Five Little Peppers and their Friends

take place until two days after, for all was then as sweet and fresh as a rose-all but on

ce was always turning up when least wanted." And Polly had, as usual, to keep back he

saying that there is no place in America to compare w

with her relations, Jaspe

thrust his hands deeply in his pockets-"well, she fi

whose great grief had always been at having no re

-"always picking and carping at something or somebody; and now Fath

t just then, that for a minute she didn't spea

eep still, "and all those flowers he had ordered, for of course he couldn't l

said Polly, s

there isn't anything Father hasn't done to make this fair a success, and now sh

ver to him in the greatest distress,

pths of gloom; "nothing will do a

ite wildly, and feeling equal to anything. If she onl

eling badly." Jasper spra

y flew out into

great state of irritation. "I've searched this house for them, and nobody seems to have the least id

f the hall. "He's calling us, and we've got to go, Po

ed Polly. Then she looke

and help us fix the flo

aid. "Come on," and before their resolution had

ed together, "do come out and

d you know Mrs. Chatterton had come back?" He glared at them over his spectacles, which he had forgotten

yes," sai

ly cheerfully, "but, Grandpapa,

ered himself to be led toward the door. "And you want me, eh?"-fee

ied Jasper affectionately, poss

u sent are just too lov

g by his side. "They're

me to tell you how to arrange them, eh?" And his satisfaction in being appealed t

o's hospitality always allowed her, looked out of the window, and, having no one

cratic he used to be! Why, I can remember when he would hardly let Jasper speak to him in some of

the gown she was brushing, to run to the windo

ity, "just because I made a simple remark. You know quite well

ry wide. "Oh!" She extended her hands and burst into a series of shrill cackles. "Wh

erself enough to stamp her foot. So Hortense picked up the gown, but she continue

t about, superintending the placing of the flowers. For there seemed to be a great many in the pots, with fer

ing her hands in ecstasy. "I do think I never saw so man

, his eyes sparkling, "a

d Polly, spinning about

is head and lau

t, Polly, my girl," he

ng quite still. "Oh, it's just too beautiful

get to work," said Jasp

lly, let's s

rner and two of his under-gardeners came up for directions, and Mr. King went off with them. So for the next hour

mourned, in the midst of it, as the transforming of th

take a long nap, else s

is going to be a

, flying on with her wor

ht to make her

ight," said Jasper decid

hink that smilax ought to be trained up there?" She twisted

believe I'd put it there. It looks too mu

. "Heigh-ho! when one is working over any

"Oh, Polly, it can't ever in al

hite-capped maids coming across the lawn, with the summons to go i

hich to think, for at three o'clock the garden par

arms, or carried carefully in their hands. For wasn't this to help poor children who didn't have any pleasant homes, but lived in stuffy tenement houses, to go out into the broad, beautiful country, where they could race in the fields and play with the chickens, and

was to be the function of the town, which every one was anxious to attend. But eve

ck with little pink bows. And Rachel's eyes-well, there! no one would ever have suspected that they had only been accustomed to the squalor of Gran's apartment, and Gran herself, but one short week ago. They now looked on the world in general, and this fair scene in particular, w

her bevy of school friends in one of the flower-bowers. And she never bothered about any curious glances, or asides, until a chance remark struck her ear as she was hu

"Dear me! I expect she'll rob us all; such creatures are so sly." She was pointing out Rachel to one of

g, cynical face. "'Cause if you does, I can tell you that what I does, I do

ifficulty control her amusement. "She'll tell this everywhere," she fumed within. "I shall go and speak to my cousin, Mr. King, about you, gi

oh, my! you're such a favor_ite_, you are!" and she doubled

seized her friend's arm to drag her away. "Tha

ent quite left her. She drew herself up stiffly, and hurried back to

cried Polly, handing her another big spo

d," cried e

s up, and it looks for all the world, when I get through, as if my

r the table with its blooming beauty. "I want it for my mamma," and he gave

the basket; "the violets are so sweet," and she sni

"Now I'm going to make him buy something of me. We must all make him

to hear, and she dropped the

"Grandpapa said we were not to ask a single p

," grumbled Clem; "it's for the

olly, her cheeks like a rose, an

yway. And beside, my papa said if any one teased me to spend my money, I was to come right away. But he didn't believe they would here." And

scomfort. "Oh, yes, Mrs. Nunn"-her face brightening-"we have heliotrope, ever so much of it." She thrus

ut this is ten do

the house-were playing their sweetest; and now the society folk began to put in an appearance am

ng the little knots of gayly dressed visitors, "here, run over to

g. And in an incredibly short space of t

w m

l get change in a minute," and he was flying

t any; I won't be bothered with it," decla

said Joel, aghast, and stop

or I'll report you. Aren't you one of the

ning up, and puffing out hi

yourself reported if yo

ith yourself to

, rushing along. "I'm going to get my mail bag now, there's just a crowd

llar bill-"what Mr. Cabot sent to Jasper. I guess that'll send one p

ercy and Joel, who much preferred being letter-carriers to helping J

-dollar bill down in a flurry, to fling the strap of his m

ping through the arbor, blew it first to one side, and then to the other, until at last it fell down among a tangle of evergreen with which the posts of the arbor were wound. And presently, Van, who much preferred being assistant to Jasper to running about as a letter carrier, cam

contribution, went off on the wings of the wind, distributing le

Joel, get m

't get near the post office;

" until Joel began to feel that he was about running the whole post-office department, and it seemed as if every dr

Candace, who had left her little shop on Temple Place to help forward th