Polly in New York

to the new day, let us renew

ionable age, her wise mother authorized Anne Stewart, the young teacher who had spent the summer with the Brewsters and who was engaged to John Brewster, to spare no money when fitting Polly out for her life

as the best known and richest banker of that great city. But because of her ill health, being a protegée of Anne

. And Paul, her younger brother now at college in Chicago (where the other boys also studied), was there because his sister earned the money with which to pay his expenses. Now that An

ock at her door. "Poll, someone wants to

into one of those funny little black hor

f the previous afternoon-ran out of her room. Anne sat her upon a st

, half afraid that somet

this time, and stood back of Polly,

admonished Ann

t her senses to the unfamiliar method o

face expressed amazement, then pleased surprise, and then excite

in the city. Now we shall have love

for an explanation. The telephone receiver began clicking strangely in her ear, and she

Let me do the talking-it so

st at midnight, and they are going

, she was ready to chat as if she had nothing else to do. After ten minutes of silly boy and girl tal

'll see you to-night. Good-by!" Then El

ave the boys in the city to show us

e" with the boys might be indefinitely postponed, Anne made up her mind tha

but with no success. If an apartment of five to seven rooms was found, it would be found to be dark, dirty, or in an obj

ning, everyone felt discouraged. "And these poor deluded New Yorkers call the band-boxes we

ry inch of property has to be made the most of. You know, that is why a builder, in large cities, runs his struc

thirty stories, eh? The owner has to get his rents out of the air and sky, and

"You are an apt pup

o they were soon seated in the two cars; Jim driving one, with Polly seated beside him, and Ken, Eleanor

ure and trail me. I'll go first, as I kno

tened; but Jim chatted as he drove, and seemed to take it all so naturall

tream of machines and people as the girls never dreamed of before. Confetti, paper ribbons, horns and what-not, were used by the passengers o

atimer wondered what had happened to turn this pretty ran

eyes that seemed to weigh all things wisely; the heavy wavy hair that was becomingly looped back from her face, and above al

. She could not have told anyone what Jim looked like in his city clothes. In fact, after the first hasty glance at Ke

the elder Latimers and the Evans upon the chutes, the merry-go-rounds, the Twister, the Winsome Waves, a

th very surfeit of so much fun, the boys managed to "

here was so much to see and to do that I forgot Con

ivolity that had filled her for the last few hours vanished, and she gave herself up to the power of that calm, never-ceasing roll of wa

the ocean upon one who had never seen anyth

orth coming so far east to see. It's the on

, and exchanging youthful view-points about everything in the universe,

oys had dodged us on purpose. But Miss Ste

ust before Mr. Latimer drove his car up to the hotel, Mrs. Stewart learned how Dr. and Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Lati

ast city one is not able to find a dece

e for owners not building now is because of the high cost of material and labor. They are all wait

place, Mrs. Stewart, I would suggest your finding a nice boarding-house for the winte

morning, but I said it seemed dreadful, when I came Eas

ome, but in cases like this Fall's shortage of apartments,

all felt sure something must turn up in the next day or two. So the

il we finish. If either of us find anything at all decent, and in an agreeable neighborhood, pay down a deposit to hold it and be sure to get a receipt as a binder-Mr. Latimer told me that much. Then we

as $3,000 a year for seven rooms, or $1,500 for four to five rooms-no more, as that is

tewart and Eleanor experienced the same snubs, weariness, and failures, as thousands of other home-hunte

ed," announced Eleanor, as Mrs. S

n we can brag about," added Mrs. St

returned, baffled, to the hotel, Anne and

of ever finding a decent apartment at any reasonable figure, and had started for the subway when we saw th

d instantly Mrs. Stewart and Eleanor

glances, as if the secret was t

upper sections, to-day, eh?" asked

day has kept my head still spinning. But we had the same results as yesterday. When you inspect one of these modern honey-combs you see them all. The only difference be

will have to move out to the country if they want t

aid: "Mother, you are too precoci

ossing back and forth, but we came away from the Gramercy Park section, late this afternoon, with an utter sense of failure

aving paid our fares, sat down. I remember turning to Polly and saying, 'This is actual

nd Anne smiled. "But it was our sal

acant seats on that car. A pleasant-faced, grey-haired man of about fifty,

north than the next block? It is switched back downtown,

ied: 'No! he never said a

nductor called out: 'All out-dis car goe

down from the car, the nice man lifted his hat to us and said: '

y-second street to the hotel. Then I added, sarcastically: 'B

es you through the tunnel much quicker than the Lexington avenue car runs to Forty-second stre

o do so; then we thanked him and started along Thirty-first s

trust!" exclaimed Mrs. Stewart. "Isn

plained Anne. "It has several remodeled h

u see our house-it's fi

laimed: 'Oh, Anne! see the lovely fl

, but then my eyes dropped lower and I spied a swinging sign at a side-door. It merely said:

p in at this window

ng iron-lattice that covered the four slits in the wide front doo

t should be closed for the day. A boy was told to accompany us and we were soon inspecting

u see it now. But he wanted the owner to take out the stable doors and put in a studio-winder, and when the owner wouldn't spend a cent, the artist up and moved.

wart had caught the significant words: "Stable doors," and now she looked deeply c

place, and paid down half a month's rent to hold it until you a

laimed Eleanor, eagerly, while Mrs. Stew

can have a straight lease-n

did you say, dear?"

ld Poll not to say more until a

as if Providence sent us through that st

y it had stable-doors?" now ve

e? Why would it h

t was some rich man's private stable," laughed

d of Chicago! Oh-ha, ha, ha!" laug

lamation suggested-Mrs. Maynard and Barbara calling upon a

there was only an artistic home to be seen. The ground-floor which had once held four stalls and a harness-room, with space for two carriages, was now partitioned off in a manner that made the most of the space. A large living-room across the front acte

Also a single door went to the kitchen, which also had two high windows like those in the adjoining room. From the kitchen, a back door opened

see why they are so high? It is because they were once the ventilators to the stalls. Each

said: "If we had a shelf running along u

e it for china

ighted with them. There were two large front and two smaller rear rooms, with a fine tiled bathroom betwe

and fifty a month!" exc

it at once, children," said

e all inside repairs, or redecorate as we want. There is no steam heat or ho

dn't say anything to you-all. I noticed what a fine little kitchen stove this one has, so you'll always have hot water-never fear. As for heat! Well

iators, Anne," added Eleanor, e

were like, in Pebbly Pit, Anne,"

ve a very mild win

you any assistance you may need in getting the place in order, Mrs.

nt the kitchen range and stove pipe put in perfect working order, and please see

this winter. Well, I told my wife the other day, we were more comfortable when we had an old-fashioned

repapered and painted," whispered

r now on the walls is very expensive and artistic, so I wouldn't be in too great a hurry to have it don

way. So we'll have the men do the paint but not touch the p

move in?" que

ving the painters out first. I will send

e walk back to the corner where they wished to board the c