Patty and Azalea. Wells Carolyn
your grandmother! Why, in the right hands, all those faddy things melt into one big bundle of hominess, and you feel as if you'd always had 'em. Soon you'll declare you've never lived without a Japanese tea-garden in your back yard!"
"I believe you! You'd make a home feeling in the Parthenon,—if you chose to live there!"
"Of course I should! Or in the Coliseum, or in the Taj Mahal."
"There, there, that will do! Don't carry your vaunts further! Now come around the house, and let's go in under the wistaria. It's a purple glory now!"
"So it is! What a stunning old vine it is. I did think I'd change the name of the place, but that wistaria over that porch is too fine to be discarded. Let's get Mr. Hepworth up here to paint it."
"It must be painted, and soon, while it's in its prime. If Hepworth can't come, I'll get somebody else. I want that picture."
"And let's have some photographs of it. It's so perfect."
"All right, I'll take those myself,—to-morrow,—it's too late now."
"And me and Baby will sit in the middle of the composition! Won't that be touching!"
Patty laughed merrily, but Farnsworth said, "You bet you will! Be ready in the morning, for I'll want a lot of poses."
CHAPTER II
GUESTS ARRIVE
"I refuse to go a step further! This porch of wistaria is the most wonderful thing I ever saw in all my life! When I heard the name of the place, I thought it was crazy,—but of course I see now it's the only possible name! I don't care what's inside the house,—here I am,—and here I stay!"
Elise Farrington threw off her motor coat, and settling herself on the side seat of the porch, under the drooping bunches of purple bloom, looked quite as if she meant what she said.
Patty stepped out from the doorway and smiled at her visitor.
"All right, Elise," she said, "you may. I'll send out your dinner, and you can sleep here, too, if you like."
"No, I'll come in for my board and lodging, but all the rest of the time look for me here! I'm going to have some lavender frocks made,—dimities and organdies, and then I'll be part of the picture."
"Oh, do! I can't wear lavender or purple," Patty sighed.
"Nonsense! Of course you can. You only mean you've never tried. That bisque doll complexion of yours will stand any color. Let's both get wisteria-coloured frocks, and—"
Elise's plans were interrupted by the appearance of Farnsworth and two men who had arrived for the house party. These were our old friends, Philip Van Reypen and Chickering Channing.
Still a devoted admirer of pretty Patty, Van Reypen had become reconciled to his fate, and moreover had discovered his ability to take pleasure in the society of other charming young women.
Channing was the same old merry Chick, and he was exuberant in his praise of the beautiful home of the Farnsworths which he now saw for the first time.
"Great little old place!" he exclaimed, enthusiastically. "But why such an enormousness? Are you going to keep boarders?"
"Yes, if you'll stay," laughed Patty. "But, you see it was a bargain,—so we snapped it up."
"The old story," put in Bill. "Man built it,—went bankrupt,—had to sell at sacrifice. Along came we,—bought it,—everybody happy!"
"I am," declared Elise; "this is the sort of place I've dreamed of. Beautiful nearby effects, and a long distance view beside. This porch for mine,—all the time I'm here."
"But you haven't seen the other places yet," Patty demurred. "There's a tea-porch—"
"Wistaria, too?"
"Yes, of course."
"Lead me to it!" and Elise jumped up, and made for the house.
Then they all strolled through the wide hall and out at the back door on to the tea-porch. This was furnished with white wicker tables and chairs, and indeed, was prepared for immediate use, for a maid was just bringing the cakes and crumpets as the party arrived.
"Goody!" cried Elise, "can we have tea now, Patty? I'm famished."
"Yes, indeed," and Patty took her place at the tea table with a matronly air, and began to pour for her guests.
"It's just as pretty as the other porch," Elise decided, looking critically at the festoons of wistaria, which was on three sides of the house. "But I'll adopt the first one. Anybody looking for me will find me there—'most always."
"We're always looking for you," said Channing, gallantly, as he took up his teacup, "and it is a comfort to know where to find you. Of late you've been inaccessible."
"Not to you," and Elise glanced coquettishly from under her eyelashes.
"To me, then," put in Van Reypen. "I've not seen you, Elise, since I came back from Over There. You've grown a lot, haven't you?"
"Taller?"
"Mercy no! I mean mentally. You seem more—more grown up like."
"Everybody is, since the war work. Yes, Phil, I have grown,—I hope."
"There, there," warned Patty; "no serious talk just now, please,—and no war talk. For the moment, I claim your attention to my new house and its surroundings."
"Some claim you've staked out," and Chick grinned. "I want to see it all.
And,—moreover,—I want to see the rest of the family!"
Patty beamed. "You dear!" she cried; "do you really want to see my daughter?"
"My daughter," Farnsworth added; "but I didn't know you chaps would be interested in our infant prodigy. I never cared about seeing other people's babies."
"I do," stoutly insisted Channing. "I'm a connoisseur on kiddies. Let me see him."
"He isn't him," laughed Patty, "he's a she."
"So much the better," Chick avowed. "I love girl babies. Where is she?"
"You can't see her now, she's probably asleep. To-morrow she'll be on exhibition. I hear a car! It must be Mona!"
"I'll go and fetch her," said Farnsworth, springing up, and after a short time he returned with two newcomers, Mona Farrington and her husband, Roger.
Then there was more greeting and exclamation and laughter, as the latest guests admired the new home, and accepted Patty in her becoming role of hostess.
"To think of little Patty as the chatelaine of this palatial ménage!" said Roger, "and actually acting as if it belonged to her!"
"It isn't palatial," corrected Patty, "but it does belong to me,—that is, to me and my friend William. He vows I claim the baby for all my own property,—but I'll accord him a share in the place."
"It all belongs to me," said Farnsworth, with a careless sweep of a big arm. "The wistaria, Patty, the baby, and all!"
"That's right," agreed Roger, "keep up your air of authority as long as you can! I tried it,—but Mona soon usurped the position!"
"Nonsense!" and Mona smiled at her husband. "Don't you believe him, Patty. We go fifty-fifty on everything,—as to decisions, I mean. He gives in to my superior judgment half the time, and I let him have his own foolish way the other half. Follow my plan and you'll live happily, my dear."
"Are we your first company?" asked Elise.
"Yes,—except Father and Nan,—and a few calls from the neighbours. This is my first house-party. And I do want it to be a success, so I'm going to depend on you all to help me. If I do what I ought not to do,—or leave undone the things which I should ought to do,—check me up,—won't you, please?"
"We sure will," agreed Channing, "but something tells me you're going to prove an ideal hostess."
"She will," nodded Farnsworth, "she takes to hostessing like a duck to water. She even asked me what sort of smokes you chaps prefer."
"I