Five Little Peppers at School

by Margaret Sidney

  XXIV THE PIECE OF NEWS

  "Pepper, you're wanted!" Dick Furness banged into Joel's room, then outagain, adding two words, "Harrow--immediately."

  "All right," said Joel, whistling on; all his thoughts upon "MooseIsland" and the expedition there on the morrow. And he ran lightly downto the second floor, and into the under-teacher's room.

  Mr. Harrow was waiting for him; and pushing aside some books, for henever seemed to be quite free from them even for a moment, he motionedJoel to a seat.

  Joel, whose pulses were throbbing with the liveliest expectations,didn't bother his head with what otherwise might have struck him assomewhat queer in the under-teacher's manner. For the thing in hand waswhat Joel principally gave himself to. And as that clearly could benothing else than the "Moose Island expedition," it naturally followedthat Mr. Harrow had to speak twice before he could gain his attention.

  But when it was gained, there was not the slightest possible chance ofmisunderstanding what the under-teacher was saying, for it was the habitof this instructor to come directly to the point without unnecessarycircumlocution.

  But his voice and manner were not without a touch of sadness on thisoccasion that softened the speech itself.

  "Joel, my boy," Mr. Harrow began, "you know I have often had you downhere to urge on those lessons of yours."

  "Yes, sir," said Joel, wondering now at the voice and manner.

  "Well, now to-day, I am instructed by the master to send for you for adifferent reason. Can you not guess?"

  "No, sir," said Joel, comfortable in the way things had been going on,and wholly unable to imagine the blow about to fall.

  "I wish you had guessed it, Joel," said Mr. Harrow, moving uneasily inhis chair, "for then you would have made my task easier. Joel, Dr. Markssays, on account of your falling behind in your lessons, withoutreason--understand this, Joel, _without reason_--you are not to go toMoose Island to-morrow."

  Even then Joel did not comprehend. So Mr. Harrow repeated it distinctly.

  "_What!_" roared Joel. In his excitement he cleared the space betweenthem, and gained Mr. Harrow's side. "_Not go to Moose Island, Mr.Harrow_?" his black eyes widening, and his face working fearfully.

  "No," said Mr. Harrow, drawing a long breath, "you are not to go; so Dr.Marks says."

  "But I _must_ go," cried Joel, quite gone in passion.

  "'Must' is a singular word to use here, Joel," observed Mr. Harrowsternly.

  "But I--oh, Mr. Harrow, do see if you can't help me to go." Joelsquirmed all over, and even clutched the under-teacher's arm piteously.

  "Alas, Joel! it is beyond my power." Mr. Harrow shook his head. Hedidn't think it necessary to state that he had already used everyargument he could employ to induce Dr. Marks to change his mind. "Somestrong pressure must be brought to bear upon Pepper, or he will amountto nothing but an athletic lad. He must see the value of study," themaster had responded, and signified that the interview was ended, andhis command was to be carried out.

  "Joel,"--Mr. Harrow was speaking--"be a man, and bear this as _you_ can.You've had your chances for study, and not taken them. It is a case of_must_ now. Remember, Dr. Marks is doing this in love to you. He has gotto fit you out as well as he can in this school, to take that place inlife that your mother wants you to fill. Don't waste a moment on vainregrets, but buckle to your studies now."

  It was a long speech for the under-teacher, and he had a hard timegetting through with it. At its end, Joel, half dazed with hismisfortune, but with a feeling that as a man, Dr. Marks and Mr. Harrowhad treated him, hurried back to his room, dragged his chair up to thetable, and pushing off the untidy collection of rackets, tennis balls,boxing gloves, and other implements of his gymnasium work and hisrecreation hours, lent his whole heart with a new impulse to his task.

  Somehow he did not feel like crying, as had often been the case withprevious trials. "He said, 'Be a man,'" Joel kept repeating over andover to himself, while the words of his lesson swam before his eyes."And so I will; and he said, Dr. Marks had got to make me as Mamsiewanted me to be," repeated Joel to himself, taking a shorter cut withthe idea. "And so I will be." And he leaned his elbows on the table,bent his head over his book, and clutching his stubby crop by both handsand holding on tightly, he was soon lost to his misfortune and theoutside world.

  "Hullo!" David stood still in amazement at Joel's unusual attitude overhis lesson. Then he reflected that he was making up extra work, to befree for the holiday on the morrow. Notwithstanding the need of quiet,David was so full of it that he couldn't refrain from saying jubilantly,"Oh, what a great time we'll have to-morrow, Joe!" giving him a pound onthe back.

  "I'm not going," said Joel, without raising his head.

  David ran around his chair to look at him from the further side, thenpeered under the bunch of curls Joel was hanging to.

  "What's--what's the matter, Joe?" he gasped, clutching the table.

  "Dr. Marks says I'm not to go," said Joel, telling the whole at once.

  "_Dr. Marks said you were not to go!_" repeated David. "Why, Joel,why?" he demanded in a gasp.

  "I haven't studied; I'm way behind. Let me alone," cried Joel. "I've gota perfect lot to make up," and he clutched harder than ever at his hair.

  "Then _I_ shall not go," declared David, and rushing out of the room hewas gone before Joel could fly from his chair; which he did, upsettingit after him.

  "Dave--_Dave_!" he yelled, running out into the hall, in the face of astream of boys coming up from gymnasium practice.

  "What's up, Pepper?" But he went through their ranks like a shot.Nevertheless David was nowhere to be seen, as he had taken some shortcut, and was lost in the crowd.

  Joel bent his steps to the under-teacher's room, knocked, and in hisexcitement thought he heard, "Come in." And with small ceremony heprecipitated himself upon Mr. Harrow, who seemed to be lost in a revery,his back to him, leaning his elbow on the mantel, and his head upon hishand.

  "Er--oh!" exclaimed Mr. Harrow, startled out of his usual composure, andturning quickly to face Joel. "Oh, it's you, Pepper!" which by no meanslifted him out of his depression.

  "Dave says he won't go without me. You must make him," said Joel, in hisintensity forgetting his manners.

  "To Moose Island?" asked Mr. Harrow.

  Joel nodded. He couldn't yet bring himself to speak the name.

  "All right; I will, Joe." Mr. Harrow grasped the brown hand hanging byJoel's side.

  "Really?" said Joel, swallowing hard.

  "Really. Run back to your books, and trust me."

  So Joel dashed back, not minding the alluring cries from several chums,"Come on--just time for a game before supper," and was back before histable in the same attitude, and hanging to his hair.

  "I can study better so," he said, and holding on for dear life.

  One or two boys glanced in. "Come out of this hole," they cried. "Noneed to study for to-morrow. Gee whiz! just think of Moose Island, Joe."

  No answer.

  "Joe!" They ran in and shook his shoulders. "Moose Island!" theyscreamed, and the excitement with which the whole school was charged wasechoing it through the length of the dormitory.

  "Go away," cried Joel at them, "or I'll fire something at you," as theyswarmed around his chair.

  "Fire your old grammar," suggested one, trying to twitch away his book;and another pulled the chair out from under him.

  Joel sprawled a moment on the floor; then he sprang up, hanging to hisbook, and faced them. "I'm not going. Clear out." And in a moment theroom was as still as if an invasion had never taken place. In theirastonishment they forgot to utter a word.

  And in ten minutes the news was all over the playground and in all thecorridors, "Joe Pepper isn't going to Moose Island."

  If they had said that the corner stone of the dormitory was shaky, theamazement would not have been so great in some quarters; and the storywas not believed until they had it from Joe himself. Then amazementchanged to grief. Not to have Jo
e Pepper along, was to do away with halfthe fun.

  Percy ran up to him in the greatest excitement just before supper. "Whatis it, Joe?" he cried. "The fellows are trying to say that you're notgoing to Moose Island." He was red with running, and panted dreadfully."And Van is giving it to Red Hiller for telling such a whopper."

  "Well, he needn't," said Joel, "for it's perfectly true. I'm not going."

  Percy tried to speak; but what with running, and his astonishment, histongue flapped up idly against the roof of his mouth.

  "Dr. Marks won't let me," said Joel, not mincing matters. "I've got tostudy; so there's an end of it." But when Davie came in, a woe begonefigure, for Mr. Harrow had kept his promise, then was Joel's hardesttime. And he clenched his brown hands to keep the tears back then, forDavid gave way to such a flood in the bitterness of his grief to gowithout Joel, that for a time, Joel was in danger of utterly losing hisown self-control.

  "I'm confounded glad." It was Jenk who said it to his small following;and hearing it, Tom Beresford blazed at him. "If you weren't quite sosmall, I'd knock you down."

  "Well, I am glad,"--Jenk put a goodly distance between himself and Tom,notwithstanding Tom's disgust at the idea of touching him--"for Pepperis so high and mighty, it's time he was taken down," but a chorus ofyells made him beat a retreat.

  Dr. Marks paced up and down his study floor, his head bent, his handsfolded behind him.

  "It was the only way. No ordinary course could be taken with Pepper. Ithad come to be imperative. It will make a man of him." He stepped to thedesk and wrote a few words, slipped them into an envelope, sealed andaddressed it.

  "Joanna!" He went to the door and summoned a maid, the same one who hadshaken her broom at Joel when he rushed in with the dog. "Take this overto the North Dormitory as quickly as possible." It seemed to beespecially necessary that haste be observed; and Dr. Marks, usually socollected, hurried to the window to assure himself that his command wasobeyed.

  Mrs. Fox took the note as Joanna handed it in, and sent it up at once,as those were the orders from the master. It arrived just at the momentwhen Joel was at the end of his self-mastery. He tore it open. "My boy,knowing you as I do, I feel sure that you will be brave in bearing this.It will help you to conquer your dislike for study and make a man ofyou. Affectionately yours, H. L. Marks."

  Joel swung the note up over his head, and there was such a glad ring tohis voice that David was too astonished to cry.

  "See there!" Joel proudly shook it at him. "Read it, Dave."

  So David seized it, and blinked in amazement.

  "Dr. Marks has written to me," said Joel importantly, just as if Davidhadn't the note before him. "And he says, 'Be a man,' just as Mr. Harrowsaid, and, 'affectionately yours.' Now, what do you think of that, DavePepper?"

  David was so lost in the honor that had come to Joel, that the griefthat he was feeling in the thought of the expedition to be made to MooseIsland to-morrow without Joel, began to pale. He smiled and lifted hiseyes, lately so wet with tears. "Mamsie would like that note, Joe."

  Tom Beresford rushed in without the formality of a knock, and gloomilythrew himself on the bed. "Poor Joe!" was written all over his longface.

  "Oh, you needn't, Tom," said Joel gaily, and prancing up and down theroom, "pity me, because I won't have it."

  "It's pity for myself as well," said Tom lugubriously, and cramming thepillow-end into his mouth. "What's a fellow to do without you, Joe?"suddenly shying the pillow at Joel.

  Joe caught it and shied it back, then twitched the master's note out ofDavid's hand. "Read it, Tom," he cried, with sparkling eyes.

  "I'd much rather stay back with you, Joe," Tom was saying.

  "Well, you won't," retorted Joel. "Dave tried that on, but it was nogood. Read it, I tell you." So Tom sat up on the bed, and spread Dr.Marks' note on his knee.

  "Great Caesar's ghost! It's from the master himself! And what does hesay?" Tom rubbed his eyes violently, stared, and rushed over the fewsentences pellmell; then returned to take them slowly to be sure oftheir meaning.

  "Joe Pepper!" He got off from the bed.

  "Isn't it great!" cried Joel. "Give me my note, Tom."

  "I should say so!" cried Tom, bobbing his head. "I shouldn't in theleast mind being kept back from a few things, to get a note like that.Think of it, Joe, from Dr. Marks!"

  "I know it," cried Joel, in huge satisfaction. "Well, now, you must takeyourself off, Tom; I've got to study like a Trojan." He ran to thecloset, and came back with his arms full of books.

  "All right," said Tom, shooting out. Then he shot back, gave Joel apat--by no means a light one;--"Success to you, old fellow!" and wasoff, this time for good.

  And Davie dreamed that night that Joel took first prize in everythingstraight through; and that he himself was sailing, sailing, over aninterminable sea (going to Moose Island probably), under a ban never tocome back to Dr. Marks' school. And the first thing he knew, Joel waspounding him and calling lustily, "Get up, Dave; you know you are tostart early."

  And then all was bustle and confusion enough, as how could it be helpedwith all those boys getting off on such an expedition?

  And Joel was the brightest of them all, here, there, and everywhere! Younever would have guessed that he wasn't the leading spirit in the wholeexpedition, and its bright particular star!

  And he ran down to the big stone gate to see them off. And the boyswondered; but there was no chance to pity him, with such a face. Therewas only pity for themselves.

  And somebody started, "Three cheers for Joe Pepper!" It wasn't theunder-teacher, but he joined with a right good will; and the whole crowdtook it up, as Joel ran back to tackle his books, pinching Dr. Marks'letter in his pocket, to make sure it really was there!

  Just about this time, Alexia Rhys was rushing to school. She was late,for everything had gone wrong that morning from the very beginning. Andof course Polly Pepper had started for school, when Alexia called forher; and feeling as if nothing mattered now, the corner was reacheddespairingly, when she heard her name called.

  It was an old lady who was a friend of her aunt's, and Alexia pausedinvoluntarily, then ran across the street to see what was wanted.

  "Oh, my dear, I suppose I ought not to stop you, for you are going toschool."

  "Oh, it doesn't matter," said Alexia indifferently; "I'm late anyway.What is it, Miss Seymour?"

  "I want to congratulate you--I _must_ congratulate you," exclaimed oldMiss Seymour, with an excited little cackle. "I really must, Alexia."

  Alexia ran over in her mind everything for which she could, by anypossibility, be congratulated; and finding nothing, she said, "Whatfor?" quite abruptly.

  "Oh, my dear! Haven't you heard?" Old Miss Seymour put her jewelledfingers on the girl's shoulder. She had gathered up her dressy morningrobe in her hand, and hastened down her front steps at the first glimpseof Alexia across the way.

  Alexia knew of old the roundabout way pursued by her aunt's friend inher narrations. Besides, she cared very little anyway for this bit ofold women's gossip. So she said carelessly, "No, I'm sure I haven't; andI don't believe it's much anyway, Miss Seymour."

  "'Much anyway?' oh, my dear!" Old Miss Seymour held up both hands."Well, what would you say if you should be told that your teacher wasgoing to be married?"

  Alexia staggered backward and put up both hands. "Oh, don't, MissSeymour," she cried, the fears she had been lighting so many weeks nowcome true. Then she burst out passionately, "Oh, it isn't true--it_can't_ be!"

  "Well, but it is," cried Miss Seymour positively. "I had it not tenminutes since from a very intimate friend; and as you were the firstSalisbury girl I saw, why, I wanted to congratulate you, of course, assoon as I could."

  "Salisbury girl!" Alexia groaned as she thought how they should neverhave that title applied to them any more; for of course the beautifulschool was doomed. "And where shall we all go?" she cried to herself indespair.

  "Oh, how could she go and get engaged!" she excl
aimed aloud.

  "You haven't asked who the man is," said Miss Seymour in surprise.

  "Oh, I know--I know," said Alexia miserably; "it's Mr. John Clemcy. Oh,if we hadn't had that old picnic!" she burst out.

  "Eh--what?" exclaimed the little old lady quickly.

  "Never mind. It doesn't signify who the man is. It doesn't signify aboutanything," said Alexia wildly, "as long as Miss Salisbury is going toget married and give up our school."

  "Oh, I don't suppose the school will be given up," said Miss Seymour.

  "What? Why, of course it will be. How can she keep it after she ismarried?" cried Alexia impatiently. She longed to say, "you goose you!"

  "Why, I suppose the other one will keep it, of course; and it will go onjust the same as it did before."

  "Oh dear me! The idea of Miss Anstice keeping that school!" With all hermisery, Alexia couldn't help bursting into a laugh.

  "Miss Anstice?"

  "Yes; if you knew her as we girls do, Miss Seymour, you never'd say shecould run that school."

  "I never said she could."

  "Oh, yes, you did," Alexia was guilty of contradicting. "You saiddistinctly that when Miss Salisbury was married, you supposed MissAnstice would keep it on just the same."

  Little old Miss Seymour took three or four steps down the pavement, thenturned and trotted back, the dressy morning robe still gathered in herhand.

  "Who do you think is engaged to Mr. John Clemcy?" she asked, looking upat the tall girl.

  "Why, our Miss Salisbury," answered Alexia, ready to cry, "I suppose.That's what you said."

  "Oh, no, I didn't," said the little old lady. "It's Miss AnsticeSalisbury."

  Alexia gave her one look; then took some flying steps across the street,and away down to the Salisbury School. She met a stream of girls in thefront hall; and as soon as she saw their faces, she knew that her newswas all old.

  And they could tell her something more.

  "Miss Wilcox is going to be the assistant teacher," cried Amy Garrett.

  "And Miss Salisbury announced it; why were you late, Alexia?" it was aperfect buzz around her ears. "And then she dismissed school; and we'reall going down to the drawing-room now, to congratulate Miss Anstice."

  Alexia worked her way to Polly Pepper and clung to her.

  "Oh, Alexia, you've got here!" cried Polly delightedly. "And only think,we can keep our Miss Salisbury after all."

  XXV "THE VERY PRETTIEST AFFAIR"

  And Mr. John Clemcy, having put off any inclination to marry till solate in life, was, now that he had made his choice, in a ferment tohurry its consummation. And Miss Ophelia, who was still to keep thehouse and run the old-fashioned flower garden to suit herself--thuslosing none of her honors--and being in her element, as has been stated,with some one "to fuss over" (her self-contained brother not yieldingher sufficient occupation in that line), begged that the wedding mighttake place soon. So there was really no reason on earth why it shouldnot be celebrated, and Miss Wilcox be installed as assistant, and thusall things be in running order for the new year at the Salisbury School.

  "And they say he has heaps of money--Mr. Clemcy has," cried Alexia, inthe midst of the excitement of the next few days, when everybody wastrying to adjust themselves to this new condition of affairs. A lot ofthe girls were up in Polly Pepper's room. "And it's an awful old familyback of him in England," she went on, "though for my part, I'd ratherhave something to do with making my name myself."

  "Oh, Alexia," cried Clem, "think of all those perfectly elegant oldfamily portraits!"

  "Mouldy old things!" exclaimed Alexia, who had small reverence for suchthings. "I should be ashamed of them, if I were Mr. John Clemcy and hissister. They don't look as if they knew anything to begin with; and sucharms and hands, and impossible necks! Oh my! It quite gives me a turn tolook at them."

  "We are quite distinguished--the Salisbury School is," said Silvia, withan elegant manner, and a toss of her head. "My mother says it will besplendid capital to Miss Salisbury to have such a connection."

  "And, oh, just think of Miss Anstice's engagement ring!" exclaimedanother girl. "Oh my, on her little thin finger!"

  "It's awful old-fashioned," cried Silvia, "set in silver. But then, it'sbig, and a _very_ pure stone, my mother says; and quite shows that thefamily must have been something, for it is an heirloom."

  "Oh, do stop about family and heirlooms," cried Alexia impatiently; "themain thing is that our Miss Salisbury isn't going to desert us."

  "Miss Anstice is; oh, goody!" Amy Garrett hopped up and down and softlybeat her hands while she finished the sentence.

  "Hush!" Alexia turned on her suddenly. "Now, Amy, and the rest of yougirls, I think we ought to stop this nonsense about Miss Anstice; she'sgoing, and I, maybe, haven't treated her just rightly."

  "Of course you haven't," assented Clem coolly. "You've worried her lifenearly out of her."

  "And oh, dear me! I'm sorry now,"--said Alexia, not minding in the leastwhat Clem was saying. "I wonder why it is that I'm forever being sorryabout things."

  "Because you're forever having your own way," said Clem; "I'll tellyou."

  "And so I'm going to be nice to her now," said Alexia, with a perfectlycomposed glance at Clem. "Let's all be, girls. I mean, behind her back."

  Polly Pepper ran over across the room to slip her arm within Alexia's,and give her a little approving pat.

  "It will be so strange not to make fun of her," observed Amy Garrett,"but I suppose we can't now, anyway, that she is to be Mrs. JohnClemcy."

  "Mrs. John Clemcy, indeed!" exclaimed Alexia, standing very tall. "Shewas just as nice before, as sister of our Miss Salisbury, I'd have youto know, girls."

  "Well, now what are we to give her as a wedding present?" said PollyPepper. "You know we, as the committee, ought to talk it over at once.Let's sit down on the floor in a ring and begin."

  "Yes," said Alexia; "now all flop." And setting the example, she gotdown on the floor; and the girls tumbling after, the ring was soonformed.

  "Hush now, do be quiet, Clem, if you can," cried Alexia, to pay up oldscores.

  "I guess I'm not making as much noise as some other people," said Clem,with a wry face.

  "Well, Polly's going to begin; and as she's chairman, we've all got tobe still as mice. Hush!"

  "I think," said Polly, "the best way would be, instead of wasting somuch time in talking, and--"

  "Getting into a hubbub," interpolated Alexia.

  "Who's talking now," cried Clem triumphantly, "and making a noise?"

  "Getting in confusion," finished Polly, "would be, for us each to writeout the things that Miss Anstice might like, on a piece of paper,without showing it to any of the other girls; then pass them in to me,and I'll read them aloud. And perhaps we'll choose something out of allthe lists."

  "Oh, Polly, how fine!--just the thing."

  "I'll get the paper."

  "And the pencils." The ring was in a hubbub; Alexia, as usual, the firstto hop out of her place.

  "Sit down, girls," said Polly as chairman. So they all flew back again.

  "There, you see now," said Alexia, huddling expeditiously into her placenext to Polly, "how no one can stir till the chairman tells us to."

  "Who jumped first of all?" exclaimed Clem, bursting into a laugh.

  "Well, I'm back again, anyhow," said Alexia coolly, and folding herhands in her lap.

  "I'll appoint Lucy Bennett and Silvia Horne to get the paper andpencils," said Polly. "They are on my desk, girls."

  Alexia smothered the sigh at her failure to be one of the girls toperform this delightful task; but the paper being brought, she soonforgot her disappointment, in having something to do.

  "We must all tear it up into strips," said the chairman, and, beginningon a sheet, "Lucy, you can be giving around the pencils."

  And presently the whole committee was racking its brains over thisterribly important question thrust upon them.

  "It must be something that will
always reflect credit on the SalisburySchool," observed Alexia, leaning her chin on her hand while she playedwith her pencil.

  "Ugh! do be still." Lucy, on the other side, nudged her. "I can't think,if anybody speaks a word."

  "And fit in well with those old portraits," said Clem, with a look atAlexia.

  "Well, I hope and pray that we won't give her anything old. I want itspick, span, new; and to be absolutely up-to-date." Alexia took her chinout of her hand, and sat up decidedly. "The idea of matching up thosemouldy old portraits!--and that house just bursting with antiques."

  "Ugh! do hush," cried the girls.

  "And write what you want to, Alexia, on your own slip, and keep still,"said Silvia, wrinkling her brows; "you just put something out of myhead; and it was perfectly splendid."

  "But I can't think of a thing that would be good enough," grumbledAlexia, "for the Salisbury School to give. Oh dear me!" and she regardedenviously the other pencils scribbling away.

  "My list is done." Amy Garrett pinched hers into a little three-cornerednote, and threw it into Polly's lap.

  "And mine--and mine." They all came in fast in a small white shower.

  "Oh my goodness!" exclaimed Alexia, much alarmed that she would be leftout altogether. "Wait, Chairman--I mean, Polly," and she beganscribbling away for dear life.

  "Oh dear me!" The chairman unfolded the first strip, and began to read."A piano--why, girls, Miss Anstice can't play."

  "Well, it would look nice in that great big drawing-room," said Clem,letting herself out with a very red face.

  "Oh, my! you wrote _a piano_!" Alexia went over backward suddenly tolie flat on the floor and laugh. "Besides, there is one in that house."

  "An old thing!" exclaimed Clem in disdain.

  "Well, let's see; here's something nice"--Polly ran along the list--"ahandsome chair, a desk, a cabinet. Those are fine!"

  "Clem has gone into the furniture business, I should think," saidPhilena.

  "And a cabinet!" exclaimed Amy Garrett, "when that house is just full of'em."

  "Oh, I mean a jewel cabinet, or something of that sort," explained Clemhastily.

  "That's not bad," announced Silvia, "for I suppose he'll give her allthe rest of those heirlooms; great strings of pearls probably he's got,and everything else. Dear me, don't I wish we girls could see them!" andshe lost herself in admiration over the fabulous Clemcy jewels.

  "Well, Chairman--Polly, I mean"--Alexia flew into position--"what's thenext list?"

  "This is quite different," said Polly, unrolling it; "some handsomelace, a fan, a lorgnette, a bracelet."

  "It's easy enough to see that's Silvia's," said Alexia--"all that fineryand furbelows."

  "Well, it's not fair to tell what you think and guess," said Silvia, apink spot coming on either check.

  "'Twouldn't make any difference, my guessing; we all know it's yours,Silvia," said Alexia, coolly.

  "Well, I think that's a lovely list," said Amy, with sparkling eyes,"and I for one would be willing to vote for any of those things."

  "My mother says we better give her something to wear," said Silvia,smoothing down her gown. "Miss Anstice likes nice things; and that greatbig house is running over with everything to furnish with."

  Polly was reading the third list, so somebody pulled Alexia's arm andstopped her. "A watch and chain--that's all there is on this list,"announced Polly.

  "Oh!"--there was a chorus of voices--"that's it--that's it!" and "Whydidn't I think of that?" until the whole ring was in a tumult again.

  It was no matter what was on the other lists. The chairman read themover faithfully, but the items fell upon dull ears. They might makesuitable tributes for other brides; there was but one mind about thepresent for this particular bride going forth from the SalisburySchool. The watch and chain was the only gift to be thought of.

  "And she wears that great big old-fashioned thing," declared Silvia;"looks like a turnip--oh, oh!"

  "And I do believe that's always made her so impressive and scareywhenever she got into that black silk gown," said Amy Garrett. "I neverthought of it before; but it was that horrible old watch and chain."

  "Girls," said the chairman, "I do really believe that it would be thevery best thing that we could possibly give her. And now I'm going totell who it was who chose it."

  "Do--oh, do!" The whole ring came together in a bunch, as the girls allcrowded around Polly.

  "Alexia!" Then Polly turned and gave a loving little pat on the longback.

  "Don't," said Alexia, shrinking away from the shower of congratulationson having made the best choice, and thought of the very thing that waslikely to unite the whole school on a gift. "It's nothing. I couldn'thelp but write it. It was the only thing I thought of."

  "Well; it was just as clever in you as could be, so there now!" Clemnodded over at her, and buried all animosity at once.

  "And think how nice it will be, when it's all engraved inside the casewith what we want to say," said Polly, with shining eyes.

  "And a great big monogram outside," said Silvia, with enthusiasm, "andone of those twisted chains--oh, how fine!" She shook out her silverbracelets till they jingled all her enthusiasm; and the entire committeejoining, the vote was taken to propose to the rest of the "Salisburygirls," on the morrow, the gift of a watch and chain to the future Mrs.John Clemcy.

  And the watch and chain was unanimously chosen by the "Salisbury girls"as the gift of all gifts they wanted to bestow upon their teacher on herwedding day; and they all insisted that Polly Pepper should write theinscription; so there it was, engraved beautifully on the inner side ofthe case: "Anstice Salisbury, with the loving regard of her pupils." Andthere was a beautiful big monogram on the outside; and the long chainwas double and twisted, and so handsome that Silvia's mother protestedshe hadn't a word to say but the very highest praise!

  Oh, and the presentation of it came about quite differently from whatwas expected, after all. For the gift was to be sent with a little note,representing the whole school, and written, as was quite proper, byPolly Pepper, the chairman of the committee. But Miss Salisbury, to whomthe precious parcel had been intrusted, said suddenly, "Why don't yougive it to her yourselves, girls?"

  It was, of course, the place of the chairman of the committee to speak.So Polly said, "Oh, would she like to have us, Miss Salisbury?"

  "Yes, my dears. I know she would. She feels badly to go and leave youall, you know," and there were tears in the blue eyes that always lookedso kindly on them. "And it would be a very lovely thing for you to do,if you would like to."

  "We should _love_ to do it," cried Polly warmly. "May we go now, dearMiss Salisbury?"

  "Yes," said Miss Salisbury, very much pleased; "she is in the redparlor."

  So the committee filed into the red parlor. There sat Miss Anstice,and--oh dear me!--Mr. John Clemcy!

  There was no time to retreat; for Miss Salisbury, not having heard Mr.Clemcy come in, was at the rear of the procession of girls. "Here, mydears--Anstice, the girls particularly want to see you--oh!" and thenshe saw Mr. John Clemcy.

  Miss Anstice, who seemed to have dropped all her nervousness lately,saved the situation by coming forward and greeting them warmly; and whenMr. John Clemcy saw how it was, he went gallantly to the rescue, and wasso easy and genial, and matter-of-course, that the committee presentlyfelt as if a good part of their lives had been passed in makingpresentations, and that they were quite up to that sort of thing.

  And Polly made a neat little speech as she handed her the packet; andMiss Anstice's eyes filled with tears of genuine regret at leaving them,and of delight at the gift.

  "Girls, do you know"--could it be Miss Anstice who was talking with somuch feeling in her voice?--"I used to imagine that you didn't love me."

  "Oh, that could never be!" cried Mr. Clemcy.

  "And I got so worried and cross over it. But now I know you did, andthat I was simply tired; for I never could teach like sister,"--shecast her a loving glance--"and I didn't r
eally love my work. And, do youknow, the thing I've longed for all my life was a watch and chain likethis? Oh girls, I shall love it always!"

  She threw the chain around her neck; and laid the little watch gentlyagainst her cheek.

  "Oh!" It was Alexia who pressed forward. "You'll forgive us all, won'tyou, Miss Anstice, if we didn't love you enough?"

  "When I want to forgive, I'll look at my dear watch," said Miss Ansticebrightly, and smiling on them all.

  "'Twas that horrible old black silk gown that made her so," exclaimedAlexia, as they all tumbled off down the hall in the greatestexcitement. "You see how sweet she is now, in that white one."

  "And the red rose in her belt," said Clem.

  "And her diamond ring," added Silvia.

  "And we're different, too," said Clem. "Maybe we wouldn't love to teacha lot of girls any better either, if we had to."

  "Well, and now there's the wedding!" exclaimed Amy Garrett, clasping herhands, "oh!"

  "What richness!" finished Alexia.

  And everybody said it was "the very prettiest affair; and sopicturesque!" "And those dear Salisbury girls--how sweet they looked, tobe sure!" Why, St. John's blossomed out like a veritable garden, justwith that blooming company of girls; to say nothing of the exquisiteflowers, and ropes of laurel, and palms, and the broad white satinribbons to divide the favored ones from the mere acquaintances.

  "And what a lovely thought to get those boys from the Pemberton Schoolfor ushers, with Jasper King as their leader!"

  They all made such a bright, youthful picture, to be followed by thechosen eight of the "Salisbury girls," the very committee who presentedthe gift to the bride-elect. There they were in their simple white gownsand big white hats.

  And then came the little assistant teacher of the Salisbury School, inher pearl gray robe; singularly enough, not half so much embarrassed asshe had often been in walking down the long schoolroom before the girls.

  And Mr. John Clemcy never thought of such a thing as embarrassment atall; but stood up in his straightforward, manly, English composure, totake his vows that bound him to the little school-teacher. And MissSalisbury, fairly resplendent in her black velvet gown, had down deepwithin her heart a childlike satisfaction in it all. "Dear Anstice washappy," and somehow the outlook for the future, with Miss Wilcox forassistant teacher, was restful for one whose heart and soul were boundup in her pupils' advancement.

  Miss Ophelia Clemcy blossomed out from her retirement, and became quitevoluble, in the front pew before the wedding procession arrived.

  "You see, it was foreordained to be," she announced, as she had beforedeclared several times to the principal of the Salisbury School. "Thefirst moment he saw her, Brother John was fully convinced that here wasa creature of the greatest sensibility, and altogether charming. And, mydear Miss Salisbury, I am only commonplace and practical, you know; soit is all as it should be, and suits me perfectly. And we will alwayskeep the anniversary of that picnic, that blessed day, won't we?"

  And old Mr. King invited the eight ushers from the Pemberton School andthe committee from the Salisbury School to a little supper to top offthe wedding festivities. And Grandpapa sat at the head of the table,with Mother Fisher at the other end, and Dr. Fisher and Mrs. Whitneyopposite in the centre. And there were wedding toasts and littlespeeches; and everybody got very jolly and festive. And the littledoctor looked down to the table end where he could see his wife's eyes."It reminds me very much of our own wedding day, wife," his glance said.And she smiled back in such a way as to fill him with great content.

  "And wasn't that reception in the school parlors too perfectly beautifulfor anything!" cried Polly Pepper, in a lull, for about the fiftiethtime the remark had been made.

  "Yes, and didn't Alexia make an awful blunder with her paper of rice!"said Clem sweetly.

  "I can't help it," said Alexia, nowise disturbed; "the old paper burst,and I had to put it in my handkerchief. You couldn't expect me, girls,to keep my wits after that."

  "Well, you needn't have spilt it all over Miss Anstice's bonnet," saidPhilena, laughing.

  "Mrs. Clemcy's, you mean," corrected Jasper.

  "Oh dear me! I never shall get used to her new name," declared Philena.

  "And I think I got my rice deposited as well as some of the rest of yougirls," declared Alexia airily.

  "Mine struck Mr. Clemcy full in the eye," said Silvia; "then I duckedbehind Polly Pepper."

  "Oh, that was a great way to do!" exclaimed Jasper.

  "Oh, I saw her," said Polly, with a little laugh, "and I jumped away;and Mr. Clemcy saw her, too."

  "Horrors!" cried Silvia. "Did he? Oh, I'm frightened to death! What didhe look like, Polly?"

  "Oh, he laughed," said Polly.

  Just then came a ring at the doorbell, sharp and sudden.

  "What is going to happen?" cried Polly, her face like a rose."Everything has been beautiful to-day; and now I just know somethingperfectly lovely is coming to finish off with."

  "A telegram, sir." Johnson held out a long yellow envelope to Mr. King.

  "It's for Mrs. Fisher," said the old gentleman.

  So the yellow envelope went down the table-length, the color going outof Polly's cheek; and she didn't dare to look at Mamsie's eyes.

  "Oh--the boys!" gasped Polly. "Jasper, do you suppose?"--What, shedidn't finish; for Mother Fisher just then cried out, and passed theyellow sheet to the little doctor. "Read it aloud," was all she said.But how her black eyes shone!

  "David took first prize classics. I'm picking up a bit. JOEL PEPPER."

  THE END.

  [Transcriber's Note: Page 115, last paragraph, added the word "it".

  "and bring up to my house" "and bring it up to my house"]