The Tall Stranger

by D.E. Stevenson

Afterwards they would groan and moan and say the tent was like a furnace and the noise was awful and the speeches were dull – but at the moment they all seemed perfectly satisfied with their entertainment. People are odd, thought Barbie. It would be so much more pleasant to walk about the garden. Not one single creature has thought of escaping, except me

Aunt Amalie thought Mrs Mainwaring’s hat was ‘rather a mistake’; Barbie thought it was a disaster. Aunt Amalie thought the bridegroom had ‘looked a little pale’; Barbie thought he had looked absolutely miserable. In fact the two ladies were in perfect agreement.

There is nothing so pleasant as sharing a joke that somebody else has failed to see.

If you would come and eat instead of standing there crying it would be a lot more sensible.’

Henry knows what’s up