Five Little Peppers Grown Up

pper-Mis

ly, it was such an

h, Amy L

y," she began, flushing painfully. "You see my brother

y, with a little laugh; "g

sly; "Jack-he's my brother, you know-promised me-I never told you-if I would only learn to play on the pian

howl of distress, that brought two or three of t

y ran off as suddenly as they had popped i

e had thrown herself on the broad lounge, "you must just understand, dear, that I

chief between her fingers, "but I didn't suppose Jack was coming for six months, and I'd have tim

the elaborate combination of silk and floss, "it woul

ff suddenly. "There isn't a single t

ath. "Well, Amy child, how can I help you?" She sat down

roke off suddenly and brought her flushed face very near to the one above her, "could you help me play it-just

ou mean?" asked Pol

g her handkerchief. "Oh dear me, I k

gagement, Amy. No, I don't see how I can do it, child; I'm sorry." And then before she knew how, she put both arms around the little figure. "Don't cry, dear, I suppose I must. I'll

foolish names for helping an idle girl out of a scrape. "And to think of losing the only chance to hear D'Albert," she mourned. "Well, it

in "Miss Salisbury's Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies," and met face to fa

take that detestable thing!" trying t

ot touch it, till you are glad that I am a music teacher. Oh, I must tell you-I was on my

n his astonishment forgetting all his mann

ded her plan for the evening, omitting all details as to Amy's careless waste of her lessons despite all efforts to make her practice. At the end of the recital, Picke

imed, "to give up D'Alb

you losing

lan, and to whom nothing now seemed so delightful as the sight and sound of D'Albert a

ily; "you made the engagement, Polly. I never kn

t of color deserted her round cheek. "Don't call it

ering, in his stiffest fashion. "It's a broken e

to it." She raised her head, and looked him full in the eyes. "I will be re

Y, POLLY PEPPER, W

o overtake her, "see here, if you very much wish

asked Polly, not looking ar

s stumbling over each other, "if you can't

olly, suddenly giving him a glimpse of her

ny one if I can't have you, Polly." He was really miserable now, and need

s over, she hurried off

ession only one remove

eps to lay one of "the

before Miss Rhys,

of her company white gowns on. Polly always knew when these were donned that

ly?" asked Phronsie, taking the mus

on the red lips. "And I am as

ly." This last as Polly was skipping over the stairs to her own room to freshen up a bit. Then Phronsie turned int

ing again the flowers at Polly's plate, "and it's funny, I think, for

RONSIE CAME SLOWL

e roses at her plate. "Phronsie, you are just a dear to have everything so nice," and she

ie, a bit reproachfully, as she gent

hat is it, Pet? Do tell me; for I'm dying

on tiptoe, and ach

oming to-night?" she w

ginning to think that this one evening of all the year held sup

see the surprised delight sure to come

ed Polly, quite gone

ou can't

he rug, "we've a letter while you were at the school, and I wasn't to

bly suppose that Jaspe

's hands to execute one

he is going to st

said-she's gone down town with Grandpapa; he's going to get tickets for the concert to-n

med Polly in dismay an

asked Phronsie, her

iness," cried Polly passionately, little white

ronsie clasped her gow

ll

white heat; "I don't care for the concert, but I'll

all sorts of dreadful surmises seizi

ldn't understand, chil

, don'

into Polly's warm arms. "I'm bad to-day, Phronsie dear. There,

, Polly," said Ph

gone at last, I hope, to stay away, Phronsie. Now I must hurry and eat

hronsie, wondering at Polly's strange mood, and

oast. "Bless you, dear, you've given me an orchid," glancing down between her mo

ronsie triumphantly, "and I knew you'd

id Polly merrily, with a tender glan

d didn't cry a bit for Mamsie. And now if you are really a

rovingly. "Yes, I'm all righ

quarter of seven, Polly, in a storm of remonstrance from all but one

e storm of disapproval broke forth over Polly and her doings. After the first aston

, as she ran downstairs with her plainest walking things on, "for I don't believe they would h

ight to-morrow," sai

e old days in the little brown house, and Poll

pearing, who was to

me out from her tears

bar

said Jasper, reaching up for hi

asped Polly, her hand on the

lture and wisdom," said Jasper coolly, c

ite pale, "don't; you'll be late for the concert. Barbara,

ience," said Jasper laughingly. "There's no help for it,

have you go to the concert with him," cried Polly, get

f your plan; and Mr. Alstyne is on his way over to take my place; at

ving her big ostrich fan contentedly, and sweeping the audien

bestowing a thump on his unoffending opera hat

Well, of course I mean everybody except Polly; and I'm sure, Pickering, it i

but bestowed his glance on

dy doing its work, as she heard a lady in the seat back of them, question if it were not one of the newest of Madame Marchaud's creati

his programme ominously, whic

her do it, I can'

ortly, and casting a nervous

eetly, "all the better; then they'll know we

; and we've got to, any way, because we can't help ourselves. I do

g to invite a girl to a concert, and then

ing?" exclaimed Picke

ith the consciousness that her own was as calm as a June morning. "And I'm sure if you don

ans reassured to see the countenance of Billy Harlow, one of his young business friends, across t

u with another invitation to a concert," he s

ding in it Billy, who had no girl with him. "I really could endure life at home better than this bliss." A

up to the two. "Lovely time you've had," he s

artyr. Pickering stalking along by her side, had the air

t he sweet? And fancy my bearing it for two hours

come this evening?" as

said he'd

id Alexia carelessly. "She's the music tea

on the daily interviews he sustained with his sisters Kitty an

e her place," said Alexia with perfect fra

ng to give a Recital p

s they worked their way

o it, and it shows the girls' wonderful ability; and all that sort of thing-and-and-oh dear me!

ickering stiffly, and without so much as