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[Illustration: ELEANOR HELD OUT THE SEAL, BUT JIM LOOKED FORLORN.
(_Page 77_)]
POLLY
IN NEW YORK
BY
LILLIAN ELIZABETH ROY
_Author of_
POLLY OF PEBBLY PIT, POLLY IN NEW YORK,
POLLY AND HER FRIENDS ABROAD, POLLY'S
BUSINESS VENTURE.
ILLUSTRATED BY
H. S. BARBOUR
NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS
Made in the United States of America
POLLY IN NEW YORK
CHAPTER I--IN THE BIG CITY
The long Pullman train, that left Denver behind and carried Polly
Brewster away on her first venture from the ranch-home, was fitted up as
luxuriously as capital could do it. Eleanor Maynard, Polly's bosom
friend, enjoyed her companion's awe and wonderment--that a mere _car_
should be so furnished.
"Nolla," whispered Polly, furtively glancing about, "how different are
these cars from the ones that come in and go out at Oak Creek!"
Eleanor, whose pet name was Nolla, laughed. "I should think they would
be, Polly. Why, those 'ancients' that rock back and forth between Denver
and Oak Creek, are the 'only originals' now in existence. They'll be in
Barnum's Show next Season as curios."
Polly seemed to fully appreciate the comfort of her traveling carriage,
and remarked, "One would hardly believe these cars are going at all!
They run so smoothly and without any awful screeching of the joints."
Anne Stewart, the teacher to whose charge these two girls had been
committed, had been studying the time-table, but she smiled at Polly's
words. Then she turned to her mother, a sweet-faced woman who was
enjoying the trip almost as much as the young girls were, and said:
"Mother, we'll have at least seven hours in Chicago before we have to
take the New York train. We can visit Paul all that time."
"Goody! Then Poll can visit John and I can see Daddy," exclaimed
Eleanor, eagerly. "But we must first charter the wash-room to turn
ourselves from dusty travelers into respectable citizens."
"There isn't a fleck of dust to be seen, Anne," objected Polly, glancing
around the tidy interior, then at herself and friends.
"Wait till after we have crossed the plains and passed through all kinds
of towns--we won't look like the same people."
To Polly, that journey was a source of great interest and fun. The
dining-car, the folding tables for games or work, the sleeping
arrangements--all were so strangely different from the vast open-air
life of the ranch.
Then the express train reached Chicago and the recess hours were filled
with greetings, visits and then good-bys, before the little party of
four was on its last lap of the journey.
After leaving Chicago, Eleanor asked curiously: "What did you think of
our city, Polly?"
"I never saw such crowds of troubled people! Everyone looked as if the
worries of the universe rested upon his mind. And not one soul walked or
acted as if there was a moment to spare before the end of the world
would throw everything into chaos!"
Polly's graphic description caused her companions to laugh, and Eleanor
added: "If that is what you think of Chicago, just wait until you reach
New York. The folks, there, are simply wild! Now Chicago is considered
quite slow, in comparison."
Polly stared unbelievingly at Eleanor, and Anne Stewart laughed. But
Mrs. Stewart placed a calm hand over the amazed girl's throbbing wrist,
and said sweetly: "Nolla is joking as usual."
The four members which composed this little group of travelers arrived
at Grand Central just before noon. Polly gazed in consternation at the
vast station where the constant going and coming of trains and people
made a most interesting sight for her.
"We'll stop at the Commodore for a few days, girls, as it is so
convenient for us," remarked Anne, telling a porter to conduct them to
the hotel mentioned.
Placed in a comfortable suite, Anne remarked: "I think we will call up
the Evans or the Latimers, next. You remember, we were told to let them
know the moment we arrived."
The others agreed to this suggestion, so Anne telephoned the two
families. Mrs. Latimer was out, but Mrs. Evans said she would come right
down town to meet the new-comers.
"Well, we can unpack our bags while we are waiting for her," suggested
Anne. "But we must manage to get to a store this afternoon, and do some
shopping for Polly."
"Dear me! I was hoping you would show us all the sky-scrapers I've read
about," said Polly, eagerly.
"I planned to let the sight-seeing wait for a few days, as we _must_
secure a place to live in, first of all. Here it is the middle of
September, and I have to start school work the first of October, you
know. In a great city like New York, the desirable apartments are
generally taken as early as July and August. So we are up against it, in
beginning to seek so late in the season."
"But we can't hunt at night, Anne, and you might take us out to show us
the Great White Way--as the boys call it," urged Eleanor.
Mrs. Evans came down in time to have luncheon with the Westerners, and
in the hour she visited with them, it was learned that Mrs. Latimer and
she had scoured the uptown west-side for suitable apartments for Mrs.
Stewart, but everything had been leased long before. She concluded with:
"So I really do not see what you are going to do, unless you just happen
to stumble over a place which has recently been resigned. There is
absolutely no use in doing any place above Ninety-sixth street, as we
sought diligently from that street up as far as One Hundred and
Sixty-eighth street, and not a decent thing to be seen or had!"
"But Ninety-sixth street is awfully far uptown, isn't it?" asked Anne,
to whom the city was as yet a small middle-west town.
"Oh, dear, no! It is about the center of the city, between North and
South, these days."
"I'm sure we will find just what we want, dear Mrs. Evans, but we are
grateful to you for being so kind to us," said Polly.
"My dear child, I feel that I have done _nothing_ in comparison to all
you have done for me and mine. To know that my dear brother had friends
during the last days of his life, means so much to me. I always had a
horrible feeling that he died in the Klondike without money or friends;"
and Mrs. Evans hurriedly dried the tears welling up in her eyes.
Of course, that launched the conversation about Old Man Montresor, and
so interested were all concerned, that Mrs. Evans started when she heard
the mantel clock chime the hour.
"Merciful goodness! Here am I--my first call, and staying all day!" she
laughed.
"It's not late, Mrs. Evans. We were only going to look up a first-class
shop where Polly can buy a few things," replied Anne.
"Perhaps I can be of service in recommending a place?"
Several shops of quality were spoken of, and as these were located on
Fifth avenue, not far from Forty-second street, everyone felt relieved.
It would not take much time to do this necessary shopping, but Mrs.
Stewart preferred to remain at the hotel.
Mrs. Evans said good-by and the three young folks walked to Fifth
avenue. It was about four o'clock and the avenue presented an endless
stream of automobiles--one line going down, and the other line going
uptown. The crowds of people hurrying to and fro made Polly tremble.
"For goodness' sake, Anne, where _do_ all these folks come from, and
where are they rushing to?"
Anne and Eleanor laughed.
"Well! If this is your wonderful Fifth avenue, I don't think much of
it," declared Polly, a few moments later.
"Why--it's simply great!" exclaimed Eleanor, having a far different
view-point of the city.
"Great! Why, just look how narrow the street is? Main street, in Oak
Creek, is twice as wide. And Denver has nicer streets than this famous
alley you hear so much about," scorned Polly.
Again her companions laughed merrily. At this moment a traffic policeman
sounded a shrill whistle. Instantly the mass of pedestrians, backed up
on the curbs, started to cross. Or to use Polly's own description in the
letter she wrote home that night: "Really, dearies, they catapulted back
and forth like rockets! We had to rush with them, or be trampled upon.
It is just awful!
"And such freaks, mother! Nolla says it is style. Well, all I can say
is, spare me from such outrageous styles! Most every woman and girl I
met had faces covered thick with layers of white chalk, with a daub of
red on each cheek, and lips as scarlet as a clown's. In fact, I had to
stand stock-still and look at one queer creature--she looked exactly as
if she was made up for a circus. Anne and Nolla laugh at me, all the
time. But I don't care, so! These horrid painted things are not _nice_!
"If I hadn't set my heart on being an interior decorator, I'd take up
lecturing, and teach these crazy New Yorkers how to look and enjoy a
simple life."
From the above account you can see how one day's experience in New York
impressed the girl of the Mountain Ranges in the West.
Polly, accustomed as she was to the overstocked store in Oak Creek,
where shelves were stacked high with all sorts of merchandise, opened
her eyes as Anne led her into a quiet parlor-like room that opened
directly from Fifth avenue. She stared around for a glimpse of the gowns
she expected to see; but nothing like one was to be seen. The dignified
lady who met Anne, and a few other well-dressed women who conversed in
low tones with each other, did not look like Polly's idea of shop-girls.
Anne's lady conducted them to a lift, and they shot up two stories.
Again they came out into a lovely lounging-room, but still no sign of
dresses. The lady pushed a button, and another woman hurried in.
"Measurements of this young lady. She will need several gowns for
afternoon and street wear; possibly, an evening dress."
Then Polly was scientifically measured, and in a short time a number of
models were brought for her inspection and approval. These were placed
upon forms, and every desirable detail of the gowns was pointed out to
Anne and the girls.
"Oh, I just love that one, Poll!" cried Eleanor, gazing with rapt eyes
at an imported model.
"Isn't it clumsy at the back? And see how narrow the bottom of the skirt
is. Maybe they didn't have enough goods to make it any wider?" commented
Polly.
Eleanor giggled but Anne explained to Polly. The saleslady seemed not to
have heard the western girl's objection to the gown.
Then it was tried on Polly, and she saw how very becoming it was. But
when she endeavored to walk over to the full-length mirror, she almost
fell down upon the rug.
"Mercy, Anne! I never can amble about in this binder! Get me something
sensible," complained Polly.
But Eleanor liked the dress and as it fitted her, also, she said she
would take it as long as Polly didn't.
"Take it and welcome, Nolla! but I pity _you_ if you try to scoot over
the crossings of Fifth avenue in _that_ skirt," laughed Polly.
Other gowns were brought and Polly finally found several that she liked,
with wide enough skirts to suit her comfort. Then Anne asked for the
bills. The list was added up and when the total was mentioned Polly
almost fainted. If she had not been seated, she might have crumpled to
the floor.
"We'll take that gown with us, the others you may send," said Anne,
taking up the one to be wrapped. Then she gave the name and address
where the other dresses were to be sent. A fat roll of yellow bills now
came from Anne's hand-bag, and she paid the enormous sum--or, at least,
Polly thought it was enormous for so few dresses.
Safely out of hearing of the fashionable sales-ladies, Polly whispered:
"Anne, you paid _hundreds_ of dollars for those things!"
Anne nodded, smilingly. Eleanor said: "Why, that wasn't much for what we
got, Poll. The dress I bought is _imported_! And a model, at that. It
was a bargain at that price."
Polly sighed. Would she ever be able to accommodate herself to such a
changed life as this one now seemed to be? Her friends laughed at the
sigh and expression of doubt on her face.
As Anne led her protegées past the hotel desk, a very polite clerk said:
"A 'phone call for you, Miss Stewart, at five-ten P. M."
Anne was handed the slip and read: "Mr. Latimer called up. Said he would
call again at six-thirty."
"Maybe he wants us to go somewhere, to-night!" suggested Eleanor,
eagerly.
"Well, you won't go to-night, if he does ask you. It's bed at nine, for
everyone of us, because we have a hard day of house-hunting before us,
to-morrow," decreed Anne, courageously.
But Eleanor was given no cause to argue that evening, for Mr. Latimer
called up to invite them all to go to the Mardi Gras at Coney Island the
following evening. He said the Evans and Latimers would call at the
hotel, in two cars, about six o'clock and take them to supper at the
Island.
"Oh, goody! I never saw Coney Island but I've heard so much about it!"
cried Eleanor, dancing about the room.
"I have read how dreadful a place it is," ventured Polly.
"That's another point of view, Polly. If you go down there to enjoy the
fun and games, and see the ocean, then you will have nothing but frolic
and sea. But if one is in quest of crime, then it can be found festering
there, just as it is in every other section of a large city," explained
Anne.
"But we are only going for a frolic," added Eleanor.
"I should hope so!" Polly said, so fervently, that Anne had to laugh
heartily.
After dinner that night, Anne said: "I think Polly ought to see a sight
that no other city can offer--that is the wondrous advertising signs on
Broadway about Times Square, at night."
"I am too weary to go out, daughter, but you take the girls," Mrs.
Stewart remarked, so they hurriedly donned their hats and gloves.
When they reached the famous corner of Forty-second street and Broadway,
and stood at the uptown side of Times Square Triangle to look at the
lights, Polly was speechless.
"Why, it's as bright as day, everywhere," whispered she.
"And just see the moving ads. up on the roofs!" cried Eleanor,
delighting in the scene.
"I thought there were hordes of mad folks on the streets this afternoon,
but this beats everything!" exclaimed Polly, watching both sides of
Broadway from her vantage ground. "Honestly, Anne, do they not act
obsessed, jostling and rushing as if Death drove them? They never seem
to mind trolleys, autos, or policemen. They swirl and fly every which
way, regardless of everyone and everything."
"I just love this excitement!" sighed Eleanor, smiling.
"Well, I hope to goodness we will live far enough away from all this to
let me forget it once in a while," said Polly.
"Oh, you'll love it, too, pretty soon," Eleanor said, confidently.
"Never! This is Bedlam to me. When I write home about it, I shall tell
father that it reminds me of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah when fire
and brimstone fell and destroyed those cities. I bet the folks never
acted any wilder, there, than these New Yorkers do, here."
Anne laughed at Polly's vivid disgust, and suggested that they return to
the hotel.
"Oh, no, Anne! It is only eight-thirty. And for New York that only
begins an evening, you know. Let's get up on top of one of the buses on
Fifth avenue and take the round trip. That ride will show Polly lots of
sights: the Flat Iron Building, Riverside Drive and the Hudson, and
heaps of things."
Eleanor prevailed, and after a delightful drive of an hour, the little
party was glad to get to the hotel and drop into bed.