Marjories Maytime | Page 2

a robe of state, which looked like purple velvet and ermine, though it was really canton flannel. But it had a grand and noble air, and King wore it with a majestic strut that would have done credit to any coronation.
Kitty and Dorothy wore light green dresses trimmed with pink paper roses, and were very pretty little princesses; while Rosy Posy as Maid of Honor wore one of her own little white frocks, tied up lavishly with blue ribbons.
Flip Henderson's costume was a good deal like King's, as he had purposely copied it, not having any other design to work from.
Mrs. Maynard and Miss Hart were not so fancifully attired as the younger members of the party, but they wore pretty light gowns with more or less floral decoration.
The whole affair was impromptu; the children had spent the morning getting it up, and now were going to devote the afternoon to the party itself.
"We must make a procession," began Marjorie, who was mistress of ceremonies; "you must go first, Mother, because the May Queen Dowager is the most honorable one."
"Me go first, too," announced Rosy Posy, taking her mother's hand.
"Yes, you may," said Marjorie. "In fact, Baby, you'd better go first of all, because you're Maid of Honor; and so you walk in front of the Queen Dowager."
So Rosy Posy toddled ahead, followed by Mrs. Maynard, who carried a wand of flowers with gracious effect.
"The Queens ought to come next," said King, but Marjorie's sense of politeness interfered with this plan.
"No, the Duchess must come next," she said; "I don't care whether it's right or not as a procession, but I think Miss Hart ought to go before us children."
So the Duchess of May took her place next in line, and then the two Queens side by side followed.
Then came the two Princesses, and behind them, the King of May and the Prince, walking together in affable companionship. It was an imposing sight, and the paraders were so pleased with themselves that they marched round the lawn several times before going to the scene of the festivity.
But at last they went to the Coronation Bowers, and decided it was time for the ceremonies to begin.
The two crowns were in readiness for the two Queens. They were exactly alike, and were made of pasteboard covered with gilt paper. Miss Hart had helped with these, and they were really triumphs of gorgeous beauty. Each lay on a lace-trimmed cushion, and with them were long golden sceptres with gilt balls on top.
"Who's to do to the crowning?" asked King.
"Why, I supposed you had those details all settled in advance," said Miss Hart, laughing.
"No," returned King, "we didn't fix things up ahead much, we thought we'd just make up as we went along. I'll crown Flossy Flouncy, and Flip, you crown Marjorie,--that'll be all right."
The other members of the Royal Family took seats on rustic benches, and the two Queens mounted their thrones. The bowers were pretty, and as they stood side by side, framing the smiling Queens, it was a pretty picture.
"I hate to stop the proceedings," said Miss Hart, "but I think I must run over and get my camera, and take a snap-shot of this Coronation."
"All right," said King, agreeably, "we'll wait. We'll sing a song while you're gone, and you can skip over and back in no time."
So while the children sang the "Star Spangled Banner," Miss Hart ran across the street, and came back with her camera.
"Better wait until they get their crowns on," suggested Kitty, "they'll look a heap queenlier then."
So the coronation ceremony proceeded. The King and the Prince advanced majestically to the thrones, bearing the crowns on their cushions.
"Who'll make the speech?" asked the King.
"You may," said Flip, politely.
"No, you're better at it than I am. Well, we'll each make one. You can begin."
So Flip advanced, and holding his burden high at arms' length he dropped on one knee before Marjorie, and began to declaim in oratorical tones:
"Fair Maiden, Queen of May, I salute thee! I salute all the rest of you too, but mostly the Queen, because she is the principal pebble on the beach. Queens always are. And so, Fair Maiden, Fair Maynard Maiden, I salute thee."
"That's enough saluting," put in King; "go on with your crowning."
"And so, fair Queen of May, I crown thee, our Queen and our Sovereign! May your shadow never grow less, and may you have many happy returns of the day! And with kind regards to all, I'm your humble servant."
Having set the crown squarely on Marjorie's head, Flip bowed low in humble salutation, and then resumed an upright position, rather pleased with his own speech.
"I accept thy homage, O Prince," said Marjorie, as she bowed and smiled with queenly grace; "and I shall endeavor to be the best