“The city hall again?” murmured Margaretta.
“Yes--what is the city hall but a place of refuge for the children of the city? I asked to see the Mayor. A young man in the other office said he was busy.”
“‘Then I’ll wait,’ I said, and I sat down.
“He kept me sitting there for a solid hour. You can imagine that I was pretty well annoyed. At the end of that time three fat, prosperous-looking men walked from the inner sanctum, and I was invited to go in.”
“Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
Margaretta smiled, and asked, “Young or old?”
“Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding. His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy. I’d give him any age between fifteen and fifty.”
“Well, now, I don’t suppose he would be fifteen.”
“He acts like it sometimes,” said Berty, warmly. “Years have not taught him grace and experience, as they have Grandma.”
“Let me see,” murmured Margaretta, “there is a Mrs. Jimson and there are two Misses Jimson who are dying to get into our set. I heard the Everests laughing about them.”
“Same ones, probably--well, he knew enough to stand up when I went in. I said ‘Good morning’ and he looked so amiable that I thought he would give me not only what I wanted, but the whole city besides.
“When we had both sat down, I said, ‘I will not take up your time, sir. I have merely come to ask you to give the children of the East End a park to play in.’
“He lowered his eyes, and began to play with a paper-knife. Then he looked up, and said, ‘May I ask your name?’
“‘My name is Miss Gravely,’ I told him, ‘and I am Mrs. Travers’s granddaughter.’
“‘Oh, indeed,’ he replied, ‘and why are you interested in the children of the East End?’
“‘Because I live there--on River Street. We have lost our money.’
“He looked surprised at the first part of my sentence. I think he knew about the last of it. Then he said, ‘Have the children asked for a park?’
“‘Then why give it to them?’ he inquired, mildly.
“‘Does a good father always wait to have his children demand a necessity before he offers it?’ I replied.