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〃Thank goodness； everything is ready at last；〃 breathed Felicity devoutly； as we foregathered for a brief space in the fir wood。 〃We've nothing more to do now but get dressed。 It's really a serious thing to have a wedding in the family。〃
〃I have a note from Sara Ray；〃 said Cecily。 〃Judy Pineau brought it up when she brought Mrs。 Ray's spoons。 Just let me read it to you：
DEAREST CECILY：A DREADFUL MISFORTUNE has happened to me。 Last night I went with Judy to water the cows and in the spruce bush we found a WASPS' NEST and Judy thought it was AN OLD ONE and she POKED IT WITH A STICK。 And it was a NEW ONE； full of wasps； and they all flew out and STUNG US TERRIBLY； on the face and hands。 My face is all swelled up and I can HARDLY SEE out of one eye。 The SUFFERING was awful but I didn't mind that as much as being scared ma wouldn't take me to the wedding。 But she says I can go and I'm going。 I know that I am a HARD…LOOKING SIGHT； but it isn't anything catching。 I am writing this so that you won't get a shock when you see me。 Isn't it SO STRANGE to think your dear Aunt Olivia is going away？ How you will miss her！ But your loss will be her gain。
〃'Au revoir； 〃'Your loving chum； SARA RAY。'〃
〃That poor child；〃 said the Story Girl。
〃Well； all I hope is that strangers won't take her for one of the family；〃 remarked Felicity in a disgusted tone。
Aunt Olivia was married at five o'clock in the orchard under the late apple tree。 It was a pretty scene。 The air was full of the perfume of apple bloom； and the bees blundered foolishly and delightfully from one blossom to another； half drunken with perfume。 The old orchard was full of smiling guests in wedding garments。 Aunt Olivia was most beautiful amid the frost of her bridal veil； and the Story Girl； in an unusually long white dress； with her brown curls clubbed up behind； looked so tall and grown… up that we hardly recognized her。 After the ceremonyduring which Sara Ray cried all the timethere was a royal wedding supper； and Sara Ray was permitted to eat her share of the feast with us。
〃I'm glad I was stung by the wasps after all；〃 she said delightedly。 〃If I hadn't been ma would never have let me eat with you。 She just got tired explaining to people what was the matter with my face； and so she was glad to get rid of me。 I know I look awful； but； oh； wasn't the bride a dream？〃
We missed the Story Girl； who； of course； had to have her supper at the bridal table； but we were a hilarious little crew and the girls had nobly kept their promise to save tid…bits for us。 By the time the last table was cleared away Aunt Olivia and our new uncle were ready to go。 There was an orgy of tears and leavetakings； and then they drove away into the odorous moonlight night。 Dan and Peter pursued them down the lane with a fiendish din of bells and pans； much to Felicity's wrath。 But Aunt Olivia and Uncle Robert took it in good part and waved their hands back to us with peals of laughter。
〃They're just that pleased with themselves that they wouldn't mind if there was an earthquake；〃 said Felix； grinning。
〃It's been splendid and exciting； and everything went off well；〃 sighed Cecily； 〃but； oh dear； it's going to be so queer and lonesome without Aunt Olivia。 I just believe I'll cry all night。〃
〃You're tired to death； that's what's the matter with you；〃 said Dan； returning。 〃You girls have worked like slaves today。〃
〃Tomorrow will be even harder；〃 said Felicity comfortingly。 〃Everything will have to be cleaned up and put away。〃
Peg Bowen paid us a call the next day and was regaled with a feast of fat things left over from the supper。
〃Well； I've had all I can eat；〃 she said； when she had finished and brought out her pipe。 〃And that doesn't happen to me every day。 There ain't been as much marrying as there used to be； and half the time they just sneak off to the minister； as if they were ashamed of it； and get married without any wedding or supper。 That ain't the King way； though。 And so Olivia's gone off at last。 She weren't in any hurry but they tell me she's done well。 Time'll show。〃
〃Why don't you get married yourself； Peg？〃 queried Uncle Roger teasingly。 We held our breath over his temerity。
〃Because I'm not so easy to please as your wife will be；〃 retorted Peg。
She departed in high good humour over her repartee。 Meeting Sara Ray on the doorstep she stopped and asked her what was the matter with her face。
〃Wasps；〃 stammered Sara Ray； laconic from terror。
〃Humph！ And your hands？〃
〃Warts。〃
〃I'll tell you what'll take them away。 You get a pertater and go out under the full moon； cut the pertater in two； rub your warts with one half and say； 'One； two； three； warts； go away from me。' Then rub them with the other half and say； 'One； two； three； four； warts； never trouble me more。' Then bury the pertater and never tell a living soul where you buried it。 You won't have no more warts。 Mind you bury the pertater； though。 If you don't； and anyone picks it up； she'll get your warts。〃
CHAPTER XVIII
SARA RAY HELPS OUT
We all missed Aunt Olivia greatly； she had been so merry and companionable； and had possessed such a knack of understanding small fry。 But youth quickly adapts itself to changed conditions； in a few weeks it seemed as if the Story Girl had always been living at Uncle Alec's； and as if Uncle Roger had always had a fat； jolly housekeeper with a double chin and little； twinkling blue eyes。 I don't think Aunt Janet ever quite got over missing Aunt Olivia； or looked upon Mrs。 Hawkins as anything but a necessary evil； but life resumed its even tenor on the King farm； broken only by the ripples of excitement over the school concert and letters from Aunt Olivia describing her trip through the land of Evangeline。 We incorporated the letters in Our Magazine under the heading 〃From Our Special Correspondent〃 and were very proud of them。
At the end of June our school concert came off and was a great event in our young lives。 It was the first appearance of most of us on any platform； and some of us were very nervous。 We all had recitations； except Dan； who had refused flatly to take any part and was consequently care…free。
〃I'm sure I shall die when I find myself up on that platform； facing people；〃 sighed Sara Ray； as we talked the affair over in Uncle Stephen's Walk the night before the concert。
〃I'm afraid I'll faint；〃 was Cecily's more moderate foreboding。
〃I'm not one single bit nervous；〃 said Felicity complacently。
〃I'm not nervous this time；〃 said the Story Girl； 〃but the first time I recited I was。〃
〃My Aunt Jane；〃 remarked Peter； 〃used to say that an old teacher of hers told her that when she was going to recite or speak in public she must just get it firmly into her mind that it was only a lot of cabbage heads she had before her； and she wouldn't be nervous。〃
〃One mightn't be nervous； but I don't think there would be much inspiration in reciting to cabbage heads；〃 said the Story Girl decidedly。 〃I want to recite to PEOPLE； and see them looking interested and thrilled。〃
〃If I can only get through my piece without breaking down I don't care whether I thrill people or not；〃 said Sara Ray。
〃I'm afraid I'll forget mine and get stuck；〃 foreboded Felix。 〃Some of you fellows be sure and prompt me if I doand do it quick； so's I won't get worse rattled。〃
〃I know one thing；〃 said Cecily resolutely； 〃and that is； I'm going to curl my hair for to…morrow night。 I've never curled it since Peter almost died； but I simply must tomorrow night； for all the other girls are going to have theirs in curls。〃
〃The dew and heat will take all the curl out of yours and then you'll look like a scarecrow；〃 warned Felicity。
〃No； I won't。 I'm going to put my hair up in paper tonight and wet it with a curling…fluid that Judy Pineau uses。 Sara brought me up a bottle of it。 Judy says it is great stuffyour hair will keep in curl for days； no matter how damp the weather is。 I'll leave my hair in the papers till tomorrow evening； and then I'll have beautiful curls。〃
〃You'd better leave your hair alone；〃 said Dan gruffly。 〃Smooth hair is better than a lot of fly…away curls。〃
But Cecily was not to be persuaded。 Curls she craved and curls she meant to have。
〃I'm thankful my warts have all gone； any…way；〃 said Sara Ray。
〃So they have；〃 exclaimed Felicity。 〃Did you try Peg's recipe？〃
〃Yes。 I didn't believe in it but I tried it。 For the first few days afterwards I kept watching my warts； but they didn't go away； and then I gave up and forgot them。 But one day last week I just happened to look at my hands and there wasn't a wart to be seen。 It was the most amazing thing。〃
〃And yet you'll say Peg Bowen isn't a witch；〃 said Peter。
〃Pshaw； it was just the potato juice；〃 scoffed Dan。
〃It was a dry old potato I had； and there wasn't much juice in it；〃 said Sara Ray。 〃One hardly knows what to believe。 But one thing is certainmy warts are gone。〃
Cecily put her hair up in curl…papers that night； thoroughly soaked in Judy Pineau's curling…fluid。 It was a nasty job； for the fluid was very sticky；