Dan was a treasure to him ; for he took well , and willingly posed in his Mexican costume , with horse and hound , and all wanted copies of these effective photographs . Bess , also , was a favourite sitter ; and Demi received a prize at the Amateur Photographic Exhibition for one of his cousin with all her hair about her face , which rose from the cloud of white lace draping the shoulders . These were freely handed round by the proud artist ; and one copy had a tender little history yet to be told . Nat was snatching every minute he could get with Daisy before the long parting ; and Mrs Meg relented somewhat , feeling sure that absence would quite cure this unfortunate fancy . Daisy said little ; but her gentle face was sad when she was alone , and a few quiet tears dropped on the handkerchiefs she marked so daintily with her own hair . She was sure Nat would not forget her ; and life looked rather forlorn without the dear fellow who had been her friend since the days of patty-pans and confidences in the willow-tree . She was an old-fashioned daughter , dutiful and docile , with such love and reverence for her mother that her will was law ; and if love was forbidden , friendship must suffice . So she kept her little sorrow to herself , smiled cheerfully at Nat , and made his last days of home-life very happy with every comfort and pleasure she could give , from sensible advice and sweet words to a well-filled work-bag for his bachelor establishment and a box of goodies for the voyage . Tom and Nan took all the time they could spare from their studies to enjoy high jinks at Plumfield with their old friends ; for Emil 's next voyage was to be a long one , Nat 's absence was uncertain , and no one ever knew when Dan would turn up again . They all seemed to feel that life was beginning to grow serious ; and even while they enjoyed those lovely summer days together they were conscious that they were children no longer , and often in the pauses of their fun talked soberly of their plans and hopes , as if anxious to know and help one another before they drifted farther apart on their different ways . A few weeks were all they had ; then the Brenda was ready , Nat was to sail from New York , and Dan went along to see him off ; for his own plans fermented in his head , and he was eager to be up and doing . A farewell dance was given on Parnassus in honour of the travellers , and all turned out in their best array and gayest spirits . George and Dolly came with the latest Harvard airs and graces , radiant to behold , in dress-suits and ` crushed hats ' , as Josie called the especial pride and joy of their boyish souls . Jack and Ned sent regrets and best wishes , and no one mourned their absence ; for they were among what Mrs Jo called her failures . Poor Tom got into trouble , as usual , by deluging his head with some highly scented preparation in the vain hope of making his tight curls lie flat and smooth , as was the style . Unhappily , his rebellious crop only kinked the closer , and the odour of many barbers ' shops clung to him in spite of his frantic efforts to banish it . Nan would n't allow him near her , and flapped her fan vigorously whenever he was in sight ; which cut him to the heart , and made him feel like the Peri shut out from Paradise . Of course his mates jeered at him , and nothing but the unquenchable jollity of his nature kept him from despair . Emil was resplendent in his new uniform , and danced with an abandon which only sailors know . His pumps seemed to be everywhere , and his partners soon lost breath trying to keep up with him ; but the girls all declared he steered like an angel , and in spite of his pace no collisions took place ; so he was happy , and found no lack of damsels to ship with him .
Having no dress-suit , Dan had been coaxed to wear his Mexican costume , and feeling at ease in the many-buttoned trousers , loose jacket , and gay sash , flung his serape over his shoulder with a flourish and looked his best , doing great execution with his long spurs , as he taught Josie strange steps or rolled his black eyes admiringly after certain blonde XXXXX whom he dared not address .
Brenda Daisy Dan Josie Plumfield York damsels home-life jollity willow-tree