An Unsocial Socialist eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 342 pages of information about An Unsocial Socialist.

An Unsocial Socialist eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 342 pages of information about An Unsocial Socialist.

“You must record first.  It was all your fault.”

“But I am the youngest,” said Agatha.

“Well, then,” said Gertrude, afraid to press the point, but determined not to record first, “let Jane Carpenter begin.  She is the eldest.”

“Oh, of course,” said Jane, with whimpering irony.  “Let Jane do all the nasty things first.  I think it’s very hard.  You fancy that Jane is a fool; but she isn’t.”

“You are certainly not such a fool as you look, Jane,” said Agatha gravely.  “But I will record first, if you like.”

“No, you shan’t,” cried Jane, snatching the pen from her.  “I arm the eldest; and I won’t be put out of my place.”

She dipped the pen in the ink resolutely, and prepared to write.  Then she paused; considered; looked bewildered; and at last appealed piteously to Agatha.

“What shall I write?” she said.  “You know how to write things down; and I don’t.”

“First put the date,” said Agatha.

“To be sure,” said Jane, writing it quickly.  “I forgot that.  Well?”

“Now write, ’I am very sorry that Miss Wilson saw me when I slid down the banisters this evening.  Jane Carpenter.’”

“Is that all?”

“That’s all:  unless you wish to add something of your own composition.”

“I hope it’s all right,” said Jane, looking suspiciously at Agatha.  “However, there can’t be any harm in it; for it’s the simple truth.  Anyhow, if you are playing one of your jokes on me, you are a nasty mean thing, and I don’t care.  Now, Gertrude, it’s your turn.  Please look at mine, and see whether the spelling is right.”

“It is not my business to teach you to spell,” said Gertrude, taking the pen.  And, while Jane was murmuring at her churlishness, she wrote in a bold hand: 

“I have broken the rules by sliding down the banisters to-day with Miss Carpenter and Miss Wylie.  Miss Wylie went first.”

“You wretch!” exclaimed Agatha, reading over her shoulder.  “And your father is an admiral!”

“I think it is only fair,” said Miss Lindsay, quailing, but assuming the tone of a moralist.  “It is perfectly true.”

“All my money was made in trade,” said Agatha; “but I should be ashamed to save myself by shifting blame to your aristocratic shoulders.  You pitiful thing!  Here:  give me the pen.”

“I will strike it out if you wish; but I think—­”

“No:  it shall stay there to witness against you.  How see how I confess my faults.”  And she wrote, in a fine, rapid hand: 

“This evening Gertrude Lindsay and Jane Carpenter met me at the top of the stairs, and said they wanted to slide down the banisters and would do it if I went first.  I told them that it was against the rules, but they said that did not matter; and as they are older than I am, I allowed myself to be persuaded, and did.”

“What do you think of that?” said Agatha, displaying the page.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
An Unsocial Socialist from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.