Five Little Peppers And How They Grew

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The doughnut lady, viewing poor Polly with extreme sympathy,
immediately forced upon her acceptance three of the largest and
sugariest.

"Twill do you good," she said, falling to, herself, on another with
good zeal. "I always eat 'em, and then there ain't any room for
homesickness!"

And away, and away, and away they rumbled and jumbled to the
cars.

Here Mr. Tisbett put Polly and her numerous bundles under the
care of the conductor, with manifold charges and explicit
directions, to see her safely into Mr. King's own hands. He left her
sitting straight up among her parcels, her sturdy little figure drawn
up to its full height, and the clear brown eyes regaining a little of
their dancing light; for although a dreadful feeling tugged at her
heart, as she thought of the little brown house she was fast flying
away from, there was something else; our Polly had begun to
realize that now she was going to "help mother."

And now they neared the big city, and everybody began to bustle
around, and get ready to jump out, and the minute the train
stopped, the crowd poured out from the cars, making way for the
crowd pouring in, for this was a through train.

"All aboard!" sang the conductor. "Oh my senses!" springing to
Polly; "I forgot you--here!"

But as quick as a flash he was pushed aside, and a bright, boyish
figure dashed up.

"Oh, Polly!" he said in such a ringing voice! and in another second,
Polly and her bag, and the bundle of cakes and apples that
Grandma Bascom had put up for her, and Joel's box, were one and
all bundled out upon the platform, and the train whizzed on, and
there Mr. King was fuming up and down, berating the departing
conductor, and speaking his mind in regard to all the railroad
officials he could think of. He pulled himself up long enough to
give Polly a hearty welcome; and then away again he flew in
righteous indignation, while Jasper rushed off into the baggage
room with Polly's check.

However, every now and then, turning to look down into the little
rosy face beside him, the old gentleman would burst forth, "Bless
me, child! I'm glad you're here, Polly!--how could the fellow forget
when"-- "Oh well, you know," said Polly, with a happy little
wriggle under her brown coat, "I'm here now."

"So you are! so you are!" laughed the old gentleman suddenly;
"where can Jasper be so long."

"They're all in the carriage," answered the boy skipping back.
"Now, father! now Polly!"

He was fairly bubbling over with joy and Mr. King forgot his
dudgeon and joined in the general glee, which soon became so
great that travellers gave many a glance at the merry trio who
bundled away to Thomas and the waiting grays.

"You're sure you've got the right check?" asked Mr. King,
nervously, getting into a handsome coach lined with dark green
satin, and settling down among its ample cushions with a sigh of
relief.

"Oh yes," laughed Jasper; "Polly didn't have any one else's check, I
guess."

Over through the heart of the city, down narrow, noisy business
streets, out into wide avenues, with handsome stately mansions on
either side--they flew along.

"Oh," said Polly; and then she stopped, and blushed very hard.

"What is it, my dear?" asked Mr. King, kindly.

Polly couldn't speak at first, but when Jasper stopped his merry
chat and begged to know what it was, she turned on him, and burst
out, "You live here?"

"Why, yes," laughed the boy; "why not?"

"Oh!" said Polly again, her cheeks as red as two roses, "it's so
lovely!"

And then the carriage turned in at a brown stone gateway, and
winding up among some fine old trees, stopped before a large,
stately residence that in Polly's eyes seemed like one of the castles
of Ben's famous stories. And then Mr. King got out, and gallantly
escorted Polly out, and up the steps, while Jasper followed with
Polly's bag which he couldn't be persuaded to resign to Thomas. A
stiff waiter held the door open--and then, the rest was only a
pleasant, confused jumble of kind welcoming words, smiling
faces, with a background of high spacious walls, bright pictures,
and soft elegant hangings, everything and all inextricably
mixed--till Polly herself seemed floating--away--away, fast to the
Fairyland of her dreams; now, Mr. King was handing her around,
like a precious parcel, from one to the other--now Jasper was
bobbing in and out everywhere, introducing her on all sides, and
then Prince was jumping up and trying to lick her face every
minute--but best of all was, when a lovely face looked down into
hers, and Jasper's sister bent to kiss her.

"I am very glad to have you here, little Polly." The words were
simple, but Polly, lifting up her clear brown eyes, looked straight
into the heart of the speaker, and from that moment never ceased
to love her.

"It was a good inspiraton," thought Mrs. Whitney to herself; "this
little girl is going to be a comfort, I know." And then she set
herself to conduct successfully her three boys into friendliness and
good fellowship with Polly, for each of them was following his
own sweet will in the capacity of host, and besides staring at her
with all his might, was determined to do the whole of the
entertaining, a state of things which might become unpleasant.
However, Polly stood it like a veteran.

"This little girl must be very tired," said Mrs. Whitney, at last with
a bright smile. "Besides I am going to have her to myself now."

"Oh, no, no," cried little Dick in alarm; "why, she's just come; we
want to see her."

"For shame, Dick!" said Percy, the eldest, a boy of ten years, who
took every opportunity to reprove Dick in public; "she's come a
great ways, so she ought to rest, you know."

"You wanted her to come out to the greenhouse yourself, you
know you did," put in Van, the next to Percy, who never would be
reproved or patronized, "only she wouldn't go."

"You'll come down to dinner," said Percy, politely, ignoring Van.
"Then you won't be tired, perhaps."

"Oh, I'm not very tired now," said Polly, brightly, with a merry
little laugh, "only I've never been in the cars before, and"-- "Never
been in the cars before!" exclaimed Van, crowding up, while Percy
made a big round 0 with his mouth, and little Dick's eyes stretched
to their widest extent.

"No," said Polly simply, "never in all my life."

"Come, dear," said sister Marian, rising quickly, and taking Polly's
hand; while Jasper, showing unmistakable symptoms of pitching
into all the three boys, followed with the bag.

Up the broad oak staircase they went, Polly holding by Mrs.
Whitney's soft hand, as if for dear life, and Jasper tripping up two
steps at a time, in front of them. They turned after reaching the
top, down a hall soft to the foot and brightly lighted.

"Now, Polly," said sister Marian, "rm going to have you here, right
next to my dressing room; this is your nest, little bird, and I hope
you'll be very happy in it."

And here Mrs. Whitney turned up the gas, and then, just because
she couldn't help it, gathered Polly up in her arms without another
word. Jasper set down the bag on a chair, and came and stood by
his sister's side, looking down at her as she stroked the brown
wavy hair on her bosom.

"It's so nice to have Polly here, sister," he said, and he put his hand
on Mrs. Whitney's neck; and then with the other hand took hold of
both of Polly's chubby ones, who looked up and smiled; and in that
smile the little brown house seemed to hop right out, and bring
back in a flash all the nice times those eight happy weeks had
brought him.

"Oh, 'twas so perfectly splendid, sister Marian," he cried, ffinging
himself down on the floor by her chair. "You don't know what
good times we had--does she, Polly?" and then he launched out
into a perfect shower of "Don't you remember this?" or "Oh, Polly!
you surely haven't forgotten that!" Mrs. Whitney good naturedly
entering into it and enjoying it all with them, until, warned by the
lateness of the hour, she laughingly reminded Jasper of dinner, and
dismissed him to prepare for it.

When the three boys saw Polly coming in again, they welcomed
her with a cordial shout, for one and all, after careful measurement
of her, had succumbed entirely to Polly; and each was unwilling
that the others should get ahead of him in her regard.

"This is your seat, Polly," said sister Marian, touching the chair
next to her own.

Thereupon a small fight ensued between the little Whitneys, while
Jasper looked decidedly discornfited.

"Let Polly sit next to me," said Van, as if a seat next to him was of
all things most to be desired.

"Oh, no, I want her," said little Dick.

"Pshaw, Dick! you're too young," put in Percy. "You'd spill the
bread and butter all over her."

"I wouldn't either," said little Dick, indignantly, and beginning to
crawl into his seat; "I don't spill bread and butter, now Percy, you
know."

"See here," said Jasper, decidedly, "she's coming up here by father
and me; that is, sister Marian," he finished more politely, "if you're
willing."

All this while Polly had stood quietly watching the group, the big,
handsome table, the bright lights, and the well-trained servants
with a curious feeling at her heart--what were the little-brown-
house-people doing?

"Polly shall decide it," said sister Marian, laughing. "Now, where
will you sit, dear?" she added, looking down on the little quiet
figure beside her.

"Oh, by Jappy, please," said Polly, quickly, as if there could be no
doubt; "and kind Mr. King," she added, smiling at him.

"That's right; that's right, my dear," cried the old gentleman,
pleased beyond measure at her honest choice. And he pulled out
her chair, and waited upon her into it so handsomely that Polly was
happy at once; while Jasper, with a proud toss of his dark, wavy
hair, marched up delightedly, and took the chair on her other side.

And now, in two or three minutes it seemed as if Polly had always
been there; it was the most natural thing in the world that sister
Marian should smile down the table at the bright-faced narrator,
who answered all their numerous questions, and entertained them
all with accounts of Ben's skill, of Phronsie's cunning ways, of the
boys who made fun for all, and above everything else of the dear
mother whom they all longed to help, and of all the sayings and
doings in the little brown house. No wonder that the little boys
forgot to eat; and for once never thought of the attractions of the
table. And when, as they left the table at last, little Dick rushed
impulsively up to Polly, and flinging himself into her arms,
declared-- "I love you!--and you're my sister!" Nothing more was
needed to make Polly feel at home.

"Yes," said Mrs. Whitney, and nodded to herself in the saying, "it
was a good thing; and a comfort, I believe, has come to this house
this day!"

BRAVE WORK AND THE REWARD

And on the very first morrow came Polly's music teacher!

The big drawing-room, with its shaded light and draped furniture,
with its thick soft carpet, on which no foot-fall could be heard,
with all its beauty and loveliness on every side was nothing to
Polly's eyes, only the room that contained the piano!

That was all she saw! And when the teacher came he was simply
the Fairy (an ugly little one, it is true, but still a most powerful
being) who was to unlock its mysteries, and conduct her into
Fairyland itself. He was a homely little Frenchman, with a long,
curved nose, and an enormous black moustache, magnificently
waxed, who bowed elaborately, and called her "Mademoiselle
Fep-paire;" but he had music in his soul, and Polly couldn't
reverence him too much.

And now the big piano gave out new sounds; sounds that told of a
strong purpose and steady patience. Every note was struck for
mother and the home brood. Monsieur Tourtelotte, after watching
her keenly out of his little black eyes, would nod to himself like a
mandarin, and the nod would be followed by showers of extra
politeness, as his appreciation of her patient energy and attention.

Every chance she could get, Polly would steal away into the
drawing-room from Jappy and the three boys and all the attractions
they could offer, and laboriously work away over and over at the
tedious scales and exercises that were to be stepping-stones to so
much that was glorious beyond. Never had she sat still for so long
a time in her active little life; and now, with her arms at just such
an angle, with the stiff, chubby fingers kept under training and
restraint--well, Polly realized, years after, that only her love of the
little brown house could ever have kept her from flying up and
spinning around in perfect despair.

"She likes it!" said Percy, in absolute astonishment, one day, when
Polly had refused to go out driving with all the other children in
the park, and had gone resolutely, instead, into the drawing-room
and shut the door. "She likes those hateful old exercises and she
don't like anything else."

"Much you know about it," said Jappy; "she's perfectly aching to
go, now Percy Whitney!"

"Well, why don't she then?" said Percy, opening his eyes to their
widest extent.

"Cause," said Jasper, stopping on his way to the door to look him
full in the face, "she's commenced to learn to play, and there won't
anything stop her."

"I'm going to try," said Percy, gleefully. "I know lots of ways I can
do to try, anyway."

"See here, now," said Jasper, turning back, "you let her alone! Do
you hear?" he added, and there must have been something in his
eye to command attention, for Percy instantly signified his
intention not to tease this young music student in the least.

"Come on then, old fellow," and Jasper swung his cap on his head,
"Thomas will be like forty bears if we keep him waiting much
longer."

And Polly kept at it steadily day after day; getting through with the
lessons in the schoolroom as quickly as possible to rush to her
music, until presently the little Frenchman waxed enthusiastic to
that degree that, as day after day progressed and swelled into
weeks, and each lesson came to an end, he would skip away on the
tips of his toes, his nose in the air, and the waxed ends of his
moustache, fairly trembling with delight-- "Ah, such patience as
Mademoiselle Pep-paire has! I know no other such little
Americane!"

"I think," said Jasper one evening after dinner, when all the
children were assembled as usual in their favorite place on the big
rug in front of the fire in the library, Prince in the middle of the
group, his head on his paws, watching everything in infinite
satisfaction, "that Polly's getting on in music as I never saw anyone
do; and that's a fact!"

"I mean to begin," said Van, ambitiously, sitting up straight and
staring at the glowing coals. "I guess I will to-morrow," which
announcement was received with a perfect shout--Van's taste
being anything rather than of a musical nature.

"If you do," said Jappy, when the merriment had a little subsided,
"I shall go out of the house at every lesson; there won't anyone stay
in it, Van."

"I can bang all I want to, then," said Van, noways disturbed by the
reflection, and pulling one of Prince's long ears, "you think you're
so big, Jappy, just because you're thirteen."

"He's only three ahead of me, Van," bristled Percy, who never
could forgive Jappy for being his uncle, much less the still greater
sin of having been born three years earlier than himself.

"Three's just as bad as four," said Van.

"Let's tell stories," began Polly, who never could remember such
goings on in the little brown house; "we must each tell one," she
added with the greatest enthusiasm, "and see which will be the
biggest and the best."

"Oh, no," said Van, who perfectly revelled in Polly's stories, und
who now forgot his trials in the prospcct of one, "You tell,
Polly--you tell alone."

"Yes, do, Polly," said Jasper; "we'd rather."

So Polly launched out into one of her gayest and finest; and soon
they were in such a peal of laughter, and had reached such heights
of enjoyment, that Mr. King popped his head in at the door, and
then came in, and took a seat in a big rocking-chair in the corner to
hear the fun go on.

"Oh, dear," said Van, leaning back with a long sigh, and wiping his
flushed face as Polly wound up with a triumphant flourish, 'how
ever do you think of such things, Polly Pepper?

"That isn't anything," said Jappy, bringing his handsome face out
into the strong light; "why, it's just nothing to what she has told
time and again in the little brown house in Badgertown;" and then
he caught sight of Polly's face, which turned a little pale in the
firelight as he spoke; and the brown eyes had such a pathetic droop
in them that it went to the boy's very heart.

Was Polly homesick? and so soon!

POLLY IS COMFORTED

Yes, it must be confessed. Polly was homesick. All her
imaginations of her mother's hard work, increased by her absence,
loomed up before her, till she was almost ready to fly home
without a minute's warning. At night, when no one knew it, the
tears would come racing over the poor, forlorn little face, and
would not be squeezed back. It got to be noticed finally; and one
and all redoubled their exertions to make everything twice as
pleasant as ever!

The only place, except in front of the grand piano, where Polly
approached a state of comparative happiness, was in the
greenhouse.

Here she would stay, comforted and soothed among the lovely
plants and rich exotics, rejoicing the heart of Old Turner the
gardener, who since Polly's first rapturous entrance, had taken her
into his good graces for all time.

Every chance she could steal after practice hours were over, and
after the clamorous demands of the boys upon her time were fully
satisfied, was seized to fly on the wings of the wind, to the flowers.

But even with the music and flowers the dancing light in the eyes
went down a little; and Polly, growing more silent and pale, moved
around with a little droop to the small figure that had on1y been
wont to fly through the wide halls and spacious rooms with gay
and springing step.

"Polly don't like us," at last said Van one day in despair. "Then,
dear," said Mrs. Whitney, "you must be kinder to her than ever;
think what it would be for one of you to be away from home even
among friends."

"I'd like it first rate to be away from Percy," said Van, reflectively;
"I wouldn't come back in three, no, six weeks."

"My son," said his mamma, "just stop and think how badly you
would feel, if you really couldn't see Percy."

"Well," said Van, and he showed signs of relenting a little at that;
"but Percy is perfectly awful, mamma, you don't know; and he
feels so smart too," he said vindictively.

"Well," said Mrs. Whitney, softly, "let's think what we can do for
Polly; it makes me feel very badly to see her sad little face."

"I don't know," said Van, running over in his mind all the possible
ways he could think of for entertaining anybody, "unless she'd like
my new book of travels--or my velocipede," he added.

"I'm afraid those wouldn't quite answer the purpose," said his
mamma, smiling--"especially the last; yet we must think of
something."

But just here Mr. King thought it about time to take matters into
his hands. So, with a great many chucklings and shruggings when
no one was by, he had departed after breakfast one day, simply
saying he shouldn't be back to lunch.

Polly sat in the drawing-room, near the edge of the twilight,
practicing away bravely. Somehow, of all the days when the home
feeling was the strongest, this day it seemed as if she could bear it
no longer. If she could only see Phronsie for just one moment! "I
shall have to give up!" she moaned. "I can't bear it!" and over went
her head on the music rack.

"Where is she?" said a voice over in front of the piano, in the
gathering dusk--unmistakably Mr. King's.

"Oh, she's always at the piano," said Van. "She must be there now,
somewhere," and then somebody laughed. Then came in the
loudest of whispers from little Dick, "Oh, Jappy, what'll she say?"

"Hush!" said one of the other boys; "do be still, Dick!"

Polly sat up very straight, and whisked off the tears quickly. Up
came Mr. King with an enormous bundle in his arms; and he
marched up to the piano, pulling with his exertions.

"Here, Polly, hold your arms," he had only strength to gasp. And
then he broke out into a loud burst of merriment, in which all the
troop joined, until the big room echoed with the sound.

At this, the bundle opened suddenly, and--out popped Phronsie!

"Here lam! I'm here, Polly!"

But Polly couldn't speak; and if Jasper hadn't caught her just in
time, she would have tumbled over backward from the stool,
Phronsie and all!

"Aren't you glad I've come, Polly?" asked Phronsie, with her little
face close to Polly's own.

That brought Polly to. "Oh, Phronsie!" she cried, and strained her
to her heart; while the boys crowded around, and plied her with
sudden questions.

"Now you'll stay," cried Van; "say, Polly, won't you."

"Weren't you awfully surprised?" cried Percy; "say, Polly,
awfully?"

"Is her name Phronsie," put in Dick, unwilling to be left out, and
not thinking of anything else to ask.

"Boys," whispered their mother, warningly, "she can't answer you;
just look at her face."

And to be sure, our Polly's face was a study to behold. All its old
sunniness was as nothing to the joy that now transfigured it.

"Oh!" she cried, coming out of her rapture a little, and springing
over to Mr. King with Phronsie still in her arms. "Oh, you are the
dearest and best Mr. King I ever saw! but how did you make
mammy let her come?"

"Isn't he splendid!" cried Jasper in intense pride, swelling up.
"Father knew how to do it."

But Polly's arms were around the old gentleman's neck, so she
didn't hear. "There, there," he said soothingly, patting her brown,
fuzzy head. Something was going down the old gentleman's neck,
that wet his collar, and made him whisper very tenderly in her ear,
"don't give way now, Polly; Phronsie'll see you."

"I know," gasped Polly, controlling her sobs; "I won't--only--I can't
thank you!"

"Phronsie," said Jasper quickly, "what do you suppose Prince said
the other day?"

"What?" asked Phronsie in intense interest slipping down out of
Polly's arms, and crowding up close to Jasper's side. "What did he,
Japser?"

"Oh-ho, how funny!" laughed Van, while little Dick burst right out,
"lapser!"

"Be still," said Jappy warningly, while Phronsie stood surveying
them all with grave eyes.

"Well, I asked him, 'Don't you want to see Phronsie Pepper,
Prince?' And do you know, he just stood right upon his hind legs,
Phronsie, and said: 'Bark! yes, Bark! Barki"

"Did he really, Japser?" cried Phronsie, delighted beyond measure;
and clasping her hands in rapture, "all alone by himself?"

"Yes, all alone by himself," asserted Jasper, vehemently,

and winking furiously to the others to stop their laughing; "he did
now, truly, Phronsie."

"Then mustn't I go and see him now, Japser? yes, pretty soon
now?"

"So you must," cried Jasper, enchanted at his success in amusing;
"and I'll go with you."

"Oh, no," cried Phronsie, shaking her yellow head. "Oh no, Japser;
I must go by my very own self."

"There Jap, you've caught it," laughed Percy; while the others
screamed at the sight of Jasper's face.

"Oh Phronsie!" cried Polly, turning around at the last words; "how
could you!"

"Don't mind it, Polly," whispered Jasper; "twasn't her fault."

"Phronsie," said Mrs. Whitney, smilingly, stooping over the child,
"would you like to see a little pussy I have for you?"

But the chubby face didn't look up brightly, as usual: and the next
moment, without a bit of warning, Phronsie sprang past them all,
even Polly, and flung herself into Mr. King's arms, in a perfect
torrent of sobs. "Oh! let's go back!" was all they heard!

"Dear me!" ejaculated the old gentleman, in the utmost
amazement; "and such a time as I've had to get her here too!" he
added, staring around on the astonished group, none of whom had
a word to say.

But Polly stood like a statue! All Jasper's frantic efforts at comfort,
utterly failed. To think that Phronsie had left her for any one!--
even good Mr. King! The room seemed to buzz, and everything to
turn upside down--and just then, she heard another cry--"Oh, I
want Polly, I do!"

With a bound, Polly was at Mr. King's side, with her face on his
coat, close to the little tear-stained one. The fat, little arms
unclasped their hold, and transferred themselves willingly to
Polly's neck; and Phronsie hugged up comfortingly to Polly's heart,
who poured into her ear all the loving words she had so longed to
say.

Just then there was a great rush and a scuffling noise; and
something rushed up to Phronsie "Oh!" And then the next minute,
she had her arms around Prince's neck, too, who was jumping all
over her and trying as hard as he could, to express his
overwhelming delight.

"She's the dunningest little thing I ever saw," said Mrs. Whitney,
enthusiastically, afterward, aside to Mr. King. "Such lovely yellow
hair, and such exquisite brown eyes--the combination is very
striking. How did her mother ever let her go?" she asked
impulsively, "I didn't believe you could persuade her, father."

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