THE LILAC LADY
The Second of the Peace Greenfield Books
BY RUTH ALBERTA BROWN
Author of "At The Little Brown House," "Tabitha At Ivy Hall,""Tabitha's Glory," "Tabitha's Vacation," Etc.
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AKRON, OHIO NEW YORK
Copyright, MCMXIV
By The Saalfield Publishing Co.
To
Edith Haserick McFarlane,
The Saint Elspeth of My Girlhood,
This Story is Affectionately Dedicated.
"Oh," cried Gail in quick sympathy, "what a feeble oldcreature! It is a shame she has to beg her living. Where is my purse?"
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. EXPLORING THE NEW HOME
CHAPTER II. THE FLAG ROOM
CHAPTER III. CHRISTMAS DAY WITH THE CAMPBELLS
CHAPTER IV. A ZEALOUS LITTLE MISSIONARY
CHAPTER V. AN UNEXPECTED INVITATION
CHAPTER VI. PEACE'S SPRING VACATION
CHAPTER VII. A VOICE FROM THE LILAC BUSHES
CHAPTER VIII. A PICNIC IN THE ENCHANTED GARDEN
CHAPTER IX. GIUSEPPE NICOLI AND THE MONKEY
CHAPTER X. THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
CHAPTER XI. PEACE FINDS NEW PLAYMATES
CHAPTER XII. A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM
CHAPTER XIII. CHILDREN'S DAY AT HILL STREET CHURCH
CHAPTER XIV. HOW THE FOURTH OF JULY MONEY WAS SPENT
CHAPTER XV. PEACE GIVES THE LILAC LADY AN IDEA
CHAPTER XVI. THE LILAC LADY FALLS ASLEEP
THE LILAC LADY
CHAPTER I
EXPLORING THE NEW HOME
Two days after the night of the memorable surprise party in the littlebrown house, the place stood dismantled and deserted under the naked,shivering trees, good-byes had been spoken, and the six smiling sistershad driven away from their Parker home amid much fluttering ofhandkerchiefs and waving of hands. Everyone was sorry to see them go,yet all rejoiced in the great good fortune which had befallen the littleorphan brood. Even after the Judge's carriage, which was to take them tothe station, disappeared around the bend of the creek road, theenthusiastic crowd of friends and neighbors clustered about the sagginggate continued to shout their joking warnings and happy wishes upon thecrisp, frosty, morning air.
"There," breathed Peace, grinning from ear to ear, as she slowly unwoundfrom the corkscrew twist she had assumed in her attempt to catch thelast glimpse of the old home. "They're all out of sight now. I can'teven see Hec Abbott any longer up in the tree with his dirtyhandkerchief. Oh, Mr. Judge, I forgot you were our coachman thismorning, but his handkerchief is awful dirty! It always is. I guesshis mother doesn't chase him up like Gail does us with clean ones. FaithGreenfield, what do you mean by kicking me like th