Five Little Peppers at School

by Margaret Sidney

  XX THE CORCORAN FAMILY

  And on the morrow--oh, what a heap of money there was for the poorbrakeman's family!--four hundred and twelve dollars. For a good manypeople had fairly insisted on paying twice the amount for their tickets;and a good many more had paid when they couldn't take tickets at all,going out of town, or for some other good reason.

  And one old lady, a great friend of the family, sent for Polly Pepperthe week before. And when Polly appeared before the big lounge,--forMrs. Sterling was lifted from her bed to lie under the sofa-blankets allday,--she said, "Now, my dear, I want to take some tickets for thataffair of yours. Gibbons, get my check-book."

  So Gibbons, the maid, brought the check-book, and drew up the littlestand with the writing-case upon it close to the lounge, and Mrs.Sterling did a bit of writing; and presently she held out a long greenslip of paper.

  "Oh!" cried Polly, in huge delight, "I've never had one for my very ownself before." There it was, "Polly Pepper," running clear across itsface. And "Oh!" with wide eyes, when she saw the amount, "twenty-fivedollars!"

  "Haven't you so?" said Mrs. Sterling, greatly pleased to be the first inone of Polly's pleasures.

  "Oh!" cried Polly again, "twenty-five dollars!" And she threw herselfdown before the lounge, and dropped a kiss upon the hand that had madeall this happiness for the brakeman's poor children.

  "Well now, Polly, tell me all about it," said Mrs. Sterling, with a glowat her heart warm enough to brighten many a long invalid day. "Gibbons,get a cricket for Miss Mary."

  "Oh, may I sit here?" begged Polly eagerly, as Gibbons, placing thelittle writing-case back into position, now approached with the cricket;"it's so cosey on the floor."

  "Why, yes, if you don't wish the cricket," said Mrs. Sterling with alittle laugh, "and I remember when I was your age it was my greatestdelight to sit on the floor."

  "It is mine," said Polly, snuggling up to the sofa-blankets.

  Mrs. Sterling put out her thin hand, and took Polly's rosy palm. "Nowbegin, dear," she said, with an air of content, and looking down intothe bright face.

  So Polly, realizing that here perhaps was need for help, quite as muchas in the poor brakeman's home, though in a different way, told thewhole story, how the two clubs, the Salisbury School Club and the boys'club, had joined together to help Jim Corcoran's children; how they hadhad a big meeting at Jasper's house, and promised each other to takehold faithfully and work for that object.

  "We were going to have a little play," observed Polly, a bitsorrowfully, "but it was thought best not, so it will be recitations andmusic."

  "Those will be very nice, I am quite sure, Polly," said Mrs. Sterling;"how I should love to hear some of them!" It was her turn to look sadnow.

  "Why--" Polly sat up quite straight now, and her cheeks turned rosy.

  "What is it, my child?" asked Mrs. Sterling.

  "Would you--I mean, do you want--oh, Mrs. Sterling, would you like us tocome here some time to recite something to you?"

  Mrs. Sterling turned an eager face on her pillow.

  "Are you sure, Polly," a light coming into her tired eyes, "that youyoung people would be willing to come to entertain a dull, sick, oldwoman?"

  "Oh, I am sure they would," cried Polly, "if you would like it, dearMrs. Sterling."

  "_Like it!_" Mrs. Sterling turned her thin face to the wall for amoment. When she looked again at Polly, there were tears trickling downthe wasted cheeks. "Polly, you don't know," she said brokenly, "how Ijust long to hear young voices here in this dreary old house. To liehere day after day, child--"

  "Oh!" cried Polly suddenly, "it must be so very dreadful, Mrs.Sterling."

  "Well, don't let us speak of that," said Mrs. Sterling, breaking offquickly her train of thought, "for the worst isn't the pain and theweakness, Polly. It's the loneliness, child."

  "Oh!" said Polly. Then it all rushed over her how she might have run inbefore, and taken the other girls if she had only known. "But we willcome now, dear Mrs. Sterling," she said aloud.

  "Do," cried Mrs. Sterling, and a faint color began to show itself on herthin face, "but not unless you are quite sure that the young people willlike it, Polly."

  "Yes, I am sure," said Polly, with a decided nod of her brown head.

  "Then why couldn't you hold some of your rehearsals here?" proposed Mrs.Sterling.

  "Shouldn't we tire you?" asked Polly.

  "No, indeed!" declared Mrs. Sterling, with sudden energy, "I could beara menagerie up here, Polly," and she laughed outright.

  Gibbons, at this unwonted sound, popped her head in from the adjoiningroom where she was busy with her sewing, to gaze in astonishment at hermistress.

  "I am not surprised at your face, Gibbons," said Mrs. Sterling cheerily,"for you have not heard me laugh for many a day."

  "No, madam, I haven't," said Gibbons, "but I can't help saying I'mrejoiced to hear it now," with a glance of approval on Polly Pepper.

  "So, Polly, you see there is no danger of your bringing me any fatigue,and I should be only too happy to see you at your next rehearsal."

  "We can come, I am almost sure," said Polly, "those of us who want torehearse at all. Some of us, you see, are quite sure of our pieces:Pickering Dodge is, for one; he spoke at his last school exhibition. ButI'll tell the others. Oh, thank you for asking us, Mrs. Sterling."

  "Thank you for giving your time, dear, to a dull old woman," said Mrs.Sterling. "Oh, must you go?" She clung to her hand. "I suppose youought, child."

  "Yes," said Polly, "I really ought to go, Mrs. Sterling. And you are notdull, one single bit, and I like you very much," she added as simply asPhronsie would have said it.

  "Kiss me good-bye, Polly," said Mrs. Sterling. So Polly laid her freshyoung cheek against the poor, tired, wasted one; hopped into her jacket,and was off on happy feet.

  And the others said "Yes," when they saw Polly's enthusiasm over theplan of holding a rehearsal at Mrs. Sterling's; and Jasper proposed,"Why couldn't we repeat the whole thing after our grand performance, forher sometime?" and, before any one could quite tell how, a warm sympathyhad been set in motion for the rich, lonely old lady in the big, gloomystone mansion most of them passed daily on their way to school.

  Well, the grand affair was over now, and a greater success than was everhoped for. Now came the enjoyment of presenting the money!

  "Grandpapa," said Polly, "we are all here."

  "So I perceive," looking out on the delegation in the hall. For ofcourse all the two clubs couldn't go to the presentation, so committeeswere chosen to represent them--Polly, Clem, Alexia, and Silvia, for theSalisbury Club, and Jasper, Clare, Pickering, and Richard Burnett forthe boys' club; while old Mr. King on his own account had invited Joel,Percy and Van, and, of course, Tom Beresford.

  "My! What shall we do with such a lot of boys?" exclaimed Alexia, asthey all met in the hall.

  "You don't have to do anything at all with us, Alexia," retorted Joel,who liked her the best of any of Polly's friends, and always showed itby sparring with her on every occasion, "only let us alone."

  "Which I shall proceed to do with the greatest pleasure," said Alexia."Goodness me! Joe, as if I'd be bothered with you tagging on. You'remuch worse than before you went away to school."

  "Come, you two, stop your quarrelling," said Jasper, laughing. "A prettyexample you'd make to those poor Corcoran children."

  "Oh, we sha'n't fight there," said Alexia sweetly; "we'll have quiteenough to do to see all that is going on. Oh, Polly, when do you supposewe can ever start?"

  "Father has the bank-book," announced Jasper; "I saw him put it in hispocket, Polly."

  Polly gave a little wriggle under her coat. "Oh, Jasper, isn't it justtoo splendid for anything!" she cried.

  "I'm going to walk with Polly," announced Clem, seizing Polly's arm,"so, Alexia Rhys, I give you fair warning this time."

  "Indeed, you're not," declared Alexia stoutly. "Why, I always walk withPolly Pepper."

  "And that's just the
reason why I'm going to to-day," said Clem, hangingto Polly's arm for dear life.

  "Well, I'm her dearest friend," added Alexia, taking refuge in thatwell-worn statement, "so there now, Clem Forsythe."

  "No, you're not," said Clem obstinately; "we're all her dearest friends,aren't we, Polly? Say, Polly, aren't we?"

  "Hush!" said Jasper. "Father's coming."

  "Well, I can't help it. I'm tired of hearing Alexia Rhys everlastinglysaying that, and pushing us all away from Polly."

  "Do hear them go on!" exclaimed Tom Beresford, off on the edge of thegroup. "Does she always have them carrying around like that?"

  "Yes," said Joel, "a great deal worse. Oh, they're a lot of gigglinggirls; I hate girls!" he exploded.

  "So do I," nodded Tom. "Let's keep clear of the whole lot, and walk byourselves."

  "Indeed, we will," declared Joel. "You won't catch me walking with girlswhen I can help it."

  "Well, I wonder which of those two will get your sister, Polly, thistime," said Tom, craning his long neck to see the contest.

  "Oh, Alexia, of course," said Joel carelessly; "she always gets her inthe end."

  But Joel was wrong. Neither of the girls carried off Polly. Old Mr. Kingmarched out of his reading-room. "Come, Polly, my child, you and I willwalk together," and he waited on her handsomely out, and down the walkto the car.

  Tom and Joel burst into a loud laugh, in which the others joined, at thecrestfallen faces.

  "Well, at least you didn't get her, Clem," said Alexia airily, comingout of her discomfiture.

  "Neither did you," said Clem happily.

  "And you are horrid boys to laugh," said Alexia, looking over at thetwo. "But then, all boys are horrid."

  "Thank you," said Tom, with his best bow.

  "Alexia Rhys, aren't you perfectly ashamed to be fighting with that newboy?" cried Clem.

  "Come on, Alexia," said Jasper. "I shall have to walk with you to keepyou in order," and the gay procession hurrying after old Mr. King andPolly, caught up with them turning out of the big stone gateway.

  And then, what a merry walk they had to the car! and that being nearlyfull, they had to wait for the next one, which luckily had only threepassengers; and Mr. King and his party clambered on, to ride downthrough the poor quarters of the town, to the Corcoran house.

  "Oh, misery me!" exclaimed Alexia, looking out at the tumble-downtenements, and garbage heaps up to the very doors. "Where _are_ wegoing?"

  "Did you suppose Jim Corcoran lived in a palace?" asked Pickeringlazily.

  "Well, I didn't suppose anybody lived like that," said Alexia, wrinklingup her nose in scorn. "Dear me, look at all those children!"

  "Interesting, aren't they?" said Pickering, with a pang for the swarm ofragged, dirty little creatures, but not showing it in the least on hisimpassive face.

  "Oh, I don't want to see it," exclaimed Alexia, "and I'm not going toeither," turning her back on it all.

  "It goes on just the same," said Pickering.

  "Then I am going to look." Alexia whirled around again, and gazed up anddown the ugly thoroughfare, taking it all in.

  "Ugh, how can you!" exclaimed Silvia Horne, in disgust. "I think it'svery disagreeable to even know that such people live."

  "Perhaps 'twould be better to kill 'em off," said Tom Beresford bluntly.

  "Ugh, you dreadful boy!" cried Clem Forsythe.

  "Who's fighting now with the new boy?" asked Alexia sweetly, tearing offher gaze from the street.

  "Well, who wouldn't?" retorted Clem, "he's saying such perfectlyterrible things."

  Pickering Dodge gave a short laugh. "Beresford, you're in for it now,"he said.

  Tom shrugged his shoulders, and turned his back on them.

  "What did you bring him home for, Joe?" asked Alexia, leaning over totwitch Joel's arm.

  "To plague you, Alexia," said Joel, with a twinkle in his black eyes.

  "Oh, he doesn't bother me," said Alexia serenely. "Clem is having allthe trouble now. Well, we must put up with him, I suppose," she saidwith resignation.

  "You don't need to," said Joel coolly, "you can let us alone, Alexia."

  "But I don't want to let you alone," said Alexia; "that's all boys aregood for, if they're in a party, to keep 'em stirred up. Goodness me,Mr. King and Polly are getting out!" as the car stopped, and Grandpapaled the way down the aisle.

  When they arrived at the Corcoran house, which was achieved by dodgingaround groups of untidy women gossiping with their neighbors, andchildren playing on the dirty pavements, with the occasional detourcaused by a heap of old tin cans, and other debris, Mr. King drew along breath. "I don't know that I ought to have brought you young peopledown here. It didn't strike me so badly before."

  "But it's no worse for us to see it than for the people to live here,father," said Jasper quickly.

  "That's very true--but faugh!" and the old gentleman had greatdifficulty to contain himself. "Well, thank fortune, the Corcoran familyare to move this week."

  "Oh, Grandpapa," cried Polly, hopping up and down on the brokenpavement, and "Oh, father!" from Jasper.

  "Polly Pepper," exclaimed Alexia, twitching her away, "you came nearstepping into that old mess of bones and things."

  Polly didn't even glance at the garbage heap by the edge of thesidewalk, nor give it a thought. "Oh, how lovely, Alexia," she cried,"that they won't have but a day or two more here!"

  "Well, we are going in," said Alexia, holding her tightly, "and I'm gladof it, Polly. Oh, misery me!" as they followed Mr. King into the poorlittle house that Jim the brakeman had called home.

  The little widow, thanks to Mr. King and several others interested inthe welfare of the brakeman's family, had smartened up considerably, sothat neither she nor her dwelling presented such a dingy, woe-begoneaspect as on the previous visit. And old Mr. King, being very glad tosee this, still further heartened her up by exclaiming, "Well, Mrs.Corcoran, you've accomplished wonders."

  "I've tried to," cried the poor woman, "and I'm sure 'twas no more thanI ought to do, and you being so kind to me and mine, sir."

  "Well, I've brought some young people to see you," said the oldgentleman abruptly, who never could bear to be thanked, and now feltmuch worse, as there were several spectators of his bounty; and he wavedhis hand toward the representatives of the two clubs.

  They all huddled back, but he made them come forward. "No, it's youraffair to-day; I only piloted you down here," laughing at theirdiscomfiture.

  Meanwhile the whole Corcoran brood had all gathered about the visitors,to rivet their gaze upon them, and wait patiently for furtherdevelopments.

  "Polly, you tell her," cried Alexia.

  "Yes, Polly, do," cried the other girls.

  "Yes, Polly," said Pickering, "you can tell it the best."

  "Oh, I never could," said Polly in dismay. "Jasper, you, please."

  "No, no, Polly," said Van; "she's the best."

  "But Polly doesn't wish to," said Jasper in a low voice.

  "All right, then, Jappy, go ahead," said Percy.

  There was a little pause, Mrs. Corcoran filling it up by saying, "Ican't ask you to sit down, for there ain't chairs enough," beginning towipe off one with her apron. "Here, sir, if you'd please to sit," takingit over to Mr. King.

  "Thank you," said the old gentleman, accepting it with his best air."Now then, Jasper"--he had handed a small parcel to him under cover ofthe chair-wiping--"go ahead, my boy."

  So Jasper, seeing that there was no help for it, but that he was reallyto be the spokesman, plunged in quite bravely.

  "Mrs. Corcoran, some of us girls and boys--we belong to two clubs, youknow,"--waving his hand over to the representatives--"wanted to showyour boys and girls, that we were grateful to their father for being sogood and kind to the passengers that night of the accident."

  Here the little widow put the corner of her apron up to her eye, soJasper hurried on: "And we wanted to help them to get an education. Andso we had a little entertainment,
and sold the tickets and here is ourgift!" Jasper ended desperately, thrusting the package out.

  "Take it, Arethusa," was all Mrs. Corcoran could say; "and may the Lordbless you all!" Then she put the apron over her head and sobbed aloud.

  "Bless me!" exclaimed old Mr. King, fumbling for his handkerchief,"don't, my good woman, I beg of you."

  "And, oh, I do hope you'll learn to play on the piano," breathed Polly,as Arethusa took the package from Jasper, and slid back to lay it in hermother's hand.

  "Oh me! I'm going to cry," exclaimed Alexia, backing off toward thedoor.

  "If you do, I'll throw you out," said Joel savagely.

  "Well, I shall; I feel so sniffly and queer. Oh, Joel, what shall I do?I shall be disgraced for life if I cry here."

  "Hang on to me," said Joel stoutly, thrusting out his sturdy arm.

  So Alexia hung on to it, and managed to get along very well. And one ofthe children, the littlest one next to the baby, created a diversion bybringing up a mangy cat, and laying it on Mr. King's knees. This savedthe situation as far as crying went, and brought safely away those whowere perilously near the brink of tears.

  "Oh dear me!" exclaimed Polly, starting forward, knowing how Grandpapadetested cats. But Jasper was before her.

  "Let me take it, father," and he dexterously brought it off.

  "Give it to me," said Polly. "Oh, what is its name?"

  The little thing who seemed to own the cat toddled over, well pleased,and stuck his finger in his mouth, which was the extent to which hecould go in conversation. But the other children, finding the ice nowbroken, all came up at this point, to gather around Polly and the cat.

  "It's lucky enough that Phronsie isn't here," said Jasper in a lowvoice, "for she would never want to leave that cat."

  "AND SO WE HAD A LITTLE ENTERTAINMENT, AND SOLD THETICKETS, AND HERE IS OUR GIFT!"]

  "Just see Polly Pepper!" exclaimed Alexia, with a grimace. "Why doesn'tshe drop that dirty old cat?"

  "Because she ought not to," howled Joel sturdily. Then he rushed over toPolly; and although he had small love for cats in general, thisparticular one, being extremely ill-favored and lean, met with hisfavor. He stroked her poor back.

  Arethusa drew near and gazed into Polly's face; seeing which, the catwas safely transferred to Joel, and Polly turned around to the girl.

  "Oh, do you want to learn to play on the piano?" asked Pollybreathlessly, under cover of the noise going on, for all the othermembers of the two clubs now took a hand in it. Even Percy unbent enoughto interview one of the Corcoran boys.

  "Yes, I do," said Arethusa, clasping her small red hands tightly.

  Her eyes widened, and her little thin face, which wasn't a bit pretty,lightened up now in a way that Polly thought was perfectly beautiful.

  "Well, I did, when I was a little girl like you"--Polly bent her rosyface very close to Arethusa's--"oh, _dreadfully_; and I used to drum onthe table to make believe I could play."

  "So do I," cried Arethusa, creeping up close to Polly's neck, "an' th'boys laugh at me. But I keep doin' it."

  "And now, Arethusa, you are really going to learn to play on the piano."Polly thrilled all over at the announcement, just as she had done whentold that she was to take music lessons.

  "Not a really and truly piano?" exclaimed Arethusa, lost in amazement.

  "Yes, a really and truly piano," declared Polly positively. "Just think,Arethusa, you can give music lessons and help to take care of yourmother."

  And just then Grandpapa, who had been talking to Mrs. Corcoran, wassaying, "Well, well, it's time to be going, young people." And Joel putthe cat down, that immediately ran between his legs, tripping him up ashe turned, thereby making everybody laugh; and so the exit was mademerrily.

  "Wasn't that fun!" cried Alexia, dancing off down the broken pavement."Oh, I forgot, I'm going to walk home with Polly," and she flew back.

  "You take yourself away," cried old Mr. King, with a laugh. "I'm to havePolly to myself on this expedition."

  "Well, at any rate, Clem, you haven't Polly," announced Alexia asbefore, running up to her.

  "Neither have you," retorted Clem, in the same way.

  "So we will walk together," said Alexia, coolly possessing herself ofClem's arm. "Those two boys can walk with each other; they're just dyingto."

  "How do you know I want to walk with you?" asked Clem abruptly.

  "Oh, but do, you sweet thing you! Come on!" and Alexia dragged her offat a smart pace.

  "Grandpapa," cried Polly, hopping up and down by his side, too happy tokeep still, while she clung to his hand just as Phronsie would havedone, "you are going to have the piano put into the house the very firstthing after it is cleaned and ready--the _very_ first thing?" She peeredaround into his face anxiously.

  "The _very_ first thing," declared the old gentleman. "Take my word forit, Polly Pepper, there sha'n't another article get in before it."

  "Oh, Grandpapa!" Polly wished she could go dancing off into the middleof the thoroughfare for a regular spin.

  "Take care, Polly," laughed old Mr. King, successfully steering herclear of an ash barrel, "this isn't the best dancing place imaginable."

  "Oh, I beg your pardon, Grandpapa," said Polly, trying to sober down, "Ididn't mean to; but oh, isn't it perfectly beautiful that Arethusa isgoing to take music lessons!"

  "It is, indeed," said Grandpapa, with a keen glance down at her flushedface. "And it really does seem to be an assured fact, for Miss Brown isengaged to begin as soon as the family move into their new home."

  "Oh--oh!" Polly could get no further.

  Jasper, ahead with Pickering Dodge, looked back longingly.

  "Oh, I do wish, Grandpapa," said Polly, "that Jasper could walk homewith us."

  "So do I, Polly," said the old gentleman; "but you see he can't, forthen I should have the whole bunch of those chattering creatures aroundme," and he laughed grimly. "You must tell him all about what we aretalking of, as soon as you get home."

  "Yes, I will," declared Polly, "the very first thing. Now, Grandpapa,please go on."

  "Well, I had told Mrs. Corcoran all about the new house, you know,Polly, before."

  "Yes, I know, Grandpapa," said Polly, with a happy little wriggle.

  "And so to-day I explained about the bank-book; told her where the moneywas deposited, and showed her how to use it. By the way, Polly, Jaspermade a good speech now, didn't he?" The old gentleman broke off, andfairly glowed with pride.

  "Oh, didn't he!" cried Polly, in a burst. "I thought it was too splendidfor anything! And he didn't know in the least that he had to do it. Hethought you were going to give the bank-book, Grandpapa."

  "I know it," chuckled Mr. King. "Well now, Polly, I thought I'd try myboy without warning. Because, you see, that shows what stuff a person ismade of to respond at such a time, and he's all right, Jasper is; hecame up to the demand nicely."

  "It was perfectly elegant!" cried Polly, with glowing cheeks.

  "And those two boys--the largest ones--are to begin in the other publicschool next week," continued the old gentleman.

  "Everything begins next week, doesn't it, Grandpapa?" cried Polly.

  "It seems so," said Mr. King, with a laugh. "Well, Polly, here we are atour car."

  And having the good luck to find it nearly empty, the whole party hoppedon, and began the ride back again.

  "Now," said Jasper, when they had reached home, "for some comfort," andhe drew Polly off into a quiet corner in the library. "Let's have thewhole, Polly. You said you'd tell me what you and father were talking ofall the way home."

  "And so I will," cried Polly, too elated to begin at the right end."Well, Jasper, you must know that Arethusa's piano is actually engaged."

  "It is!" exclaimed Jasper. "Hurrah!"

  "Yes," said Polly, with shining eyes, "and it's going into the new homethe _very_ first thing. Grandpapa promised me that."

  "Isn't father good!" cried Jasper, a whole world of affection in hisdark eyes
.

  "Good?" repeated Polly, "he's as good as good can be, Jasper King!"

  "Well, what else?" cried Jasper.

  "And the boys--the two biggest ones--are going into the other publicschool, the one nearest their new home, you know."

  "Yes, I see," said Jasper, "that's fine. That will bring them in withbetter boys."

  "Yes, and Grandpapa told Mrs. Corcoran all about the money we made atthe entertainment, and that he put it in the bank for her this morning.And he showed her how to use the check-book."

  "Polly," said Jasper, very much excited, "what if we girls and boyshadn't done this for those children! Just think, Polly, only supposeit!"

  "I know it," cried Polly. "Oh, Jasper!" drawing a long breath. "Butthen, you see, we did do it."

  "Yes," said Jasper, bursting into a laugh, "we surely did, Polly."