And the milk went everywhere except down Pat 's throat . '' `` Would n't it be awful if -- if anything happened to Pat ? '' whispered Cecily . `` Well , we could have a jolly funeral , you know , '' said Dan . We looked at him in such horror that Dan hastened to apologize . `` I 'd be awful sorry myself if Pat died . But if he DID , we 'd have to give him the right kind of a funeral , '' he protested . `` Why , Paddy just seems like one of the family . '' The Story Girl finished her turnover , and stretched herself out on the grasses , pillowing her chin in her hands and looking at the sky . She was bare headed , as usual , and her scarlet ribbon was bound filletwise about her head . She had twined freshly plucked dandelions around it and the effect was that of a crown of brilliant golden stars on her sleek , brown curls . `` Look at that long , thin , lacy cloud up there , '' she said . `` What does it make you think of , girls ? '' `` A wedding veil , '' said Cecily . `` That is just what it is -- the Wedding Veil of the Proud Princess . I know a story about it . I read it in a book . Once upon a time '' -- the Story Girl 's eyes grew dreamy , and her accents floated away on the summer air like wind-blown rose petals -- `` there was a princess who was the most beautiful princess in the world , and kings from all lands came to woo her for a bride . But she was as proud as she was beautiful . She laughed all her suitors to scorn .
And when her father urged her to choose one of them as her husband she drew herself up haughtily -- so -- '' The Story Girl sprang XXXXX her feet and for a moment we saw the proud princess of the old tale in all her scornful loveliness -- `` and she said , '' ' I will not wed until a king comes who can conquer all kings .
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