home with you
- 4: Unwilling to state her private opinion to Alma
- 5: But Alma prompted her curiously
- 6: Alma had washed her yellow hair
- 7: Nothing ever is with Mamma and Alma
- 8: And in spite of herself the girl relented
- 9: Alma seized a handful of hairpins
- 10: I just won't go if I have to look dowdy and home made
- 11: I wish you would get Alma a new hat while you're in town
- 12: Which Alma took quite seriously
- 13: Alma glanced at her reprovingly
- 14: Before Nancy could stop her the saleswoman had gone
- 15: But later The buckles are five dollars
- 16: Nancy aren't those feather fans exquisite Alma
- 17: She danced over and kissed Nancy's cheek lightly
- 18: And jounced away behind the erratic Dorothea
- 19: We must try to be more like Dorothea
- 20: Now she caught a glimpse of Alma
- 21: George Prescott used to be my particular favorite
- 22: And handsome is as handsome does
- 23: But because of her mother and Alma
- 24: And they are playing a very charming waltz
- 25: And held out both her plump white hands to Nancy
- 26: That's a jaunty little parasol you have
- 27: Miss Bancroft usually seemed to roll slowly
- 28: Prescott that it's Miss Bancroft
- 29: And austere and and unimaginative
- 30: Miss Bancroft hesitated a moment
- 31: I'll wager than the most petted heiress in the land
- 32: A characteristic trick of that same grand niece Nancy
- 33: You look as if you'd been in a tornado
- 34: Expenditure one pound and sixpence
- 35: I comprenez you are talking in symbols
- 36: Prescott was standing perfectly still
- 37: Instead he next addressed himself directly to Alma
- 38: Prescott finished for her with perfect good humor
- 39: Both Alma and Nancy broke out laughing
- 40: The Prescotts gave her the information
- 41: Nancy and Alma approached her a little uncertainly
- 42: Sobbing and sniffling pathetically
- 43: But if you is your name Alma
- 44: Charlotte linking herself between Nancy and Alma
- 45: He doethn't have fitth at all
- 46: With the exception of Miss Drinkwater
- 47: Aside from minor changes in Alma
- 48: Mildred Lloyd considered her crude
- 49: Chocolaty smell of the fudge was almost irresistible
- 50: Mildred had deigned to pronounce Alma pretty
- 51: And because Alma was changing more every day
- 52: No matter what Mildred thinks of me
- 53: Alma walked in silence to the door
- 54: I explained to her that while I just adored Euripides
- 55: Since their quarrel Alma and Nancy
- 56: Alma looked into her sister's face
- 57: When Charlotte had taken her departure
- 58: But she told him casually about Alma
- 59: And he explained Miss Elizabeth Bancroft
- 60: And while Miss Bancroft poured out their tea
- 61: To remember that afternoon was always a delight to Nancy
- 62: And devouring peanuts like an automaton
- 63: I'd have a good talk with Alma about Mildred
- 64: What did Miss Leland say to you
- 65: Alma and it's worse than even Mildred's snobbery
- 66: And Stood staring blankly at Alma
- 67: She bent over Alma and kissed her lightly
- 68: Demanded Nancy in a dazed voice
- 69: Wondering why she liked Mildred
- 70: Kay Leonard flunked everything but her French
- 71: But neither Alma nor Nancy moved
- 72: And when Miss Leland had finished speaking
- 73: Alma walked down the hall toward the front door
- 74: She had no motive for injuring Alma
- 75: Left from the ten which Alma had borrowed from her
- 76: The shopkeeper was saying doggedly
- 77: Nancy admitted that she hadn't
- 78: You must try the hot chocolate
- 79: Nancy glanced up and down the street
- 80: Nancy felt a positive thrill of dismay
- 81: And dimpled as only a rosy girl can dimple
- 82: Nancy had shown Alma their mother's letter
- 83: Alma turned a shining face to her sister
- 84: Alma banged the door behind her
- 85: Prescott was silent for a moment
- 86: Miss Bancroft had casually explained
- 87: On the third day after Alma had fallen ill
- 88: I don't know anything about chintz
- 89: She looked reproachfully at Alma
- 90: From a gargantuan bouquet of hyacinths
- 91: The Ogre had sent a note to his nieces