left
alone in the middle of the hall, with the unpleasant realization that
for once she had overshot the mark.

CHAPTER VI

THE THANKSGIVING BAZAAR

The bazaar was at its height. No one would have guessed that staid old
Assembly Hall could lend itself to such levity.

At one end a band of gypsies had pitched their tents in true Romany
fashion. There were dark-eyed gypsy maids in gaudy clothing, who gayly
jingled their tambourines and wheedled good-natured sightseers into
their main tent with extravagant stories of the wonderful Romany dancing
girls whose unequaled dancing might be seen for the small sum of ten
cents. While aged gypsies crouched here and there croaking mysteriously
of their power to reveal the future, and promising health, wealth and
happiness to those who crossed their out-stretched palms with silver.

In front of one of the tents several gypsy boys sat grouped in
picturesque attitudes, industriously twanging guitars and mandolins. The
whole encampment was lighted by flaring torches on the ends of long
poles, and was the final touch needed to give the true gypsy effect.

The rest of the space in the hall had been given up to booths. There
was, of course, a Japanese booth, while across from it several Mexican
seniors and senoritas were doing an enterprising novelty and post-card
business under the red, white and green flag of Mexico.

There was a cunning little English tea shop, where one could refresh
one's self with tea, cakes and jam, not to mention the booth devoted to
good old Ireland, presided over by Nora O'Malley who, dressed as an
Irish colleen, sang the "Wearing of the Green" and "The Harp That Once
Thro' Tara's Hall," with true Irish fervor, while she disposed of boxes
of home-made candy tied with green ribbon that people bought for the
pleasure of hearing her sing.

Next to the gypsy encampment, however, the feature of the evening was
the booth entrusted to Eleanor Savelli. It was a veritable corner in
Italy, and it may be said to Eleanor's credit that she had worked
untiringly to carry out her idea. She had furnished the peasant costumes
for herself and three of her friends, and knew exactly how they were to
be worn, and had spared no expense in the matter of fruit and flowers
which were to be sold at a good profit. There were little bags of
home-made confetti that were sure to be popular and various other
attractive features truly Italian that Eleanor had spent much time a