Chapter 5 Friday Fun Friday afternoons were a special time in the schoolhouse.
On that day of the week, the students performed dialogues, recited dramatic pieces, and sang songs.
As much as the children loved Fridays, many of them were afraid of having to take their turn at the front of the classroom.
They worried about learning the lines and about forgetting them once they stood in front of the class.
As with anything that comes with hard work, poor Miss Dearborn often went home with a headache on Fridays.
With Rebecca at school, there was a new excitement about Friday afternoons.
She had helped the Simpson twins, Elijah and Elisha, earlier in the summer.
They had recited three very funny verses that left the class in giggles.
She had also helped poor Susan, who lisped, with a poem about a girl with the same problem.
It was very funny, too.
On this particular Friday, Emma Jane and Rebecca were to perform together.
Emma Jane was shy by herself, but being with Rebecca at the front of the class always gave her more strength.
Miss Dearborn was so excited about the afternoon's program that she had invited a number of people to watch.
The doctor's wife, the minister's wife, two members of the school's committee and many of the mothers were to come.
It was a special afternoon indeed.
Rebecca and Emma Jane were asked to decorate the two blackboards.
Emma Jane drew a wonderful map of North America.
Rebecca made a beautiful fluttering flag in red, white, and blue chalk.
Beside her flag, she drew a life like Christopher Columbus.
She used as many colors as Miss Dearborn had in her chalk box.
Miss Dearborn was delighted.
I think we should give Rebecca a good hand clapping for such a wonderful drawing.
Everyone clapped loudly.
Seesaw Simpson stood up and gave a hearty three cheers.
Rebecca's heart leaped for joy.
She even felt her eyes warm up with tears.
She could hardly see on the way back to her seat.
It was a dazzling moment for the girl.
No one had ever applauded for her before.
The excitement over the pictures continued to grow.
Alice Robinson suggested that they all point to Rebecca's picture when they sang three cheers for the red, white and blue.
Another girl wanted to fill the classroom with wildflowers for the guests.
Seesaw, thought it was a good idea for Emma, Jane and Rebecca to sign their pictures so everyone would know who had drawn them.
Miss Dearborn, let everyone out at a quarter to twelve that morning so that the students who lived nearby could go home and change.
Rebecca and Emma Jane were so excited that they ran almost the whole way home.
Do you think your Aunt Miranda will let you wear your best dress?
Emma Jane asked breathlessly.
I think I'll ask Aunt Jane, Rebecca replied.
Oh, if only my pink calico were finished.
Aunt Jane's still finishing the buttonholes.
I'm going to ask my mother if she'll let me wear her garnet ring, Emma Jane said.
It will look oh so nice flashing in the sun when I point to the flag.
Don't wait for me to go back.
I may get a ride.
Rebecca said goodbye to Emma Jane and then ran the rest of the way home.
She found the side door locked and took the key from under the mat.
Her lunch was already on the dining room table.
Aunt Jane had left a note saying that she and Miranda had gone to do some shopping in the nearby town of Moderation.
Rebecca ate quickly and then flew up the front stairs to her bedroom.
On the bed lay her pink gingham dress.
Aunt Jane had finished the buttonholes.
Could she?
Dare she?
Wear it without asking?
I'll wear it, Rebecca thought.
They're not here to ask, and maybe they won't mind one bit.
It's only gingham, after all.
It wouldn't be so grand if it weren't new or pink or trimmed.
Rebecca took her hair out of its two braids and combed out the waves.
Then she tied it back with a piece of ribbon, changed her shoes, and put on her pretty new dress.
On the way out the door, her eyes fell on her beloved pink parasol.
It matched her new frock perfectly.
The parasol wasn't appropriate for school, but Rebecca thought she would wrap it in paper and just carry it on the walk home.
Rebecca took a good long look at herself in the mirror downstairs.
A vision of loveliness gazed back at her.
She had never seen such a pretty dress, nor found an outfit to match her beloved parasol so perfectly.
She danced out the side door and raced back to school.
"'Rebecca Randall!'
Emma Jane exclaimed when she saw her.
"'You're as pretty as a picture.'
"'Me?'
Rebecca laughed.
Nonsense.
It's only the pink gingham.
You're different today, that's for sure.
See my garnet ring?
Emma Jane said.
She held out her hand.
Mother scrubbed it clean with soap and water.
How on earth did you get your Aunt Miranda to let you wear that brand new dress?
My aunts are in moderation, so I couldn't ask, Rebecca replied.
Why, do you think Aunt Miranda would say no?
Miss Miranda always says no, doesn't she?
Emma Jane asked.
Yes, but this afternoon is so special, almost like a Sunday school concert.
That's true, Emma Jane said.
Your name is on the board, and you drew that lovely flag.
The bell chimed, telling the two girls it was time to go inside.
The rest of the afternoon can only be described as a triumph.
No tears were shed.
All the lines were remembered.
All the parents told Miss Dearborn what a wonderful job she had done with the students.
Miss Dearborn told them all that it was Rebecca who had done a wonderful job.
She was ready, willing, and never shy.
But there wasn't a hint of bossiness, nor was she pushy.
She was simply pulled to the center of the stage where her voice rang out pure and true.
Finally, it was all over.
Rebecca thought she would never be calm or cool again.
Miss Dearborn had given them no homework, and she was even looking forward to her chores.
Even the thick rain clouds that hung in the sky did not worry her.
She floated on her happiness all the way home.
Then she entered the yard and saw her Aunt Miranda standing in the open doorway.
At that sight, she came right back down to earth in a rush.
You're over an hour late, Aunt Miranda said angrily to Rebecca.
Why didn't you come straight home from school instead of dancing down the road like that, something your silly father would have done?
And what on earth are you doing wearing that new dress without asking first?
I wanted to ask if it was all right, but you weren't home.
Rebecca tried to explain.
You did no such thing.
You put on that dress because you knew i'd say no if i had been home.
Miranda scolded.
Rebecca replied if i'd been certain you wouldn't have let me, i wouldn't have worn the dress at miranda, but I wasn't sure.
And it was such a special afternoon with her concert and all
How ruff, Miranda said.
You certainly didn't need to show off that silly parasol.
The parasol was silly, Rebecca confessed, but it looked so pretty with my dress.
Emma Jane and I spoke a dialogue about a city girl and a country girl and it came to me just as I was leaving that the parasol would be a perfect fit for my city girl.
And it was perfect, Aunt Miranda, really.
I haven't hurt my dress one mite, I promise.
Aunt Miranda frowned.
You've been crafty and underhanded.
Look at all the other things you've done.
You went up the front steps to your room.
I know because you dropped your handkerchief.
Then you left the screen out of your window upstairs and let all the flies in.
You left all your lunch dishes on the table.
There were crumbs everywhere.
And worst of all, you left the door unlocked.
Anyone could have come into the house.
Rebecca burst into tears.
How could she have been so careless?
Oh, Aunt Miranda, I'm so sorry.
She said I was late coming home for lunch and wanted to rush back to be on time for our concert.
There's no use crying now.
An ounce of good behavior is worth a pound of being sorry afterward.
Now take off that dress so I can make sure you haven't ruined it.
I have no patience for you acting in your father's silly little ways.
Rebecca lifted her head in a flash of anger.
"'Look here, Aunt Miranda.
I'll be as good as I know to be.
I'll remember to lock the door and won't wear my dress without asking again.
But my father wasn't silly.
He was a perfectly lovely father, and it's mean to say such things.'
'Don't you dare talk back to me that way, Rebecca'.
Miranda said sternly upstairs to your room this instant.
Your father was a vain and foolish man.
You might as well hear that from me.
It's right to bed for you.
We've already put your supper up on your dresser.
I don't want to hear another peep from you.
Rebecca wiped away her tears and climbed the stairs with a heavy heart.
The wonder and excitement of the day were fading as fast as the rainstorm that was about to drench the old brick house was approaching.
Just then, Jane came into the room.
"'Why don't you run out and take the laundry from the line?'
Miranda said.
"'It looks like we're in for a storm.'
"'I think we've already had it,' Jane said quietly.
'I don't often speak up Miranda, but I don't think you should have said those things about Rebecca's father'.
Think what you like, Jane, but the truth needs telling.
That girl will never amount to a hill of beans until she stops taking after her father so much.
I'm glad I said what I did.
Well, I'm sure you are glad, but that doesn't change how hurt her feelings were.
It simply wasn't nice of you.
A giant clap of thunder shook the old brick house.
It might have scared Miranda if she wasn't already thinking hard about what Jane had just said.
Meanwhile, a weary Rebecca closed the door to her room.
She took off her beloved pink gingham with dribbling fingers.
Her cotton handkerchief was rolled into a hard ball.
She unrolled it and wiped away her tears.
Then she braided her hair back into pigtails and took off her good shoes.
With her wonderful day in ruins, Rebecca thought about going back to Sunnybrook Farm.
Her mother would be very angry with her, but at least Aunt Miranda could have Hannah come to stay.
She sat down hard on the chair in front of the window and thought about everything that had happened.
What a golden morning it had been.
A few hours ago, Rebecca had sat there looking out at her bright world.
Then there was all the excitement of the concert at school and her wonderful picture on the blackboard.
She had never been so well liked before.
Rebecca thought, I'll go to Maplewood on the next stagecoach with Mr. Cobb.
Indeed, she would slip away now and spend the night with the Cobbs.
Then she could leave with Uncle Jeremiah in the morning.
Once she had made up her mind, Rebecca never stopped to think about her actions.
Within minutes, she had on her old brown dress, hat, and jacket.
She scrambled out the window onto the roof.
Luckily, it wasn't very high up.
She grabbed hold of the lightning rod and slid down onto the porch.
The rain was falling hard, but Rebecca didn't notice.
She ran down the road to the Cobb's house as fast as she could.
