"But I thought orange blossoms meant a wedding--" Lenora began. She wondered if Charles' secret was known, but Jenny, in a matter of fact way, replied: "A twenty-first birthday is equally important. Our only other choice would have been lemon blossoms, and, somehow, _they_ didn't seem quite appropriate."
Grandma Sue had again busied herself at the stove, while Grandpa Si strained the milk.
"Come, girls," she now called, "everything's done to a turn. You'll be wantin' a deal o' time to prink, I reckon."
The old man removed his straw hat, washed at the sink pump, and, as he was rubbing his face with the towel, his eyes twinkled above it.
"I cal'late it'll take quite a spell for me'n you to rig up for this here ball, Susie-wife," he said as he took his place at the head of the table.
The old woman, at the other end, shook her gray curls as she protested: "I sort o' wish yo' hadn't been so hasty, makin' a promise on your honor like that to Harry. We'll feel old-fashioned, and in the way, I reckon."
"Wall, I'm sort o' squeamish about it myself, but the word of Si Warner can't be took back." The old man tried to assume a repentant expression.
"You're a fraud, Grandpa Si!" Jenny laughed across at him. "I can see by the twinkle in your eyes that you intend to lead the dance tonight."
Such a merry, exciting time as they had in the two hours that followed. Jenny insisted on helping her grandparents to dress in their best before she donned her party gown. Grandma Sue had a black silk which had been turned and made over several times, but, being of the best of material, it had not grown shabby.
"Old Mrs. Jones gave it to me," she told Lenora, "when Si and I were figgerin' on gettin' married." Susan Warner's cheeks were apple-red with excitement.
"Oh, Grandma Sue," Lenora suddenly exclaimed, "I have the prettiest creamy lace shawl. It belonged to my grandmother, and there's a head-dress to go with it. She'd just love to have you wear it. Won't you, to please me?"
"I cal'late I will if you're hankerin' to have me." Lenora darted to her trunk and soon returned with a small but very beautiful shoulder shawl of creamy lace, and a smaller lace square with a pale lavender bow which she placed atop of Susan Warner's gray curls. Grandpa Si arrived, dressed in his best black, in time to join in the general chorus of admiration.