'
'And is she a favourite with boys as well as girls?'
'Favourite!' said Bell. 'Why, they think that she is simply perfect!
Of course she has scarcely been able to sit up a week at a time for a
year, and naturally she has not seen many people; but, if you want a
boy's opinion, just ask Philip or Geoffrey. I assure you, Laura,
after you have known Elsie a while, and have seen the impression she
makes upon everybody, you will want to go to bed and see if you can
do likewise.'
'It isn't just the going to bed,' remarked Margery, sagely.
'And it isn't the prettiness either,' added Polly; 'though if you saw
Elsie asleep, a flower in one hand, the other under her cheek, her
hair straying over the pillow (O for hair that would stray
anywhere!), you would expect every moment to see a halo above her
head.'
'I don't believe it is because she is good that everybody admires her
so,' said Laura, 'I don't think goodness in itself is always so very
interesting; if Elsie had freckles and a snub nose'--('Don't mind
me!' murmured Polly)--'you would find that people would say less
about her wonderful character.'
'There are things that puzzle me,' said Polly, thoughtfully. 'It
seems to me that if I could contrive to be ever so good, nobody ever
would look for a halo round my head. Now, is it my turned-up nose
and red hair that make me what I am, or did what I am make my nose
and hair what they are--which?'
'We'll have to ask Aunt Truth,' said Margery; 'that is too difficult
a thing for us to answer.
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