could not get herself and her three children seated to her mind! Those
ladies who labored so industriously in order that the nation's flags,
draping the stand, should float gracefully over the nation's chief, were
an almost inexhaustible source of amusement to our girls.

"Look!" said Eurie, "that arrangement doesn't suit; some of the stars
are hidden; see them twitch it; it will be down! Now that one has it
looped just to her fancy. No! I declare, there it comes down again! The
other one twitched it this time; they are not of the same mind. Girls,
do look! It is fun to watch them; they work as though the interests of
this meeting all turned on a right arrangement of that flag."

By this time the attention of the girls was engaged, and the number of
witty remarks that were made at the expense of those flags would no
doubt have disconcerted the earnest workers thereat could they have
heard them.

The hours waned, and the president did not arrive. The waiters essayed
to sing, but to lead such an army of people was a difficult task,
especially when there was no one to lead. Such singing!

"We came out ahead, anyhow!" said Flossy, stopping to laugh.

Five or six thousand people had finished their verse, while five or six
thousand in the rear were in the third line of it.

"We need Mr. Bliss or Mr. Sherwin or _somebody_," said Ruth. "What a
pity that they have all gone, and Dr. Tourjée hasn't come! I thought he
was to be here."