Here I've been
working hard for nothing,--it was just a waste of time!"
Marion pleaded and reasoned, but without avail. Ellen's vanity was
wounded. She chose to imagine that her classmate, and sometimes rival,
did not care whether her lines were spoiled or not.
"No, no!" she reiterated. "I'll have nothing to do with your new plan.
You can get up the whole piece yourself."
"At least give me what you have written," urged Marion. "We are so
hurried, and the children ought to have their parts as soon as
possible."
But Ellen remained obdurate.
Marion consulted the others of the class, and, after some discussion,
they decided in favor of the later design. For the next few days she
devoted every spare moment to the work. By the end of the week she had
not only finished the portion she had been expected to write, but also
much of what Ellen was to have done; and the parts were distributed
among the children. There were still wanting, however, the opening
address and a dialogue, both of which Ellen had completed.
"Oh, dear," cried Marion, "that address of Ellen's is so pretty and
appropriate! If she would only let us have it! As we planned it
together, if I write one the principal ideas will be the same; and
then, likely as not, she will say I copied from hers.
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