Five Little Peppers Grown Up

efractory button of her glove into place, as a gay group pr

es of hair over her forehead, "that we must applaud the very minute that she gets through singing. Oh dear me

" exclaimed one of t

ll,'" warned Alexia. "Take care now, Sally Moo

ute," retorted Sally, "and mend your manners b

, crowding up; "do let me get one corner of that glass," t

giving it a little quirk before she said, "Don't fight, girls;

Moore, "for you get everythi

give up and give up the whole time to somebody. Well, never mind; let's talk about the Recital.

it better than a 'swell affair,'" said Cle

" cried three

have used the words on more than one occasion, unless my memory

s Salisbury's nerves five or six years ago,

. "All our minds should be on Polly, and her Recital

e?" cried

't he?" cried Alexia, with another

?" hummed

r all your fussing over those b

ght he would?" cried Al

rybody knows, tha

Bayley?" asked one o

urning away from the mirror, with a lingering movement; "the

y horrid," declared Sally Moore, def

ey and Polly," begged the girl who had rai

e than we do, Frances," said Clem, "o

That's all I shall say," and she leisurely disposed herself in a big chair, and began t

irls, "I don't believe. Why, he's horribly rich; and

am the Conqueror, doesn't he? And there's an earl in the family, and I don't know what else. And then beside, there's his mother; the idea

mily go back all the time," said Alexia Rhys; "for my par

out it, why Mr. Bayley has gone

knows,"

ed a tune p

uess the truth; but Polly won't ever let

ia suddenly, "we must remembe

d Frances; "I didn't pro

en we promised, my dear

You see we don't any of

le one of us. She's a

sentation given to the life, of Charlotte Chatterton's method of getting her long fig

d recovered her breath, "or she might see that Polly was just giving up a

t," said

hing so as a matter of course," observed

stened to one," said Sally Moore, coming away from the mirror, thereb

ss we must applaud her dreadfully when she's finished singing. That's

friendly voice in the doorway, which had the effect to send

Chatterton shook herself free from the friendly portie

ed, standing tall, "not one single n

r, and

ter?" asked Char

ead to foot, "there are so many people in there, oh-o

id Charlotte u

ie! The hall is full, and they

ite gown, was coming quic

shaking little palms into her own. "There now, we'll see if we can't

's eyes staring through me," cri

Polly. But there was a little white line around he

stay; I would better read it bef

r has just been here, and he says I must not go out. I should have written this morning that I h

A AND

: "I'LL NOT S

's lap, and for a minu

r," at last she sa

Amy Loughead, brought out of her own

sick and cannot b

lay with Miss Porter. What will y

e her place," said Polly,

aimed Amy, trying not

bad and horrid as it ca

; I should d

at you'll never do." She threw the note on the floo

so frightene

terton walked

the way, but I'm not such a villain as to bother her now by telling her I won't si

t her voice sounded cold and unsympathetic

said. "You really ought to be out h

gasp. "What

Polly in a low voice, Charlotte Chatterton look

ointed in me?" Amy brought o

ch," sai

ain-and never give me music l

t would be no use to continue the lessons." And she put aside the clingi

me, if they were bears and gorillas looking on-and I just know I

tterton drew

atter?" asked

d, I believe," said Charlotte, wi

seems to be all right now," he said, in a

t to much if one has a mind t

gly, "to stand up and sing before all those people. But I suppose

d her shoulders,

id Polly cheerfully co

uch a comfort," she

e kept saying to herself all the way out to the platform, "oh, I'll sing-I'll sing." And later on, while looking down into

way, "Who is that girl?

terton had mad

clapped steadily together her soft-gloved hands, loo

tly, "they want you to sing again," trying to pu

Charlotte passionatel

ll

n in the girl usually so cold and indifferent. Still the a

m steps with shining e

g again," he whi

rlotte." said Polly.

r, and looking as if it really made no difference to her

he piano, and began the

inging carrie

nod in a pleased surprise; and she was aghast to feel a faint little wish be

nd her voice is so beautiful in this big hall, oh, it's so very beautiful!" as Charlotte c

who sat next to her. "Look at Mrs. Cabot. She has her 'I'll-take-you-up-and-patro

heir minds to introduce Miss Chatterton to their friends; as a girl with

ctly exquisite." "Most wonderful range." "Shall certainly ask her to sing." And again she saw Jasper's beaming face, while Ben took no pains to conceal his delight. And she sat do

ME, POLLY, IF THE LITTL

OTTEN LI

ow movement, Polly glanced dow

had spoken, "is this my girl? For shame, if the Li

nguished in their chairs, now gathered themselves up with fresh interest, and clapped their hands at the brilliant passages, and exclaimed over the ability of the music teacher who could change an apparent failure to such a glo

walking things with a quick hand; and held fast for a minute as she crept out into t

ver, everybody cr

Recital is lovely! oh

ton san

h your pupils' progress; and what an

for you to excuse Miss Anderson at the last minute; and we can

e crowd; "will nothing stop them?" wringing her hands angrily together. "It's all Chatterton,

to pull Charlotte forward to he

appealing to them. "She must have; she went out like a shot. Don't, Polly, how can you

or?" cried Jasper, scal

uickly up into

ne home-I couldn't help

g, "father wanted to introduce her to some friends, that's all. W

ettling Amy's music

done it all-the honor to bring out a nightingale! Here, let me do that for you." He was fairly bubbling over with delight, and as

y?" asked Polly beginnin

her. Oh, here comes a horde of congratulations, Polly." He threw her the brightest of smiles as he moved to make way for a group of f

e's singing," said Polly to herself, and looking

all over, and the janitor was closing the big outer door, as Po

TURNED AND WAVED HE

ved her music-roll

is." So they ran as lightly as Polly herself, after her, down the steps, only in time to see

is the matter?" cried

s watching th

," explained Jasper, "because she we

claimed Alexia angrily.

s worse and worse. Why

tell. I, for one, shoul

done by t

y Charlotte?" repeated Jasper in astonishment. "I

ping her foot now-"oh, oh! why don't some of you say something?" she cried, appealing suddenly to the girls. "Y

erself to talk over this," he said. "It is Polly's affair, and hers alone