Peggy in Her Blue Frock

imes at one house and sometimes at the other. They liked better going to see Clara on account of the tree-house; and Clara liked better going to see them. She liked to com

e garden was to be, was a delightful place

w York with her father and mother and Miss Rand, this time in an automobile. The children misse

her. On the way to school they passed Mrs. Butler's house. Peggy was always eager to stop and listen to the c

o look at the hats. She had longed to have a new one for Easter, for her old brown straw looked so shabby. One day, when she was with her mother and Alice, she made them cross the street to look a

gy. "Why should there be a hat with blue on it, j

Peggy," said her mother. "When m

come in, mothe

, as we don't live at the seashore a garden is more useful.

e wait for the garden, and I wan

ind the counter, came to

peanut straw ha

I can't get the hat fo

a bargain," sa

rs. Owen, "but I am spending more

canary?"

ve you a free concert any ti

ld not be free like the o

was asking the school-children if any of them had seen her canary-bird. "I don't know what my husband will say when he comes b

n stood about in a

get out?"

ng days, and Sol never took notice. The worst of it is, my husband told me I hadn't orter keep it open, even a speck, while the bird was out of his cage. 'Sol

inated silence to see what would happen next. One of the schoolboys, who always loved

yarn, Gilbert Lawson?" the old man said. "You

uly has flown away, M

't I tell you what would happen?" he said angrily as he vanished

p to her eyes. "She's crying," said Peggy in an awed v

nfully. "You might as well l

cage out he'd come ba

would be fool enough to go back again?" said he. "Well, th

d the village, and so did the girls who lived in that direc

as soon as dinner is over and find the bird

other won't let you

ow she'll let me come," said P

Her eyes looked very red and

I can find the canary-bird-I know I can. I'll come

bout the canary. "Mother dear, Mrs. Butler has lost Sol; an

l?" Mrs. O

him by his song, and then I can climb up and p

e he's free: Gilbert sa

tention to what Gilbe

. "I once knew of a canary-bird that escaped and went back int

she was a sensible

dessert. But when she found it was rice pudding with raisins, she changed her m

to find Sol,

u what," he said, "I'll give five dollars to any one

hought they had reached a spot that might appeal to Sol. This was the

above them, there came delicious trills and the joyous sound that Peggy longed to make herself. Nothing but a canary

ms 'most too bad to put him in prison again-only I'

get his feathers all

e can. Look, Alice!" Far up at the top of the maple tree, the leaves of which were partly open, was a tiny golden ball, and fr

beam among the green opening leaves. It seemed a long time before Peggy came ba

us, but it's him that's singin'!" she said. "I thought you'd just mistaken

cage out of Mrs

I'll leave his house-door open

said Mrs. Butler with a laugh. "T

didn't have o

oked almost as sunshiny as the canary. Mrs. Butler handed the cage up to her. Th

home when he gets

and saying over and over, "He hasn't

what would happen next; and nothing happened. It was very disc

Peggy cried

age. The children's eyes grew big with excitement. Alice jumped down from the wall and ran nearer to t

ee what you've d

ar, oh,

, and after this Alice did not

ever boils.' Mebbe you'd like some refreshments as well as Sol. D

for a meal and out again before she could close him in. The time passed slowly. After what seemed hours Mrs. Butler came back and brought them s

eping everybody waiting, and you so small you co

. "We ought to be going home," she said.

'm going to stick right here until he

come back agai

ing still. She took one run across the Thornton place, but this se

hile I count a hu

ry in his cage, and she had not seen him go in. It was too provoki