Half a Dozen Girls

nt to come and take

in the door one

d tossed her book

t to stay in the house such a day a

olly mysteriously. "I want you all to myself, for I've something

oll?" asked Mo

I'll tell you by and by. Go a

irls, yet it took very little of their time, and left them nearly as free as ever for their usual occupations. Their common interest in the one work, however,

on the roofs and towers of the town nestling on the hillside, and touched with a golden light the tall, slender spire of the little church. The girls walked briskly away through the town and out towards the river, a mile away. Polly appeared to be unusually excited, whether by the crisp air or by her new winter coat, Molly was at a loss to decide. It was

suddenly pounced into the midst of a flock of hens that were pluming themse

think, I wanted to astonish those hens. Shoo!" And she charged upon the

utched her friend firmly by the elbow and d

aid, as she guided Polly's erring footsteps back into the concrete pa

lood rushed to her cheeks. When she spoke, her

bridge, Molly," she begged.

w coat, after all.

t stand it to wait, I am so wild to know. Com

mustn't run," protest

g on," answered Molly; "but it's our own

t the north, the shining, river as it wound along through the russet meadow grass, and cut its way between the southern mountains, over which slowly flitted the clouds above. A few belated crows rose and sank down again over the deserted corn-fields, while, from the red house o

And Molly paus

mittened hand into her coat pocket, and pulled out a dingy sheet of paper whose folds, worn till they were transparent, showed the

e never to tell, if I tell you something that there doesn

a glance at the worn-out sheet, which was covered with Polly's

d that knows this, Molly; and I am telling you my secret because I know

s grew round with astonis

he great secret was out; "I knew I coul

lly, with a vague idea that she had neve

I just knew that there ought to be some rhymes, and then I must say something or other to fill up the line

o have it printe

and write my name on it and my age and how I came to write it, and put it away. After I'm dead and famous, somebody will fin

y. "When you're all nicely dead an

dren and grandchildren will be!"

lly sceptically. "People that write are

l. Here was a fl

Molly. "Aren't you

cleared her throat nervously, drew a lo

a poem, and had no idea of the mingled fear and pride that were waging war

d Polly faintly. Then, nerving her

n went chest

woods to st

and Sue and

r there's no

ped to cat

our names?" inquir

up with a s

f my head,

tone was not reassuri

the next verse bett

ind mothers

d butter, m

start at t

hot when i

friend looking at her, with

said, with cutting emphasis; "but it s

y. Her temper flashed up l

e as mean as mean can

r to speak to you aga

ecame excited, the more Mo

id provokingly. "You're no more a

olly, facing her friend with g

and there's no more poetry about it than there is about one of your freckles. Poetry is all about spring and clouds and butterflies, or

d down her

her clenched teeth. "This is al

them into tiny squares, and defiantly threw them away over the side of the bridge into the swift blue stream below. But even before the first floating square had touched the surface of the water, the reaction had set in, and Polly could have cried for the loss of her firs

me, the tears were not so ready as they had been, and she did not feel quite so much as if the world had abused her, as she did when she was standing on the bridge, watching the white dots on the river below. At least, no great harm was done, for she remembered the whole poem and could easily write it out again. As this thought came to he

lly! are y

open the door, with a secret hope that her mother would see

he matter in hand to give more tha

ask her if she can't take in some ministers next week, over

Jane would go on her own old errands, and

was very gentle; "Polly, aren't

ed Polly rebelliously

ol

king her mother's meaning. A

, kind aunt to you." Polly raised her eyebrows, but dared not speak; "and I am so

down the stairs, her mother heard her murmuring to herself words that

bused her, and, worst of all, her mother had spoken to her more seriously than she had done for a long time. That was the way it generally was with geniuses, she thought,

say, wait for a f

th his overcoat waving in the breeze and hi

riefly, as he overtook her a

as briefly, not yet able to re

he added, "What's up, Polly? You don't seem to be particularly fest

one," conf

olation. "If Molly's been teasing you, I'll give her fit

," responded Polly, cheered by h

gets after me once in a while, so I know. You're snappish, Poll; bu

few steps. Then Alan remarked,

, Polly, and suits you f

he was once more her own merry self, so by the time she went in at the Hapgood house, she was

down from the window of their room. "Here

g a private feast of lemonade and crackers in their own room, where

ndow, over her sister who was curled up in one of the deep window-seats, reg

ilted it expressively, exposing to view a few bare, dry slices of lemon in the bott

he feast; "but I put our very last lemon into this, and I can't. Maybe t

essie hastily, as she heard Alan calling from below. "It was almost too st

her sister's instructions, while Jessie

avely, as she poured out

asted it, then set down the g

ing to eat; and Polly will like the fun." And as she opened the box and took out a fresh plateful of their dainty crackers, Kathari

imed Polly, pouncing on a flaming red

nd here," she continued, turning over the leaves and pointing to several well-known names.

ly on the signature of a writer clear to all childish

bums are a bore. I used to care for them, years ago, but they are all just alike. I had one friend who wrote the same verse in every album she

een ever so good. I haven't had any since last summer,

tharine heartily, though wit

to the subject of the book in her hand. "I wish I had all these.

but they make ever so much fun o

ie; "I'm going to have one, pretty s

?" ask

" responded Jess

ing to get it?"

" replied Jessie, w

y I know?" ask

somebody that everyone in t

crazy thing have you

har

And Jessie shut h

tell us," urged Alan,

all speak to auntie. I know you hav

ghed good-

u a little; I'd just as soon tell as not. I'll give you each a guess, and then, i

Holmes," said Ka

iled disd

t should I

atharine. "He's the greatest person I could think o

he one," said Jes

se United States," su

Democrat, you know, so I don't want him. But

Grant," s

long ago, Polly

. Well, let's see.

ssie. "I didn't say i

s an English-man a

ropped into a chair, too

"that you've been and gone and asked Q

dded triu

urned Polly, with deli

laughed again at

showed her

n of conviction; "she will too, for I put in a