THE STRAWBERRY PARTY. 209 



he should carry, while Alice May, gathering . her shawl in 

 graceful folds around her, reclined against a rock at a little 

 distance, in a most picturesque and effective attitude. It was 

 easy to see that both she and Lionel were acting a part, and as 

 each already cordially disliked the affectation of the other, it was 

 a little surprising that they should take so much pains to assume 

 disagreeable characters towards each other. The rest of us 

 went diligently to work among the strawberry- vines, and 

 certainly we had little reason to complain of any stint in dame 

 Nature's gifts. 



It seemed to me that Alice had never been so full of whim 

 as on that day. She talked grave nonsense with Cousin Tom, 

 rallied the somewhat dull and heavy beaux who were puzzled 

 to reply to her light jests, teased the children, and in short 

 appeared like a wilful school-girl rather than the haughty belle. 

 I rather think, though I never knew, that she and Lionel had 

 fallen out by the way, for she seemed to take especial pleasure 

 in annoying him by all sorts of things which her knowledge of 

 his character led her to suppose would be disagreeable. There 

 was one youth, who, delighted at the unwonted affability of the 

 city lady, was seduced into making a perfect fool of himself. 

 He was a shallow, good humored coxcomb, as vain as a peacock, 

 and when he seated himself at the feet of Alice May, in the 

 most approved pastoral attitude, she seemed to consider him a 

 fair subject for her saucy humor. His new beaver hat and 

 bright yellow gloves were the especial objects of her attention, 

 and she set him upon all kinds of tasks, until she finally suc- 

 ceeded in effectually dimming the brilliancy of the gloves which 



