The
smiling colored maid brushed their hair, helped them into the fresh
muslin dresses they had each brought, and when they were ready opened
the door and followed them down the stairs where they found Flora
awaiting them.
"Luncheon is all ready," she said, and led the way into the dining-room,
where Mrs. Hayes and Flora's two older brothers, Ralph and Philip, were
waiting for them. The boys were tall, good-looking lads, and as they
were in the uniform of the Military School of Charleston, of which they
were pupils, Sylvia thought they must be quite grown up, although Ralph
was only sixteen and his brother two years younger. They had ridden out
on horseback from Charleston, and had just arrived.
Flora introduced them to Sylvia, and Grace greeted them as old
acquaintances.
"I suppose you girls are looking forward to the corn-shucking to-night?"
Ralph asked, with his pleasant smile, as he held Sylvia's chair for her
to take her seat at the table, while Philip performed the same service
for Grace.
"Oh, my dear boy! You have betrayed Flora's surprise," said Mrs. Hayes.
"She had planned not to let the girls know about it until nightfall."
"What is a 'corn-shucking'?" questioned Sylvia; for she had always lived
in a city and did not know much about farm or plantation affairs.
"Shall I tell her, Flora?" questioned Ralph, laughingly.
"No! No, indeed! Wait, Sylvia, then it will be a surprise after all,"
responded Flora.
Sylvia smiled happily.
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