Chapter XXV: The Trials of Weenie

Weenie was fourteen before Romance in any way affected her.

True she had occasionally been bitten with a desire to emulate her sisters, and the results had been so unique that Mrs. Wise had carried them off and placed them in her “put-away” drawer, an honour she rarely bestowed on the prolific elder sisters.

There was the time for instance that Phyl and Dolly had written a play which they had acted among themselves with much success. The doctor was much amused one day while rehearsals were still going on to come across Weenie sitting in the summer-house, biting her pen very hard.

“No, I protest,” he said; “look here, two authoresses are enough in the family. For Heaven’s sake don’t you catch the disease.”

“I don’t see why they should be the only ones to write,” Weenie said; “it’s ever so easy; I’m always going to do it.”

“Mother!” cried the doctor. Mrs. Wise was sewing just outside on the grass. “Here’s Weenie with the most alarming symptoms setting in.”

“Oh, let it alone, if you love me, Weenie,” Mrs. Wise said. “I _do_ want one daughter who won’t burn the jam, and seam up four sides of a pillow-case.”

“You don’t make fun of the others,” Weenie said pettishly; “why don’t you tell them to stop?”

“Their complaint has become chronic,” the doctor said, “but we should like to save you while there is time.”

From the bottom of the garden came loud excited shouts and hurrahs.

“I do believe,” said Weenie, her face lighting up, her pen dropping from her hands—“I do believe Freddie’s got that snake at last,” and her long, black legs went flying down the orchard.

“Freddie, the physician, warranted to cure,” said the doctor.

Of course he had to read the forgotten result of so much pen-biting.

“_The Rival Suitors_,” by Wilhelmina Conway, said sprawling red letters at the top of a sheet of foolscap. Then just underneath—

“DRAMMATIS PERSONS

Lord Regginald.—a lord in love with Susan.
Adolfus.— Another man, but he’s really the real Lord Regginald.
Mrs. Jones.— Adolfusse’s Mother.
Susan.— A girl.