an to tell you," she answered.
"'Making butterflies,' as a dear little boy once defined my favorite
occupation, and telling those who are interested in such things how they
are made, is very delightful to me,"

"Come, then, girls, hurry!" said Nellie: "the sooner we get to work the
sooner the story will begin. Good-by, Mr. Swallow-tail,--I wonder what
they call you so for,--we are going to hear all about you,"

But when they returned to the other room they found Sammy Ray and Roy
Tyler on the piazza, close to the open door. Roy beckoned to his sister,
and they held a whispered conference during which the words, "You ask
her," energetically spoken by Roy, could be plainly heard by those
inside.

Nellie turned presently, half laughing, but a little embarrassed.

"The boys want to know if they can't come in," she said. "I tell them
it's ridiculous for boys to attend a sewing society, but they won't go
away till I've asked."

Here the boys stepped forward and took off their hats. Their faces shone
with the scrubbing with soap and water they had given them, and both had
on clean collars. Sammy dived in his trowsers pocket and brought out a
couple of big brass thimbles and some needles stuck in a bit of flannel.

"We are willing to help sew," said the boy, and bravely stood his
ground, though all the girls laughed, and even Miss Ruth looked amused
at the sight of these huge implements.

"If we let you in at all, boys," she said, "it must be as guests. What
do you say, girls? Suppose we put it to vote. As many of you as are in
favor of admitting Samuel Ray and Roy Tyler to the meeting of the
Patchwork Quilt Society, now in session, will please to signify it by
raising the right hand."

Every hand was lifted.

"It is a unanimous vote," she announced. "Walk in, boys. One more chair,
Susie. Now, then, are we ready?"

But this was fated to be a day of interruptions, for while she was
speaking the door opened and in walked Lavina Tibbs, bearing a plate
piled high with something cove

William Babington Maxwell (18661938) was a British novelist. He was a son of novelist Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Though nearly 50 years old at the outbreak of the First World War, he was accepted as a lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and served in France until 1917.

Cyrus Townsend Brady (December 20, 1861 January 24, 1920) was a journalist, historian and adventure writer. His most well-known work is Indian Fights and Fighters. He was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1883. He was also a deacon in the Episcopal church. His first wife was Clarissa Guthrie, who died in 1890. His second wife was Mary Barrett.

Rebecca Sophia Clarke (1833-1906), also known as Sophie May, was an American author of childrens fiction. Using her nieces and nephews as inspiration, she wrote realistic stories about children. She wrote 45 books between 1860 and 1903. The most popular being the Little Prudy books. She lived most of her life in her native town of Norridgewock, Maine, where she lived out her life with her sister, who was also a successful author.