This E-text was created by Doug Levy, littera scripta manet
by SUSAN COOLIDGE
It was just after that happy visit of which I told at the end of "What
Katy Did," that Elsie and John made their famous excursion to Conic
Section; an excursion which neither of them ever forgot, and about
which the family teased them for a long time afterward.
The summer had been cool; but, as often happens after cool summers,the autumn proved unusually hot. It seemed as if the months had beenplaying a game, and had "changed places" all round; and as if Septemberwere determined to show that he knew how to make himself just asdisagreeable as August, if only he chose to do so. All the last halfof Cousin Helen's stay, the weather was excessively sultry. She feltit very much, though the children did all they could to make hercomfortable, with shaded rooms, and iced water, and fans. Everyevening the boys would wheel her sofa out on the porch, in hopes ofcoolness; but it was of no use: the evenings were as warm as the days,and the yellow dust hanging in the air made the sunshine look thickand hot. A few bright leaves appeared on the trees, but they werewrinkled, and of an ugly color. Clover said she thought they had beenboiled red like lobsters. Altogether, the month was a trying one,and the coming of October made little difference: still the dustcontinued, and the heat; and the wind, when it blew, had no refreshmentin it, but seemed to have passed over some great furnace which hadburned out of it all life and flavor.
In spite of this, however it was wonderful to see how Katy gained andimproved. Every day added to her powers. First she came down todinner, then to breakfast. She sat on the porch in the afternoons;she poured the tea. It was like a miracle to the others, in thebeginning, to watch her going about the house; but they got usedto it surprisingly soon,—one does to pleasant things. One person,however, never got used to it, never took it as a matter of course;and that was Katy herself. She could not run downstairs, or out intothe garden; she could not open the kitchen door to give an order,without a sense of gladness and exultation which was beyond words.The wider and more active life stimulated her in every way. Hercheeks grew round and pink, her eyes bright. Cousin Helen and papawatched this change with indescribable pleasure; and Mrs. Worrett,who dropped in to lunch one day, fairly screamed with surprise atthe sight of it.
"To think of it!" she cried, "why, the last time I was here you lookedas if you had took root in that chair of yours for the rest of yourdays, and here you are stepping around as lively as I be. Well, well!wonders will never cease. It does my eyes good to see you, Katherine.I wish your poor aunt were here to-day; that I do. How pleased she