the welfare of the brakeman's family, had smartened up considerably, so
that neither she nor her dwelling presented such a dingy, woe-begone
aspect as on the previous visit. And old Mr. King, being very glad to
see this, still further heartened her up by exclaiming, "Well, Mrs.
Corcoran, you've accomplished wonders."
"I've tried to," cried the poor woman, "and I'm sure 'twas no more than
I ought to do, and you being so kind to me and mine, sir."
"Well, I've brought some young people to see you," said the old
gentleman abruptly, who never could bear to be thanked, and now felt
much worse, as there were several spectators of his bounty; and he waved
his hand toward the representatives of the two clubs.
They all huddled back, but he made them come forward. "No, it's your
affair to-day; I only piloted you down here," laughing at their
discomfiture.
Meanwhile the whole Corcoran brood had all gathered about the visitors,
to rivet their gaze upon them, and wait patiently for further
developments.
"Polly, you tell her," cried Alexia.
"Yes, Polly, do," cried the other girls.
"Yes, Polly," said Pickering, "you can tell it the best."
"Oh, I never could," said Polly in dismay. "Jasper, you, please."
"No, no, Polly," said Van; "she's the best."
"But Polly doesn't wish to," said Jasper in a low voice.
"All right, then, Jappy, go ahead," said Percy.
There was a little pause, Mrs. Corcoran filling it up by saying, "I
can't ask you to sit down, for there ain't chairs enough," beginning to
wipe off one with her apron. "Here, sir, if you'd please to sit," taking
it over to Mr. King.
"Thank you," said the old gentleman, accepting it with his best air.
"Now then, Jasper"--he had handed a small parcel to him under cover of
the chair-wiping--"go ahead, my boy."
So Jasper, seeing that there was no help for it, but that he was really
to be the spokesman, plunged in quite bravely.
"Mrs. Corcoran, some of us girls and boys--we belong to two clubs, you
know,"--waving his hand over to the representatives--"wanted to show
your boys and girls, that we were grateful to their father for being so
good and kind to the passengers that night of the accident."
Here the little widow put the corner of her apron up to her eye, so
Jasper hurried on: "And we wanted to help them to get an education. And
so we had a little entertainment, and sold the tickets and here is our
gift!" Jasper ended desperately, thrusting the package out.
"Take it, Arethusa," was all Mrs. Corcoran could say; "and may the Lord
bless you all!" Then she put the apron over her head and sobbed aloud.
"Bless me!" exclaimed old Mr. King, fumbling for his handkerchief,
"don't, my good woman, I beg of you."
"And, oh, I do hope you'll learn to play on the piano," breathed Polly,
as Arethusa took the package from Jasper, and slid back to lay it in her
mother's hand.
"Oh me! I'm going to cry," exclaimed Alexia, backing off toward the
door.
"If you do, I'll throw you out," said Joel savagely.
"Well, I shall; I feel so sniffly and queer. Oh, Joel, what shall I do?
I shall be disgraced for life if I cry here."
"Hang on to me," said Joel stoutly, thrusting out his sturdy arm.
So Alexia hung on to it, and managed to get along very well. And one of
the children, the littlest one next to the baby, created a diversion by
bringing up a mangy cat, and laying it on Mr. King's knees. This saved
the situation as far as crying went, and brought safely away those who
were perilously near the brink of tears.
"Oh dear me!" exclaimed Polly, starting forward, knowing how Grandpapa
detested cats. But Jasper was before her.
"Let me take it, father," and he dexterously brought it off.
"Give it to me," said Polly. "Oh, what is its name?"
The little thing who seemed to own the cat toddled over, well pleased,
and stuck his finger in his mouth, which was the extent to which he
could go in conversation. But the other children, finding the ice now
broken, all came up at this point, to gather around Polly and the cat.
"It's lucky enough that Phronsie isn't here," said Jasper in a low
voice, "for she would never want to leave that cat."
[Illustration: "AND SO WE HAD A LITTLE ENTERTAINMENT, AND SOLD THE
TICKETS, AND HERE IS OUR GIFT!"]
"Just see Polly Pepper!" exclaimed Alexia, with a grimace. "Why doesn't
she drop that dirty old cat?"
"Because she ought not to," howled Joel sturdily. Then he rushed over to
Polly; and although he had small love for cats in general, this
particular one, being extremely ill-favored and lean, met with his
favor. He stroked her poor back.
Arethusa drew near and gazed into Polly's face; seeing which, the cat
was safely transferred to Joel, and Polly turned around to the girl.
"Oh, do you want to learn to play on the piano?" asked Polly
breathlessly, under cover of the noise going on, for all the other
members of the two clubs now took a hand in it. Even Percy unbent enough
to interview one of the Corcoran boys.
"Yes, I do," said Arethusa, clasping her small red hands tightly.
Her eyes widened, and her little thin face, which wasn't a bit pretty,
lightened up now in a way that Polly thought was perfectly beautiful.
"Well, I did, when I was a little girl like you"--Polly bent her rosy
face very close to Arethusa's--"oh, _dreadfully_; and I used to drum on
the table to make believe I could play."
"So do I," cried Arethusa, creeping up close to Polly's neck, "an' th'
boys laugh at me. But I keep doin' it."
"And now, Arethusa, you are really going to learn to play on the piano."
Polly thrilled all over at the announcement, just as she had done when
told that she was to take music lessons.
"Not a really and truly piano?" exclaimed Arethusa, lost in amazement.
"Yes, a really and truly piano," declared Polly positively. "Just think,
Arethusa, you can give music lessons and help to take care of your
mother."
And just then Grandpapa, who had been talking to Mrs. Corcoran, was
saying, "Well, well, it's time to be going, young people." And Joel put
the cat down, that immediately ran between his legs, tripping him up as
he turned, thereby making everybody laugh; and so the exit was made
merrily.
"Wasn't that fun!" cried Alexia, dancing off down the broken pavement.
"Oh, I forgot, I'm going to walk home with Polly," and she flew back.
"You take yourself away," cried old Mr. King, with a laugh. "I'm to have
Polly to myself on this expedition."
"Well, at any rate, Clem, you haven't Polly," announced Alexia as
before, running up to her.
"Neither have you," retorted Clem, in the same way.
"So we will walk together," said Alexia, coolly possessing herself of
Clem's arm. "Those two boys can walk with each other; they're just dying
to."
"How do you know I want to walk with you?" asked Clem abruptly.
"Oh, but do, you sweet thing you! Come on!" and Alexia dragged her off
at a smart pace.
"Grandpapa," cried Polly, hopping up and down by his side, too happy to
keep still, while she clung to his hand just as Phronsie would have
done, "you are going to have the piano put into the house the very first
thing after it is cleaned and ready--the _very_ first thing?" She peered
around into his face anxiously.
"The _very_ first thing," declared the old gentleman. "Take my word for
it, Polly Pepper, there sha'n't another article get in before it."
"Oh, Grandpapa!" Polly wished she could go dancing off into the middle
of the thoroughfare for a regular spin.
"Take care, Polly," laughed old Mr. King, successfully steering her
clear of an ash barrel, "this isn't the best dancing place imaginable."
"Oh, I beg your pardon, Grandpapa," said Polly, trying to sober down, "I
didn't mean to; but oh, isn't it perfectly beautiful that Arethusa is
going to take music lessons!"
"It is, indeed," said Grandpapa, with a keen glance down at her flushed
face. "And it really does seem to be an assured fact, for Miss Brown is
engaged to begin as soon as the family move into their new home."
"Oh--oh!" Polly could get no further.
Jasper, ahead with Pickering Dodge, looked back longingly.
"Oh, I do wish, Grandpapa," said Polly, "that Jasper could walk home
with us."
"So do I, Polly," said the old gentleman; "but you see he can't, for
then I should have the whole bunch of those chattering creatures around
me," and he laughed grimly. "You must tell him all about what we are
talking of, as soon as you get home."
"Yes, I will," declared Polly, "the very first thing. Now, Grandpapa,
please go on."
"Well, I had told Mrs. Corcoran all about the new house, you know,
Polly, before."
"Yes, I know, Grandpapa," said Polly, with a happy little wriggle.
"And so to-day I explained about the bank-book; told her where the money
was deposited, and showed her how to use it. By the way, Polly, Jasper
made a good speech now, didn't he?" The old gentleman broke off, and
fairly glowed with pride.
"Oh, didn't he!" cried Polly, in a burst. "I thought it was too splendid
for anything! And he didn't know in the least that he had to do it. He
thought you were going to give the bank-book, Grandpapa."
"I know it," chuckled Mr. King. "Well now, Polly, I thought I'd try my
boy without warning. Because, you see, that shows what stuff a person is
made of to respond at such a time, and he's all right, Jasper is; he
came up to the demand nicely."
"It was perfectly elegant!" cried Polly, with glowing cheeks.
"And those two boys--the largest ones--are to begin in the other public
school next week," continued the old gentleman.
"Everything begins next week, doesn't it, Grandpapa?" cried Polly.
"It seems so," said Mr. King, with a laugh. "Well, Polly, here we are at
our car."
And having the good luck to find it nearly empty, the whole party hopped
on, and began the ride back again.
"Now," said Jasper, when they had reached home, "for some comfort," and
he drew Polly off into a quiet corner in the library. "Let's have the
whole, Polly. You said you'd tell me what you and father were talking of
all the way home."
"And so I will," cried Polly, too elated to begin at the right end.
"Well, Jasper, you must know that Arethusa's piano is actually engaged."
"It is!" exclaimed Jasper. "Hurrah!"
"Yes," said Polly, with shining eyes, "and it's going into the new home
the _very_ first thing. Grandpapa promised me that."
"Isn't father good!" cried Jasper, a whole world of affection in his
dark eyes.
"Good?" repeated Polly, "he's as good as good can be, Jasper King!"
"Well, what else?" cried Jasper.
"And the boys--the two biggest ones--are going into the other public
school, the one nearest their new home, you know."
"Yes, I see," said Jasper, "that's fine. That will bring them in with
better boys."
"Yes, and Grandpapa told Mrs. Corcoran all about the money we made at
the entertainment, and that he put it in the bank for her this morning.
And he showed her how to use the check-book."
"Polly," said Jasper, very much excited, "what if we girls and boys
hadn't done this for those children! Just think, Polly, only suppose
it!"
"I know it," cried Polly. "Oh, Jasper!" drawing a long breath. "But
then, you see, we did do it."
"Yes," said Jasper, bursting into a laugh, "we surely did, Polly."
XXI AT THE PLAY
"Oh, Cathie!" Polly rushed out to meet the girl that Johnson was just
ushering in. "I _am_ so glad you've come!"
A pleased look swept over the girl's face, but she didn't say anything.
"Now come right upstairs; never mind the bag, Johnson will bring that
for you."
"I will take it up, Miss," said Johnson, securing it.
"Mamsie is waiting to see you," cried Polly, as they ran over the
stairs, Cathie trying to still the excited beating of her heart at the
thought that she was really to visit Polly Pepper for three whole days!
"Oh, Mamsie, here she is!"
"I am glad to see you, Cathie," said Mrs. Fisher heartily, taking her
cold hand. "Now, you are to have the room right next to Polly's."
"Yes, the same one that Alexia always has when she stays here," said
Polly. "See, Cathie," bearing her off down the hall. "Oh, it is so good
to get you here," she cried happily. "Well, here we are!"
"You can't think," began Cathie brokenly; then she turned away to the
window--"it's so good of you to ask me, Polly Pepper!"
"It's so good of you to come," said Polly merrily, and running over to
her. "There, Johnson has brought your bag. Aren't you going to unpack
it, Cathie?--that is, I mean"--with a little laugh--"after you've got
your hat and jacket off. And then, when your things are all settled, we
can go downstairs, and do whatever you like. Perhaps we'll go in the
greenhouse."
"Oh, Polly!" exclaimed Cathie, quite forgetting herself, and turning
around.
"And can't I help you unpack?" asked Polly, longing to do something.
"No," said Cathie, remembering her plain clothes and lack of the pretty
trifles that girls delight in; then seeing Polly's face, she thought
better of it. "Yes, you may," she said suddenly.
So Polly unstrapped the bag, and drew out the clothes, all packed very
neatly. "Why, Cathie Harrison!" she exclaimed suddenly.
"What?" asked Cathie, hanging up her jacket in the closet, and putting
her head around the door.
"Oh, what a lovely thing!" Polly held up a little carved box of Chinese
workmanship.
"Isn't it?" cried Cathie, well pleased that she had anything worthy of
notice. "My uncle brought that from China to my mother when she was a
little girl, and she gave it to me."
"Well, it's too lovely for anything," declared Polly, running to put it
on the toilet table. "I do think Chinese carvings are so pretty!"
"Do you?" cried Cathie, well pleased. "My mother has some really fine
ones, I'll show you sometime, if you'd like to see them, Polly."
"Indeed, I should," said Polly warmly. So Cathie, delighted that she
really had something that could interest Polly Pepper, hurried through
her preparations; and then the two went downstairs arm in arm, and out
to the greenhouse.
"Polly Pepper!" exclaimed Cathie on the threshold, "I don't think I
should ever envy you living in that perfectly beautiful house, because
it just scares me to set foot in it."
"Well, it needn't," said Polly, with a little laugh. "You must just
forget all about its being big and splendid."
"But I can't," said Cathie, surprised at herself for being so
communicative, "because, you see, I live in such a little, tucked-up
place."
"Well, so did I," said Polly, with a bob of her brown head, "before we
came here to Grandpapa's; but oh, you can't think how beautiful it was
in the little brown house--you can't begin to think, Cathie Harrison!"
"I know," said Cathie, who had heard the story before. "I wish you'd
tell it all to me now, Polly."
"I couldn't tell it all, if I talked a year, I guess," said Polly
merrily, "and there is Turner waiting to speak to me. Come on, Cathie."
And she ran down the long aisle between the fragrant blossoms.
But Cathie stopped to look and exclaim so often to herself that she made
slow progress.
"Shall I make her up a bunch, Miss Mary?" asked old Turner, touching his
cap respectfully, and looking at the visitor.
"Oh, if you please," cried Polly radiantly; "and do put some heliotrope
in, for Cathie is so fond of that. And please let her have a bunch every
morning when I have mine, Turner, for she is to stay three days."
"It shall be as you wish, Miss Mary," said Turner, quite delighted at
the order.
"And please let it be very nice, Turner," said Polly hastily.
"I will, Miss; don't fear, Miss Mary, I'll have it as nice as possible,"
as Polly ran off to meet Cathie.
"I should stay here every single minute I was at home if I lived here,
Polly Pepper," declared Cathie. "Oh, oh!" sniffing at each discovery of
a new blossom.
"Oh, no, you wouldn't, Cathie," contradicted Polly, with a laugh; "not
if you had to get your lessons, and practise on the piano, and go out
riding and driving, and play with the boys."
"Oh dear me!" cried Cathie, "I don't care very much for boys, because,
you see, Polly, I never know what in this world to say to them."
"That's because you never had any brothers," said Polly, feeling how
very dreadful such a state must be. "I can't imagine anything without
Ben and Joel and Davie."
"And now you've such a lot of brothers, with Jasper and all those
Whitney boys; oh, Polly, don't they scare you to death sometimes?"
Polly burst into such a merry peal of laughter, that they neither of
them heard the rushing feet, until Cathie glanced up. "Oh dear me! there
they are now!"
"Well, to be sure; we might have known you were here, Polly," cried
Jasper, dashing up with Clare. "How do you do, Cathie?" putting out his
hand cordially.
Clare gave her a careless nod, then turned to Polly. "It's to be fine,"
he said.
"What?" asked Polly wonderingly.
"Hold on, old chap." Jasper gave him a clap on the back. "Father is
going to tell her himself. Come on, Polly and Cathie, to his room."
"Come, Cathie," cried Polly. "Let's beat those boys," she said, when
once out of the greenhouse. "We're going to race," she cried over her
shoulder.
"Is that so?" said Jasper. "Clare, we must beat them," and they dashed
in pursuit.
But they couldn't; the two girls flew over the lawn, and reached the
stone steps just a breathing space before Jasper and Clare plunged up.
"Well done," cried Jasper, tossing back the hair from his forehead.
"I didn't know you could run so well," observed Clare, with some show
of interest in Cathie.
"Oh, she runs splendidly," said Polly, with sparkling eyes. "Let's try a
race sometime, Jasper; we four, down the Long Path, while Cathie's
here."
"Capital! We will," assented Jasper, "but now for father's room."
There sat old Mr. King by his writing table. "Well, Polly--how do you
do, Cathie? I am glad to see you," he said, putting out his hand kindly.
As well as she could for her terror at being actually in that stately
Mr. King's presence, Cathie stumbled forward and laid her hand in his.
"Now, Polly," said the old gentleman, turning off to pick up a little
envelope lying on the table, "I thought perhaps you would like to take
your young friend to the play to-night, so I have the tickets for us
five," with a sweep of his hand over to the two boys.
"Grandpapa!" cried Polly, precipitating herself into his arms, "oh, how
good you are!" which pleased the old gentleman immensely.
"Isn't that no-end fine!" cried Jasper in delight. "Father, we can't
thank you!"
"Say no more, my boy," cried the old gentleman. "I'm thanked enough. And
so, Polly, my girl, you like it," patting her brown hair.
"Like it!" cried Polly, lifting her glowing cheeks,--"oh, Grandpapa!"
"Run along with you then, all of you. Clare, be over in time."
"Yes, sir," cried Clare. "Oh, thank you, Mr. King, ever so much!" as
they all scampered off to get their lessons for the next day; for going
to a play was always a special treat, on condition that no studies were
neglected.
"Oh, Cathie," cried Polly, before she flew into the window-seat to curl
up with her books, her favorite place for studying her lessons,
"Grandpapa is taking us to the play because you are here."
"And I've never been to a play, Polly," said Cathie, perfectly
overwhelmed with it all.
"Haven't you? Oh, I'm so glad--I mean, I'm glad you're going with us,
and that Grandpapa is to take you to the first one. But, oh me!" and
Polly rushed off to attack her books. "Now, don't let us speak a single
word, Cathie Harrison," as Cathie picked out a low rocker for her choice
of a seat; and pretty soon, if Miss Salisbury herself had come into the
room, she would have been perfectly satisfied with the diligent
attention the books were receiving.
But Miss Salisbury was not thinking of her pupils this afternoon. She
was at this moment closeted with Miss Anstice, and going over a
conversation that they frequently held, these past days, without much
variation in the subject or treatment.
"If there were anything we could do to repay him, sister," said Miss
Anstice mournfully, "I'd do it, and spend my last cent. But what is
there?" Then she paced the floor with her mincing little steps, now
quite nervous and flurried.
"Sister," said Miss Salisbury, doing her best to be quite calm, "it
isn't a matter of payment; for whatever we did, we never could hope to
replace that exquisite little vase. Miss Clemcy had pointed out to me
the fact that it was quite the gem in his collection."
"I know; I thought my heart would stop when I heard the crash." Miss
Anstice wrung her little hands together at the memory. "Oh, that
careless Lily!"
"Sister, pray let us look at this matter--"
"I am looking at it. I see nothing but that vase, smashed to pieces; and
I cannot sleep at night for fear I'll dream how it looked in those very
little bits."
"Sister--pray--pray--"
"And if you want me to tell you what I think should be done, I'm sure I
can't say," added Miss Anstice helplessly.
"Well, then, I must think," declared Miss Salisbury, with sudden energy,
"for some repayment must surely be made to him, although they utterly
refused it when you and I called and broached the subject to them."
"It was certainly a most unfortunate day from beginning to end," said
Miss Anstice, with a suggestion of tears in her voice, and a shiver at
the remembrance of the front breadth of her gown. "Sister, I hope and
pray that you will never have another picnic for the school."
"I cannot abolish that annual custom, Anstice," said Miss Salisbury
firmly, "for the girls get so much enjoyment out of it. They are already
talking about the one to come next year."
"Ugh!" shuddered Miss Anstice.
"And anything that holds an influence over them, I must sustain. You
know that yourself, sister. And it is most important to give them some
recreations."
"But _picnics!_" Miss Anstice held up her little hands, as if quite
unequal to any words.
"And I am very sorry that we were out when Mr. Clemcy and his sister
called yesterday afternoon, for I am quite sure I could have arranged
matters so that we need not feel under obligations to them."
Miss Anstice, having nothing to say, kept her private reflections
mournfully to herself; and it being the hour for the boarding pupils to
go out to walk, and her duty to accompany them, the conference broke up.
"Polly," called Mrs. Chatterton, as Polly ran past her door, her opera
glasses Grandpapa had given her last Christmas in the little plush bag
dangling from her arm, and a happy light in her eyes. Cathie had gone
downstairs, and it was getting nearly time to set forth for that
enchanted land--the playhouse!
Polly ran on, scarcely conscious that she was called. "Did you not hear
me?" asked Mrs. Chatterton angrily, coming to her door.
"Oh, I beg pardon," said Polly, really glad ever since that dreadful
time when Mrs. Chatterton was ill, to do anything for her. "For I never
shall forget how naughty I was to her," Polly said over to herself now
as she turned back.
"You may well beg my pardon," said Mrs. Chatterton, "for of all ill-bred
girls, you are certainly the worst. I want you." Then she disappeared
within her room.
"What is it?" asked Polly, coming in. "I shall be so glad to help."
"Help!" repeated Mrs. Chatterton in scorn. She was standing over by her
toilet table. "You can serve me; come here."
The hot blood mounted to Polly's brow. Then she thought, "Oh, what did I
say? That I would do anything for Mrs. Chatterton if she would only
forgive me for those dreadful words I said to her." And she went over
and stood by the toilet table.
"Oh, you have concluded to come?" observed Mrs. Chatterton scornfully.
"So much the better it would be if you could always learn what your
place is in this house. There, you see this lace?" She shook out her
flowing sleeve, glad to display her still finely moulded arm, that had
been one of her chief claims to distinction, even if nobody but this
little country-bred girl saw it.
Polly looked at the dangling lace, evidently just torn, with dismay;
seeing which, Mrs. Chatterton broke out sharply, "Get the basket, girl,
over there on the table, and sew it as well as you can."
"Polly!" called Jasper over the stairs, "where are you?"
Polly trembled all over as she hurried across the room to get the sewing
basket. Grandpapa was not ready, she knew; but she always ran down a
little ahead for the fun of the last moments waiting with Jasper, when
old Mr. King was going to take them out of an evening. And in the
turmoil in her mind, she didn't observe that Hortense had misplaced the
basket, putting it on the low bookcase, and was still searching all over
the table as directed, when Mrs. Chatterton's sharp voice filled her
with greater dismay.
"_Stupid!_ if you would put heart into your search, it would be easy
enough to find it."