



Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan and the Online
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[Illustration: BLUE BONNET.]




A TEXAS BLUE BONNET

BY CAROLINE EMILIA JACOBS (EMILIA ELLIOTT)

_Illustrated by_ JOHN GOSS

THE PAGE COMPANY BOSTON--PUBLISHERS




_Copyright, 1910_ BY THE PAGE COMPANY

_All rights reserved_

Made in U.S.A.

Twentieth Impression, November, 1925 Twenty-first
Impression, September, 1926 Twenty-second
Impression, October, 1927 Twenty-third
Impression, June, 1928 Twenty-fourth Impression,
March, 1930 Twenty-fifth Impression, August,
1933 Twenty-sixth Impression, December, 1935
Twenty-Seventh Impression, March, 1938

PRINTED BY THE COLONIAL PRESS INC. CLINTON,
MASS., U.S.A.




CONTENTS

CHAPTER                                           PAGE

      I. BLUE BONNET                                 1

     II. ELIZABETH                                  16

    III. TO MEET MISS ELIZABETH ASHE                34

     IV. SCHOOL                                     51

      V. AN INVITATION                              68

     VI. TEA-PARTY NUMBER TWO                       84

    VII. THE CLIMAX                                100

   VIII. MR. HUNT                                  122

     IX. VICTOR                                    140

      X. UNCLE CLIFF                               161

     XI. MY LADY BOUNTIFUL                         184

    XII. SEÑORITA                                  208

   XIII. CHRISTMAS BOXES AND OTHER MATTERS         227

    XIV. CHRISTMAS                                 248

     XV. A DARE                                    268

    XVI. LADIES’ DAY                               288

   XVII. A CLASS AFFAIR                            312

  XVIII. COVENTRY                                  333

    XIX. THE BOSTON RELATIVES                      351

     XX. CONCERNING THE SARGENT                    374

    XXI. THE END OF THE TERM                       395




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

                                                  PAGE

  BLUE BONNET                            _Frontispiece_

  “‘GRANDMOTHER,’ SHE CRIED, ‘I’VE GOT A DOG’”      32

  “‘I RECKON YOU THINK I’M A COWARD. MAYBE YOU
    WON’T WANT TO BE FRIENDS ANY MORE’”            106

  “‘ISN’T IT THE NICEST CHRISTMAS!’ BLUE BONNET
    CRIED, HER LAP FULL OF TREASURES”              254

  “‘LADIES’ DAY AT THE TRENT RINK’ PROVED A
    THOROUGH SUCCESS”                              295

  “‘BUT I THOUGHT,’ SHE SAID, ‘THAT IT WAS A
    _GIRL’S_ PRIVILEGE TO CHANGE HER MIND?’”       383




A Texas Blue Bonnet

CHAPTER I

BLUE BONNET


Blue Bonnet came up the steps of the long, low ranch house, and threw
herself listlessly back in one of the deep veranda chairs.

“Tired, Honey?” Mr. Ashe asked, laying down his paper.

“Yes, Uncle Cliff. I--hate walking!”

“Then why not ride?”

Blue Bonnet was smoothing the ears of Don, the big collie who had
followed her up on to the veranda, and now stood resting his fine head
on her knee. “I--didn’t want to,” she answered, slowly, without looking
up.

“See here, Honey,” said Mr. Ashe, leaning toward her, a note of inquiry
in his deep, pleasant voice; “come to think of it, you haven’t been
riding lately.”

“No, Uncle Cliff.” Blue Bonnet’s eyes were turned now out over the wide
stretch of prairie before the house.

“Any reason, Honey?”

The girl hesitated. “Yes, Uncle Cliff.”

“Don’t you want to tell me it, Blue Bonnet?”

“No,” Blue Bonnet answered, slowly, “I don’t want to tell it to you.
I--it’s because I’m--afraid.”

“_Afraid!_ Blue Bonnet! That’s an odd word for an Ashe to use!”

“I know, Uncle Cliff; I reckon I’m not an Ashe--clear through.” Blue
Bonnet rose hurriedly and ran down the steps. Around the house she
went, and in through the back