Produced by Meredith Minter Dixon and Melissa Reid
[Frontispiece: Going to Barbara's Wedding]
Little Prudy Series —————————-
BOSTON: LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by
LEE & SHEPARD,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of
Massachusetts.
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COUSIN GRACE——————
Grace Clifford and Katharine Hallock were such dear friends, and spentso much time together, that you could not think of one withoutthinking of the other, and people linked their names together, andspoke of "Grace and Cassy," just as one speaks of a "cup and saucer"or a "hook and eye."
Yet they were not in the least alike. There was something very eagerand vivid about Grace, with her bright blue eyes, auburn curls, andbrilliant color. She had an ecstatic way of laughing, and a wild,agonized way of weeping. She clapped her hands for joy, or wrung themfor grief. Her tears fell in showers, but afterward the sun was sureto shine out clearly.
Cassy, on the other hand, was a gentle, brown-eyed little maiden, withlong lashes sweeping her cheeks, and brown hair lying quietly behindher ears. She never stormed nor raved.
It was a very rare thing for the girls to disagree. They had such adear love for each other that they decided never to marry, but to livetogether in a charming cottage adorned with woodbine, and keepchickens, pigeons and a cat.
At the beginning of our story they were nearly twelve years old, andcloser friends than ever. They had exchanged rings as pledges ofeverlasting fidelity. The ring which Cassy gave Grace was set withgems—ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst, ruby, and diamond—the initialsspelling the word "Regard." This regard-ring had once belonged toMrs. Hallock; but after being broken and mended it was too small forher, and she had given it to Cassy.
In exchange, Grace put on her friend's third finger a pretty emerald,which had been a good-by present from Mr. Augustus Allen.
One day in March these two Hoosier girls were walking hand in handdown Vine Street, where there was always a fine shade in the summer.Now the trees were leafless, and the bright sun shadowed forth littleflickering pictures of their branches on the girls' shawls and hats.
"Why, Cassy Hallock," said Grace, shading her face with one hand,"this sun is bright enough to blind an eagle."
"But it doesn't blind me," laughed Cassy. "I can almost look at itwithout winking."
"Then you must be a half-eagle, Cassy. Wh