AN UNEXPECTED GUEST
ON the day after the one at the studio, Rose and Polly sat on the
terrace, their laps filled with flowers. Each was weaving a wreath for
the other, and each was intent upon making a very beautiful one.
"Mine will be syringas and pink geraniums," said Rose, "and, Polly
Sherwood, would you ever think shadows could be so horrid as they were
last night?"
"No, I wouldn't," said Polly, "specially when we're out here in the
sunlight. Now, just see what I'm doing. I'm making this wreath of pink
rosebuds and mignonette. You'll look fine in it when it's done."
"So will you, Princess Polly, when you wear the wreath I'm making. You
always look like a TRULY princess, but you'll look more like one than
ever when you have this on. I put syringas in it because they're so
sweet," said Rose.
"That's why I used mignonette," said Polly. "Look! Mine is half done."
"Oh, it's lovely!" cried Rose.
They surely were having a fine time. The gay colored boxes filled with
bonbons that Aunt Lois had given them lay on the grass between them, and
they were almost empty boxes, because busy little hands had paused so
often to dip into them.
"Six left," said Rose; "three for you and three for me. Let's keep the
boxes for paper dolls, they're such pretty ones."
"We will," agreed Polly, "and now, Rose, try on the wreath."
"Oh, it looks fine on your brown curls," she cried, as she placed the
pretty wreath on Rose's head.
"And here's yours," said Rose, as she laid it lightly upon Polly's
flaxen curls.
"Oh, my, it's just the right kind of a wreath for you!" she cried.
"Let's go in and show them to Aunt Lois."
They sprang from the grass and turned toward the house just in time to
meet Nora, the maid, as she was coming toward them.
"Yer Aunt Lois wants yer ter come right in, Miss Rose, an' bring Miss
Polly with yer," she said.
"That's funny," said Rose, with a merry laugh in which Polly joined,
"for we were just going to run in and let her see our wreaths."
"Well, now, ye look like fairies with the bright flowers on yer hair,
an' do ye go right in, because there's someone has come that's wantin'
ter see yer. Keep the flowers on yer heads an' go right in," said Nora.
"Who is it, Nora?" Rose asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Well, I do'no whether she'd want yer ter be surprised or let me tell
yer, but--it's yer Uncle John!"
The smiles fled from their faces.
"Uncle John!" gasped Rose. "Oh, Nora, is he very old? Does he carry a
cane? Is he deaf? Is he going to take me away from here?"
She had clasped her hands nervously, and stood waiting for Nora to
answer her questions.
"Now, Miss Rose," said Nora, her eyes twinkling, "I think ye better go
right in an' see him."
"But should you think he's over NINETY?" persisted Rose.
"Well I shouldn't say he was OVER that," Nora replied dryly.
"Come Polly," said Rose. "There's nothing else to do but to go in."
With lagging steps they walked along the path and turned toward the
house. Then for the first time they saw the automobile in which the
guest had arrived.
"Why, who drove him here?" said Rose. "Look! There's no man waiting in
it, and if he's NINETY he wouldn't drive alone, would he?"
Polly shook her head.
"Perhaps he isn't QUITE that," she said.
It was the only bit of encouragement that she could offer.
"I think I'll wait here on the piazza," she said when they had reached
the door.
"Why, don't you want to meet him?" Rose asked.
"Oh, yes," Polly answered, "but if he's--if he, oh, I don't quite know
how I mean it. I just thought perhaps you'd like to know him a little,
and then I'll come in, and _I'_LL know him, too."
Nora, just behind them, reached forward and touched Rose's shoulder.
"Run right in," she said, "the gentleman's waiting to see you."
For the moment she forgot Polly, and hastening across the great hall,
lest Uncle John might guess that she did not wish to meet him, little
Rose Atherton entered the long, cool parlor, and found herself face to
face with a tall, handsome man, who rose to greet her. His waving hair
was touched with gray, his brown eyes were merry.
"So this is little Rose," he said, "will you come and let me look at
you? Why, who made the dainty wreath for you?"
He offered not one, but both his hands to her, and with a happy cry, she
laid her little hands in his.
"Will you come for a few days and make me a visit?" he asked. "You will
have a pleasant time, and we shall get acquainted. I think I can make
you like me, little Rose."
"Oh, I do, I DO like you NOW!" she cried, and her little heart was
filled with delight.
Here was a cheery, handsome young uncle, in place of the unattractive
old uncle that she had supposed awaited her.
"Don't remove your wreath," he said, as she raised her hands toward the
flowers, "because it is really very becoming. Were you playing alone
when I arrived?"
"Oh, no," said Rose, "I was so glad when I saw you, because--" she
hesitated.
"Because?" he said, his eyes twinkling.
"Because you aren't OLD. I thought my Uncle John MUST be 'most ninety,"
she said softly, so that Aunt Lois might not hear.
"And Polly, Princess Polly, was with me. She's my little guest. May I
bring her now? She's so beautiful you'll just love to look at her."
"Oh, then, bring Miss Polly at once," he said.
Rose ran to the hall.
"Oh, come, come!" she said, in a whisper so loud that it reached Uncle
John's ear and caused him to laugh softly.
"Come!" she repeated. "He's as handsome as a prince," and clasping
Polly's hand, she returned to the parlor.
He greeted Polly as cordially as he had Rose, and Polly at once decided
that Rose's Uncle John was the handsomest man, next to her dear papa,
that she had ever seen.
"I have been asking Lois to loan Rose to me for a few days, and she has
consented. Rose seems to think it might be enjoyable. I would not think,
however, of taking her from you while you are her guest, Miss Polly, but
if you will come with her, I shall be doubly happy. I have a lovely
place at the shore. Will you come?"
"Oh, I'd love to," said Polly, "there's nothing finer than the shore."
"MAY we?" Rose asked, running to Aunt Lois.
"Why, certainly. I think the change will be pleasant for you. Nora must
pack whatever you will need in your suit cases. Uncle John never did
like to wait for anything, and he wishes to take you back with him."
Uncle John took a package from his pocket.
"I stopped on my way and purchased two veils. Men don't know much about
such things, and when the clerk showed me a box full of them, I didn't
know which to choose. I looked at a pink and a blue one, and because I'd
no idea which you'd like best, I brought them both to you, Rose. You can
loan one to Polly. You'll need your hats tied on securely on your ride
to the shore."
"Oh, see the lovely, LOVELY VEILS!" cried Rose, when, having opened the
parcel, the soft blue and pink gauze lay before them.
"No one could have found prettier ones," said Rose. "On, thank you for
bringing them to me. I like to have gifts, but, oh, I LOVE to know folks
care to give them to me. That's BEST of all."
"Dear little girl, you are right about that," Uncle John said heartily,
"and now run and get your wraps, and we'll spin away to the shore."
"Oh, Polly, Princess Polly, Princess Polly! ISN'T he dear?" whispered
Rose, when together they climbed the stairway to help Nora to choose
what they would need for the visit.
"Oh, Nora!" cried Rose, "why didn't you tell me he wasn't old at all?"
"Sure, now," replied Nora, "if I'd said what I thought, I'd have said he
looked like a noble lord, so he does."
"And I'm to go, too, Nora!" cried Polly, "and wasn't he kind to seem
just as glad to have me as he was to have Rose. Of course, he wasn't
TRULY, but he was SOME glad, and I wish he was my Uncle John, too."
"Well, now," said Nora, "do ye just PLAY he's yer own uncle, and go
along with Rose, and himself ter have a fine visit."
Nora found it something of a task to pack the two suit cases, because
the two little girls were so excited that they could hardly keep still
long enough to choose what they wished to carry.
"Put my pink dress in, Nora, and Polly, you take your pink one, too,"
said Rose, "and, oh, come over here to the window and see how lovely the
automobile looks from here!"
Away they ran to the window.
"It's a beauty," said Polly, "and I'd rather ride in a red one than--"
"Miss Polly, will I be puttin' yer pink frock in?" questioned Nora,
"sure, he's waitin', an' we ought ter hurry the packin'!"
"Well we ought to hurry!" agreed Polly, "and, Rose, didn't his eyes just
twinkle when he asked us to come!"
"And to think I EVER believed he was old!" said Rose.
"Hold still till I tie yer hats on with a veil. Now, which will ye wear,
Miss Rose?"
"Pink, because it's ROSE color," cried Rose.
"No, no!" said Polly; "the blue is prettier!"
At last they were ready. They ran down the stairway, Nora following with
the suit cases, and laughing because they hopped on every other stair.
"All ready? Why, what charming little ladies I have to take home! Those
veils are really all right, and hugely becoming. Would you like to start
now, or wait an hour or two?" As he asked the question his brown eyes
were dancing.
"Oh, now, NOW!" they cried.
He laughed, and stooping, lifted little Rose so that he could look
straight into her eyes, eyes as brown as his own.
"Little Rose Atherton," he said softly, "you are like your father, and
your mother, too, but most of all you are every inch an Atherton."
He kissed her gently and set her down, but the look in his eyes and the
kiss had won her little heart, and she clung to his hand.
Aunt Rose and Aunt Lois had been all that was kind, but Uncle John! Ah,
he would LOVE her!
She had always wanted someone to love her.
"Do be careful, John," said Aunt Lois "I can't seem to think those
automobiles are as safe as my carriage is."
"I'll take the best of care of my precious little passengers," he said,
"and Lois!" speaking loudly, that she might hear, "I remember a ride
that I took with you years ago. The horse shied at a piece of old paper
in the road, at a girl with a red parasol, and a half dozen other
equally harmless things. I'll promise you the automobile won't act like
that! If it does, I'll sell it and get another!"
At last they were off. They had waved their hands to Aunt Lois, and now,
side by side, they were spinning over the road, Uncle John feeling very
proud of his lovely little guests.
They laughed and chattered all the way, and Uncle John thought he never
had heard merrier music.
It was when they had left the country town behind and caught the first
glimpse of the sea that their cries of delight charmed him.
"See the sails! The sails way out there against the sky!" cried Rose.
"And the big gulls!" cried Polly. "See them fly way, way up high, and
then down, down again to the waves."
It had been a long, sunny road, with seldom a turn, and only
occasionally a glimpse of the sea, but suddenly the road curved, winding
around behind a high bluff, and there, blue and glistening in the
sunlight, lay the sea, the big blue sea!
"We're here at the shore!" cried Rose, "and oh, I've never been there
before. I didn't know it was so lovely!"
"You're a real little sailor's lass, or rather, a sea-captain's lass, if
you love the sea so well!" said Uncle John, well pleased with her
excitement and delight.
He stopped that they might watch the incoming tide for a few moments,
then off over the road they sped.
"Here we are!" he cried, when after a half hour's more ride, they turned
in at the driveway of a fine shore villa.
"Welcome to 'The Cliffs'!" said Uncle John.
He lifted them down, and taking each by the hand, turned toward the
broad piazza.
"Ah, Mrs. Wilton, you were looking for us!" he said, greeting the
housekeeper, a stout, cheery looking woman, who took the suit cases and
smiled, as if caring for two small girls were the one thing that
delighted her.
"Yes, I was watching for you, and when you drove up to the house I said
to myself:
"'Well, he's TWICE lucky, for he wanted Rose for a visitor, and he's
found another child to bring with her!'"
She greeted the children cordially as they were introduced.
"Her name could be nothing but Atherton," she said, "why, sir, she looks
like you enough to be your own child."
"She is my BORROWED little girl," Uncle John replied, "she's MINE while
here."