Five Little Peppers Grown Up

a Christmas Tree," s

er dropped to all-fours by the side of the white bundle in the ce

oth fat hands in the crop of brown ha

, springing to his feet, Baby and all. "Well, there you go-there

ed Joel; "Mamsie," as Mother Fisher put her head in the door

th a laugh. "Take care, King-Fish

nd chuckled to the b

ied way; and getting up from the floor where she had been deserted by the

lly, laughing, "don't you, you little King!" p

the opposite doorway, "I should think it was

e slowly, and revolving around the two dancer

tting down in his favorite chair. "I'm sure it speaks well for the y

pinion is against me, I'll set you down again, and nurse my poor scalp," and down

rked up since you were out, sir,"

demanded Mr. King

h. "Generally it is Polly that sets all dreadful thin

ove if Polly isn't in it," dec

Polly made haste to say. "I

said Mr. King. "So what

house from top to bottom," said Joel, "and get

UGHT TO HAVE A CHRISTM

OW

achfully, "and you've always had such fu

h a pink flush on her cheek. "He's n

looking down at the white bundle. "Well, and so

cause you know, he's never, never seen one. And we

ell now, Phronsie child, come here and tell

ous glance at the bun

pa?" sh

babies good to be left alone. He

get on her knees before the baby. "There now, sir, do you kno

mas Tree," Phronsie was saying, "Grandpapa dea

hat is settled. Do you hear, young people," raising his voic

he floor, "and I'm very glad. It will b

asing employment," said Jasper sott

be just as good fun

bit of wo

her breath, while the baby scrambled all over her

get ready for your Recital, and the other things; and then

Polly, with a sigh, "but I

, you'll have no fun from the holidays. It isn't too la

ried Polly

sked Mr. King, quite de

g added himself

nts it, and we must ma

oherently, and beg

her, a trifle testily, "if we have it at all. W

n her arms, she hurried over to the old gentleman's chair

as Day?" asked Phronsie,

nraven children do, Phronsie, if you took that day

back to him. "I thought

Tree Christmas

out of Polly's hand, to set him on his other knee; "there now, speak up like a man,

said the F

others shouted. "So now, as long as your brother says so, Phr

ants to go"-

"Yes, Phronsie; you much better have

when he gets bigger, and cry because we didn't give h

the set of pink toes nearest to his hand; "if he does, w

ry much rather not take Christmas Day from the Dunraven

e shouldn't know it was Christmas at all, if we didn't go

hout a Christmas, threw such a shadow over Phrons

dn't ever think of not

et?" and she threw he

nd Joel, in a way to bring back the

cue it; and Mrs. Pepper hurried in again, this time for Baby; and he was kissed all around, Phronsie giving him two for fear

off with an im

for he wanted to come some time and talk about A

Christmas holidays?" grumbled Joel. Jasper looked as if he could say

ning off to the door, where she paused and loo

ted Joel; "she's a goose, and besi

y father nor mother,"

off, carrying a face on which the sunshine s

as she hurried into the reception room, "but you were good enough to say that I might talk with

lly and the caller were seated, she in a big c

said Polly brightly, "and I hope I can

he's a trying little minx enough, I suspect; and Miss Sa

ily. Then she stopped with a blush. "I mean, I don't think

. Then he tapped his boo

sister will amount to

d at her

yes, indeed! Why, sh

and bit hi

said Polly warmly, and forgetting herself; "if people beli

dreadfully," said Jack, with a vicious

oughead, now that you have come, and that she sees how much you want her to stu

tion over the ways and means, she knew as well as if she were there, of spending the holidays, and it seeme

ID JACK LOUGHEAD. THEN

LKING

fter a moment, and he turned away his hea

f boarding-school life to mean home to her. "And oh! I do think," Polly hastened to say, and she clasped her hands as Phronsie would have done, "it has made all th

Miss Pepper, and I've been knocking about the world ever since I was her age; my uncle took me

olly, with a deaf ear to the chatter out in the

cheek, and she leaned forward from the depths of the big

said Jack, his

lly, holding her hands very tightly together, to

rstand," said Jack

s going to do nice things, and be pr

tle beggar," exclaimed Jack,

e that you are glad that she is your sister, and tell her things, and never, never sco

n," said Jack Loug

she could be anywhere out of the range of those great black eyes. "Do

straightened himself. "

I think I'm more to blam

ve I said? I think you have done beautifully. How could you help things when you were not here? Oh! Mr. Loughe

you'll believe me when I say I've never had anything

oel was now exclaiming in the library, as he glanced up at the clo

n his chair. "Who is this youn

nd said quickly, "Oh! he's the brother of that girl at the Salisbury

ell, what is he doing her

ould like to know

ake things right for Polly, "he was there when they we

d Joel; "everybody

might have a talk some time about his sister. Polly couldn't help telling him 'yes

he old gentleman irritab

g here and taki

not," dec

aid something about his traveling a good deal.

enough at himself that he was sorry at Jack Loughead's success. "

Mr. King in a surprised tone. "So yo

terday," said Jasper carelessly, "and he gave m

n, with large, black eyes, whom she immediately led up to Mr. King's chai

ething about "Glad to know you," immediately retreating into the corner, and then there was a pause, which Polly broke by crying: "O

le after Baby's exit," said Ja

Polly went on in her brightest way. "Now, that will

I could do?" asked J

inment had been

ly old head. "I don't be

ery kind,

r," he said. "My time hangs

th his sister," said Ja

guilty of an asi

d what would you like to do for these poor children of Phrons

ew idea, but I've a few pictures of places I've seen, and

it had come about, there was Jack Loughead talking over the run down to Bedford with them all on Christmas

t smile and word for all, "and Phronsie will be so pleased to think of his doing al

a morning down town with another "Harvard Fresh," al

ess me! the boy is right. Now, Polly, my child, you and I must put