I 'm not expecting anybody ... I was just pretending I was . You see , I was so lonely . I love company ... that is , the right kind of company . . . but so few people ever come here because it is so far out of the way . Charlotta the Fourth was lonely too . So I just pretended I was going to have a tea party . I cooked for it ... and decorated the table for it . . . and set it with my mother 's wedding china ... and I dressed up for it . '' Diana secretly thought Miss Lavendar quite as peculiar as report had pictured her . The idea of a woman of forty-five playing at having a tea party , just as if she were a little girl ! But Anne of the shining eyes exclaimed joyfuly , `` Oh , do YOU imagine things too ? '' That `` too '' revealed a kindred spirit to Miss Lavendar . `` Yes , I do , '' she confessed , boldly . `` Of course it 's silly in anybody as old as I am . But what is the use of being an independent old maid if you ca n't be silly when you want to , and when it does n't hurt anybody ? A person must have some compensations .
I do n't believe I could live at times if I did n't pretend XXXXX .
compensations eyes mother people person report table things way woman