Princess Polly's Gay Winter

ter the party. Softly she crept across the floor

erton is to offer a prize to the boy or girl who has highest rank at Christmas time. Try for

e, I'll get it, just to repay them for letting me have

erton, and as she looked around the pretty chamb

d her stay at

herton as her companion, and Sprite wondered

she had Princess Polly, and Rose, beside ever so many little schoolmates, and she was being cared

that I want to send some down to the 'Mermaid's

John wondered if she were tired from the excitement

she laughed so gaily that at

hinking that I mustn't waste one single minute before Christmas. I

"you've been working hard

etly, "but I'll have t

f I have to work

at. Her lessons are almost perfect now. A little more

John Atherton had offered a prize for the best

old! Now work for it! You will all gain by trying, for while but one can win the prize, every scholar who work

any intended to strive for the prize. Harry Grafton, on the w

Harcourt doin

anner, and if he had spoken his thoughts, he

is queerer than that, she isn't coming over

ter interest to be talked of, an

and one bright afternoon, she decided to run off by hers

rst at Aunt Ju

ittle maid had gone down to the parsonage for a call, and Gwen knocked until she

in school, and won't be o

eyes br

re I'll go!

et, and ran along until she reached a house t

see the inside of her house," thought Gwen. "I can stay a little while there

ng the

r. After waiting a few

ed, and tried to peep through the keyhole. She turned, a crafty light

nd what if I should walk right in

e asked the questions,

the door, and on tiptoe, she entered, making her way along th

d for a few seconds, she did not see other objects in the room. A chair stood near the door, and she cli

why the house

sant faced lady was. She felt st

eyes roved from one object to another, first looking at the pictures on the wall, th

e that stood near it, a pair of

r chair, caught her breath i

upted by a child who knows no better than to po

nd she slid from the chair, raced out through the hal

known Gwen would believe that she could refrain from doing just the same thing, the first time that h

unpleasant disposition, had been annoy

t he would frighten her, and when she ran out, he

she was an intruder, and when she turn

er who, for the past few weeks had been endeavoring

the forenoon, and when afternoon had arrived,

ur mamma is really quite nervous, because you've been go

to. I made some calls, and the last one was funny, and queer too. I was frig

he teacher asked, look

ors? I'd rather go to houses where I don't know the people, just for

reakfast, upon returning to her room, she had found Gwen on her knee

e had said coolly, "and I don't see but one in the closet, t

ng the door, looked

your belongings in your trunks or bureau drawer

y the sort of interest that made a child feel free to hand

Harcourt consider

* *

ere was great excitement. At the end of the afternoon session the name of the winner was

t school, Sprite Seaford wa

ld be hot, and soon after

ery, very hard t

se was

d unclasped her

er went to the board just

back in her seat, pale, and almost breathles

ritten words as if hal

d Rob Lindsey, forgetting that he was in

you," she cried, and th

* *

ood Hall, and a blaze of light indoors, where little feet kept time

ilver bandeau holding her powdered curls in place

tumes were similar, because Mrs. Sherwood had asked both

and the white costumes s

wreaths and garlands were tied with scarlet ribbons,

l with the powdered hair, and brigh

, skipped here and there between the dancers making comical jo

om behind a damask curtain came a slender g

hung from her arm, and these s

onholes, and the girls tucked the

trumpets announced the arr

figure in crimson velvet and white fur, with snowy beard, and

Chri

, which when opened, gave fo

gs, or silver pencils for the boys, and a kindly

ss who won it by faithful study, and the giver permits me to prese

him, as he s

, kind Uncle John! I know your pleasant voice

trong arm around her slender little form, while with th

ghing gaily as he pointed proudly t

aid Mr. Sherwood. "That na

," said Rob Lindsey, "for he's wild to

house to-night is

said Rose, and little Sprite felt

re games in which the elders joined, and when "good nights

tered on the pendant icicles, and the keen, f

oices talking, and laughing at the same time

party that night, and

il some time after the party, and it was Lesli

Gwen this Winter, because Gwen has acted so that the first and second left,

act so horri

Princess Polly, "and that is that she didn't d

dn't!" cried Rose