Charlotta the Fourth was flying around with such vim and briskness that her blue bows seemed really to possess the power of being everywhere at once . Like the helmet of Navarre , Charlotta 's blue bows waved ever in the thickest of the fray . `` Praise be to goodness you 've come , '' she said devoutly , `` for there 's heaps of things to do ... and the frosting on that cake WO N'T harden ... and there 's all the silver to be rubbed up yet ... and the horsehair trunk to be packed ... and the roosters for the chicken salad are running out there beyant the henhouse yet , crowing , Miss Shirley , ma'am . And Miss Lavendar ai n't to be trusted to do a thing . I was thankful when Mr. Irving came a few minutes ago and took her off for a walk in the woods . Courting 's all right in its place , Miss Shirley , ma'am , but if you try to mix it up with cooking and scouring everything 's spoiled . That 's MY opinion , Miss Shirley , ma'am . '' Anne and Diana worked so heartily that by ten o'clock even Charlotta the Fourth was satisfied . She braided her hair in innumerable plaits and took her weary little bones off to bed . `` But I 'm sure I sha n't sleep a blessed wink , Miss Shirley , ma'am , for fear that something 'll go wrong at the last minute ... the cream wo n't whip ... or Mr. Irving 'll have a stroke and not be able to come . '' `` He is n't in the habit of having strokes , is he ? '' asked Diana , the dimpled corners of her mouth twitching . To Diana , Charlotta the Fourth was , if not exactly a thing of beauty , certainly a joy forever . `` They 're not things that go by habit , '' said Charlotta the Fourth with dignity . `` They just HAPPEN ... and there you are . ANYBODY can have a stroke . You do n't have to learn how . Mr. Irving looks a lot like an uncle of mine that had one once just as he was sitting down to dinner one day . But maybe everything 'll go all right . In this world you 've just got to hope for the best and prepare for the worst and take whatever God sends . ''
`` The only thing I 'm worried about is XXXXX it wo n't be fine tomorrow , '' said Diana .
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