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Wells, Carolyn, 1862-1942

"Patty at Home"

"
"Who was it?"
"My next-door neighbour, Miss Daggett."
"What! Not Locky Ann Daggett!" exclaimed Elsie, laughing merrily.
"It was Miss Rachel Daggett. I don't know why you call her by that queer
name," said Patty.
"Oh, I've known her ever since I was a baby, and mother always calls her
Locky Ann Daggett, and grandmother did before her. You know Locky is a
nickname for Rachel."
"I didn't know it," said Patty. "What an absurd nickname."
"Yes, isn't it? How did you like her?"
"It isn't a question of liking," answered Patty. "She doesn't want me to
like her. All she seemed to care about was to have me promise not to
interfere with her."
"Oh, she's afraid of you," said Guy. "You don't seem so very terrifying,
now, but I suppose when you're engaged in the housekeeping of your house
you're an imposing and awe-inspiring sight."
"I dare say I am," said Patty; "but my neighbour, Miss Daggett, I'm sure,
would be imposing at any hour of the day or night."
"She's a queer character," said Elsie. "Have you never seen her before?"
"No; I never even heard of her until she sent up her card."
"Why, how funny," said Marian; "I've always heard of Locky Ann Daggett,
but I never knew anything about her, except that she's very old and
very queer."
"She's a sort of humourous character," said Guy Morris; "strong-minded,
you know, and eccentric, but not half bad. I quite like the old lady,
though I almost never see her.


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