CHAPTER I

A MAY PARTY

"Marjorie Maynard's May
Came on a beautiful day;
And Marjorie's Maytime
Is Marjorie's playtime;
And that's what I sing and I say!
Hooray!
Yes, that's what I sing and I say!"

Marjorie was coming downstairs in her own sweet way, which was
accomplished by putting her two feet close together, and jumping two
steps at a time. It didn't expedite her descent at all, but it was
delightfully noisy, and therefore agreeable from Marjorie's point of
view.

The May-day was undeniably beautiful. It was warm enough to have doors
and windows flung open, and the whole house was full of May that had
swarmed in from out of doors.

The air was soft and fragrant, the leaves were leaving out, the buds were
budding, and the spring was springing everywhere.

The big gold bushes of the Forsythia were masses of yellow bloom;
crocuses popped up through the grass; a few birds had begun to sing, and
the sun shone as if with a settled determination to push the spring ahead