Five Little Peppers Grown Up

go home when you and he go!

mind; I daresay it will be for the b

, and look out for her. What was father thinking of?" He could not conceal his annoyance, and Poll

s never had any fun all her li

ay and take care of h

seen his face when we took Charlotte home, and Grandpapa talked with him, and asked him to let

asper shortly, "but she will bother y

r the nice times with the girls that now must be shared with another.

g us," said Jasper gloomily. "Now when we once get this girl fa

believe she's going to." And then she remembered her promise to Mrs. Whitney, and she began: "Aunty i

said, and he pulled a letter from his pocket and held it out to her

zed it wi

or your return. We are very sorry to be so imperative, but the rush of work

sinc

D MAR

the next year; and business just rushes," cried Jasper, with shining eye

drop. "Why, I thought you didn't do anything unt

on the road then," he said, "with

eated Polly in amaze.

sp

en, who travel with samples and take advance orders," said Jasper, finding

said

e manufacturing work," he went on, straightening himself up; "Mr. Marlow

d Polly quickly; "at once, this

ell enough to spare me," he said, tryin

as over now from inflammation, and really it worries her dreadfully to think of your

id Jasper, with a glad ring in his voice. "Polly

to make good books, Jasper, that will never stop, perhaps

en turned off abruptly. "You are sure you won't bother your

r," said Polly, wonderin

'll throw my traps together and be off," decla

t then, for when Jasper rapped at his door, i

Percy declares that he shall be made miserable to go back to college to-morrow. His mother is able

sper, pulling out his watch, "that is, if fath

along and tell Percy that, for the boy is so worri

ed the stairs

let you know that I'm off to my work," anno

Percy, "wh

ess. Your mother doesn't want us fellows hanging around h

ried Percy. "Ho

to the secret; says sister Ma

ay so?" demanded Pe

plain Englis

, why, I'll get back to college as soon as I can," said

said Jasper. "But she won't be worse; not unless we worry

hrow his clothes into traveling order. "All

was hurrying all sorts of garments into the trunk with a quick hand. "I tell you, Percy, I struck good lu

id Percy, "and I can't bear

at's you, Percy. I say, I wouldn't try to keep the things on," with a laugh as he saw his brother's

you cannot help, you can take yourself off.

had rolled off under a pile of underclothing. "Well, you don't kn

y, growing quite red, and desist

know she doesn't," re

before he knew it Percy was over him and

t Polly doesn't like my

me up!"

w do you know she

t me up, an

ng hard work to keep Van from sl

alled Pol

ing to his feet, and releasing Van, who, red and

satisfaction. "Percy, can't I do something for you?

Van off; that would help me more

er brown head so disapprovingly

good, Polly,"

he said. Then she went over

things out and fold the

edly. "I suppose I have made a mess of the

that trunk," declared Polly merrily. "Now,

her; he putting in the things, while she neatly made them i

," said Van under his br

s going back to college, and you wo

, and bent all his energies to settli

ntly in a lull, "I do jus

, settling his beloved eyegla

h, you don't know how I miss those boys!" She rested

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I

" said Van enviously, "then we

said Percy. "Dave once in a whil

, her hands dropping suddenly in astonishmen

he prayer-meetings and that sort of thing," explaine

ings, and you call him

hile Van burst out in

always turning up that want help, and all such stuf

dreadful to be spoken, and then fel

breath, still kneeling on the floor, "oh, bo

feeling that he ought to be thrashed for

ried Polly, springing suddenly to her feet; "just thin

ted a few st

of feeling. "Just think, with Joel doing such beautiful things,

let it out," said Percy abruptly. "Oh, dear me, h

a rapture, "because Joel always hated to be pra

called, and she ran

d Percy, with a

graces, you've just got to brush up on your catechism,

rned off

a bit of card-pl

will you?" cried hi

ou-dare manner," said Van mockingly, s

e at him, then th

, can't you?" h

I'd as soon take my chances with her, on the suppers and other things, as to have

ook uncomfortable, and he

laugh, "then you'd be in a fine fix; and I wouldn't

or three steps to the door

rcy," he said, and

hing down his ruffled feelings

brotherly fashion, then raced ov

she had just come from Mr. King's room, "I've be

ay; "why, you've been so good ever since you both promised

klessly; "but since he went to college

t him in a way that cut him to th

to say anything?"

replied Polly, and sh

oom and clo

o the station, when the bell rang and a housemaid presently laid before Polly a card, at sight

d Mr. King, laying do

ht of his displeasure, "it does not matter. I can send wo

n, seriously displeased, "come and te

out of her chair and silently la

Bayley," read th

severance. I'm very tired, but I see nothing for it but that I must

emblingly at his elbow, "ple

ng, looking down at her, "that you like

xclaimed Polly in

th dignity. "Don't worry; I sha'n't forget myself, nor what is due to a Bayley," wit

his face was wreathed in smiles, and he chuckled now and the

estion open; thought it impossible that you could refuse him utterly, and was willing to wait; and asked permission to send flowers, and all that sort of thing. But I made

, that very evening as

e doorway of her littl

ou suppose we can bear

ll

to Baby's cradle, "of course we can, because we must. That isn't like

red foot over the pattern of the carpet. "It would be

come any quicker to spend the time wishing for her. There

le room, then came back softly. "I want to g

o Phronsie bent over and set on Baby's dear lit

uld only come home,"

hurt so much as the doctors feared," said her mother. "

" said Phronsie slowly, going off toward her own little room. And pres

d Jane put in her hea

s "What

here?" asked Jane i

ASE MAKE DEAR PAPA GIVE

ary," said Mother Fisher. "What i

rgo, I'm afraid, ma'am," said Jane. "Griggs has jus

open door; but she was standing beside them in her lit

r Fisher, "and tell the doctor what Grig

it is diphtheria, but go to my office and change my clothes. There's considerable of the disease around. Good-night, child." He stop

Mrs. Fisher, "come to mother

ap, and laid her sad little cheek wh

believe God will let Helen die, because you see she's t

knows best," said Mrs. F

as in all the world." So she slipped to the floor, and went into her own room again and closed the door. "Dear Jesus," she said, kneeling by her little white bed, "please don

ross the moonlight, where the light from Helen Farg