Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

by Margaret Sidney

  EDUCATION AHEAD

  After that they couldn't thank Jasper enough! They tried to, lovingly,and an elaborate letter of thanks, headed by Mrs. Pepper, was drawn upand sent with a box of the results of Polly's diligent study of Jasper'sbook. Polly stripped off recklessly her choicest buds and blossoms fromthe gay little stand of flowers in the corner, that had already begunto blossom, and tucked them into every little nook in the box that couldpossibly hold a posy. But as for thanking him enough!

  "We can't do it, mammy," said Polly, looking around on all the happyfaces, and then up at Cherry, who was singing in the window, and whoimmediately swelled up his little throat and poured out such a merryburst of song that she had to wait for him to finish. "No, not if wetried a thousand years!"

  "I'm a-goin'," said Joel, who was busy as a bee with his new tools thatthe tree had shaken down for him, "to make Jappy the splendidest box youever saw, Polly! I guess that'll thank him!"

  "Do," cried Polly; "he'd be so pleased, Joey."

  "And I," said Phronsie, over in the corner with her children, "I'm goin'to see my poor sick man sometime, Polly, I am!"

  "Oh, dear!" cried Polly, whirling around, and looking at her motherin dismay. "She'll be goin' to-morrow! Oh, no, Phronsie, you can't; helives miles and miles away--oh, ever so far!"

  "Does he live as far as the moon?" asked little Phronsie, carefullylaying Seraphina down, and looking up at Polly, anxiously.

  "Oh, I don't know," said Polly, giving Cherry a piece of bread, andlaughing to see how cunning he looked. "Oh, no, of course not, but it'san awful long ways, Phronsie."

  "I don't care," said Phronsie, determinedly, giving the new doll aloving little pat, "I'm goin' sometime, Polly, to thank my poor sickman, yes, I am!"

  "You'll see him next summer, Phronsie," sang Polly skipping around thekitchen, "and Jappy's sister Marian, the lovely lady, and all the boys.Won't that be nice?" and Polly stopped to pat the yellow head bending inmotherly attentions over her array of dolls.

  "Ye-es," said Phronsie, slowly; "the whole of 'em, Polly?"

  "Yes, indeed!" said Polly, gayly; "the whole of 'em, Phronsie!

  "Hooray!" shouted the two boys, while Phronsie only gave a long sigh,and clasped her hands.

  "Better not be looking for summer," said Mrs. Pepper, "until you doyour duty by the winter; then you can enjoy it," and she took a freshneedleful of thread.

  "Mamsie's right," said Ben, smiling over at her. And he threw downhis book and jumped for his cap. "Now for a good chop!" he cried, andsnatching a kiss from Phronsie, he rushed out of the door to his work,whistling as he went.

  "Warn't Mr. Henderson good, ma," asked Polly, watching his retreatingfigure, "to give Ben learning?"

  "Yes, he was," replied Mrs. Pepper, enthusiastically. "We've got aparson, if anybody has in this world!"

  "And Ben's learning," said Polly, swelling with pride, as she sat downby her mother, and began to sew rapidly, "so that he'll be a big manright off! Oh, dear," as a thought made her needle pause a minute in itsquick flying in and out.

  "What is it, Polly?" Mrs. Pepper looked keenly at the troubled face anddowncast eyes.

  "Why--" began Polly, and then she finished very slowly, "I shan't knowanything, and Ben'll be ashamed of me.

  "Yes, you will!" cried Mrs. Pepper, energetically, "you keep on trying,and the Lord'll send some way; don't you go to bothering your head aboutit now, Polly--it'll come when it's time."

  "Will it?" asked Polly, doubtfully, taking up her needle again.

  "Yes, indeed!" cried Mrs. Pepper, briskly; "come fly at your sewing;that's your learning now."

  "So 'tis," said Polly, with a little laugh. "Now let's see which'll gettheir seam done first, mamsie?"

  And now letters flew thick and fast from the city to the little brownhouse, and back again, warming Jasper's heart, and filling the tediousmonths of that winter with more of jollity and fun than the lad everenjoyed before; and never was fun and jollity more needed than now;for Mr. King, having nothing to do, and each year finding himself lessinclined to exercise any thoughtful energy for others, began to look atlife something in the light of a serious bore, and accordingly made itdecidedly disagreeable for all around him, and particularly for Jasperwho was his constant companion. But the boy was looking forward tosummer, and so held on bravely.

  "I do verily believe, Polly," he wrote, "that Badgertown'll see thegayest times it ever knew! Sister Marian wants to go, so that's allright. Now, hurrah for a good time--it's surely coming!"

  But alas! for Jasper! as spring advanced, his father took a decidedaversion to Hingham, Badgertown, and all other places that could bementioned in that vicinity.

  "It's a wretched climate," he asserted, over and over; "and thefoundation of all my ill feelings this winter was laid, I'm convinced,in Hingham last summer."

  No use to urge the contrary; and all Jasper's pleadings were equallyvain. At last, sister Marian, who was kind-hearted to a fault, sorry tosee her brother's dismay and disappointment said, one day, "Why not haveone of the children come here? I should like it very much--do inviteBen."

  "I don't want Ben," said Jasper gloomily, "I want Polly." He added thisin much the same tone as Phronsie's when she had rushed up to him theday she was lost, declaring, "I want Polly!"

  "Very well, then," said sister Marian, laughing, "I'm sure I didn't meanto dictate which one; let it be Polly then; yes, I should prefer Pollymyself, I think, as we've enough boys now," smiling to think of her ownbrood of wide awake youngsters.

  "If you only will, father, I'll try to be ever so good!" said Jasper,turning suddenly to his father.

  "Jasper needs some change," said sister Marian kindly, "he really hasgrown very pale and thin."

  "Hey!" said Mr. King, sharply, looking at him over his eyeglasses. "Theboy's well enough; well enough!" But he twisted uneasily in his chair,all the same. At last he flung down his paper, twitched his fingersthrough his hair two or three times, and then burst out--"Well, whydon't you send for her? I'm sure I don't care--I'll write myself, and Ihad better do it now. Tell Thomas to be ready to take it right down; itmust get into this mail."

  When Mr. King had made up his mind to do anything, everybody else mustimmediately give up their individual plans, and stand out of the way forhim to execute his at just that particular moment! Accordingly Thomaswas dragged from his work to post the letter, while the old gentlemanoccupied the time in pulling out his watch every third second until theslightly-out-of-breath Thomas reported on his return that the letterdid get in. Then Mr. King settled down satisfied, and everything went onsmoothly as before.

  But Polly didn't come! A grateful, appreciative letter, expressed inMrs. Pepper's own stiff way, plainly showed the determination of thatgood woman not to accept what was such a favor to her child.

  In vain Mr. King stormed, and fretted, and begged, offering everyadvantage possible--Polly should have the best foundation for a musicaleducation that the city could afford; also lessons in the schoolroomunder the boys' private tutor--it was all of no avail. In vain sisterMarian sent a gentle appeal, fully showing her heart was in it; nothingbroke down Mrs. Pepper's resolve, until, at last, the old gentlemanwrote one day that Jasper, being in such failing health, really dependedon Polly to cheer him up. That removed the last straw that made it"putting one's self under an obligation," which to Mrs. Pepper'sindependent soul, had seemed insurmountable.

  And now, it was decided that Polly was really to go! and pretty soon allBadgertown knew that Polly Pepper was going to the big city. And therewasn't a man, woman, or child but what greatly rejoiced that a sunnytime was coming to one of the chicks in the little brown house. Withmany warm words, and some substantial gifts, kind friends helped forwardthe "outing." Only one person doubted that this delightful chance shouldbe grasped at once--and that one was Polly herself!

  "I can't," she said, and stood quite pale and still, when the Hendersonsadvised her mother's approval, and even Grandma Bascom said, "Go." "Ican't go and leave mamm
y to do all the work."

  "But don't you see, Polly," said Mrs. Henderson, drawing her to herside, "that you will help your mother twice as much as you possiblycould here, by getting a good education? Think what your music will be;only think, Polly!"

  Polly drew a long breath at this and turned away.

  "Oh, Polly!" cried Ben, though his voice choked, "if you give this up,there never'll be another chance," and the boy put his arm around her,and whispered something in her ear.

  "I know," said Polly quietly--and then she burst out, "oh, but I can't!'tisn't right."

  "Polly," said Mrs. Pepper--and never in all their lives had the childrenseen such a look in mamsie's eyes as met them then; "it does seem asif my heart would be broken if you didn't go!" And then she burst outcrying, right before them all!

  "Oh mammy," cried Polly, breaking away from everybody, and flingingherself into her arms. "I'll go--if you think I ought to. But it's toogood! don't cry--don't, mammy dear," and Polly stroked the careworn facelovingly, and patted the smooth hair that was still so black.

  "And, Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, smiling through her tears, "just thinkwhat a comfort you'll be to me, and us all," she added, taking in thechildren who were crowding around Polly as the centre of attraction."Why, you'll be the making of us," she added hopefully.

  "I'll do something," said Polly, her brown eyes kindling, "or I shan'tbe worthy of you, mammy."

  "O, you'll do it," said Mrs. Pepper, confidently, "now that you'regoing."

  But when Polly stepped into the stage, with her little hair trunkstrapped on behind, containing her one brown merino that Mrs. Hendersonhad made over for her out of one of her own, and her two new ginghams,her courage failed again, and she astonished everybody, and nearly upseta mild-faced old lady who was in the corner placidly eating doughnuts,by springing out and rushing up through the little brown gate, pastall the family, drawn up to see her off. She flew over the old flatdoor-stone, and into the bedroom, where she flung herself down betweenthe old bed and Phronsie's crib, in a sudden torrent of tears. "I can'tgo!" she sobbed--"oh I can't!"

  "Why, Polly!" cried Mrs. Pepper, hurrying in, followed by Joel and therest of the troops at his heels. "What are you thinking of!"

  "Think of by-and-by, Polly," put in Ben, patting her on the back withan unsteady hand, while Joel varied the proceedings by running backand forth, screaming at the top of his lungs, "The stage's going! yourtrunk'll be taken!"

  "Dear me!" ejaculated Mrs. Pepper, "do stop it somebody! there, Polly,come now! Do as mother says!"

  "I'll try again," said poor Polly, choking back her sobs, and getting onher feet.

  Then Polly's tears were wiped away, her hat straightened, after whichshe was kissed all round again by the whole family, Phronsie waitingfor the last two, and then was helped again into the stage, the bags andparcels, and a box for Jappy, which, as it wouldn't go into the trunk,Joel had insisted Polly should carry in her hand, were again piledaround her, and Mr. Tisbett mounted to his seat, and with a crack of thewhip, bore her safely off this time.

  The doughnut lady, viewing poor Polly with extreme sympathy, immediatelyforced upon her acceptance three of the largest and sugariest.

  "Twill do you good," she said, falling to, herself, on another withgood zeal. "I always eat 'em, and then there ain't any room forhomesickness!"

  And away, and away, and away they rumbled and jumbled to the cars.

  Here Mr. Tisbett put Polly and her numerous bundles under the care ofthe conductor, with manifold charges and explicit directions, to see hersafely into Mr. King's own hands. He left her sitting straight up amongher parcels, her sturdy little figure drawn up to its full height, andthe clear brown eyes regaining a little of their dancing light; foralthough a dreadful feeling tugged at her heart, as she thought of thelittle brown house she was fast flying away from, there was somethingelse; our Polly had begun to realize that now she was going to "helpmother."

  And now they neared the big city, and everybody began to bustle around,and get ready to jump out, and the minute the train stopped, the crowdpoured out from the cars, making way for the crowd pouring in, for thiswas a through train.

  "All aboard!" sang the conductor. "Oh my senses!" springing to Polly; "Iforgot you--here!"

  But as quick as a flash he was pushed aside, and a bright, boyish figuredashed up.

  "Oh, Polly!" he said in such a ringing voice! and in another second,Polly and her bag, and the bundle of cakes and apples that GrandmaBascom had put up for her, and Joel's box, were one and all bundledout upon the platform, and the train whizzed on, and there Mr. King wasfuming up and down, berating the departing conductor, and speakinghis mind in regard to all the railroad officials he could think of. Hepulled himself up long enough to give Polly a hearty welcome; and thenaway again he flew in righteous indignation, while Jasper rushed offinto the baggage room with Polly's check.

  However, every now and then, turning to look down into the little rosyface beside him, the old gentleman would burst forth, "Bless me, child!I'm glad you're here, Polly!--how could the fellow forget when--"

  "Oh well, you know," said Polly, with a happy little wriggle under herbrown coat, "I'm here now."

  "So you are! so you are!" laughed the old gentleman suddenly; "where canJasper be so long."

  "They're all in the carriage," answered the boy skipping back. "Now,father! now Polly!"

  He was fairly bubbling over with joy and Mr. King forgot his dudgeon andjoined in the general glee, which soon became so great that travellersgave many a glance at the merry trio who bundled away to Thomas and thewaiting grays.

  "You're sure you've got the right check?" asked Mr. King, nervously,getting into a handsome coach lined with dark green satin, and settlingdown among its ample cushions with a sigh of relief.

  "Oh yes," laughed Jasper; "Polly didn't have any one else's check, Iguess."

  Over through the heart of the city, down narrow, noisy businessstreets, out into wide avenues, with handsome stately mansions on eitherside--they flew along.

  "Oh," said Polly; and then she stopped, and blushed very hard.

  "What is it, my dear?" asked Mr. King, kindly.

  Polly couldn't speak at first, but when Jasper stopped his merry chatand begged to know what it was, she turned on him, and burst out, "Youlive here?"

  "Why, yes," laughed the boy; "why not?"

  "Oh!" said Polly again, her cheeks as red as two roses, "it's solovely!"

  And then the carriage turned in at a brown stone gateway, and windingup among some fine old trees, stopped before a large, stately residencethat in Polly's eyes seemed like one of the castles of Ben's famousstories. And then Mr. King got out, and gallantly escorted Polly out,and up the steps, while Jasper followed with Polly's bag which hecouldn't be persuaded to resign to Thomas. A stiff waiter held the dooropen--and then, the rest was only a pleasant, confused jumble of kindwelcoming words, smiling faces, with a background of high spaciouswalls, bright pictures, and soft elegant hangings, everything and allinextricably mixed--till Polly herself seemed floating--away--away, fastto the Fairyland of her dreams; now, Mr. King was handing her around,like a precious parcel, from one to the other--now Jasper was bobbingin and out everywhere, introducing her on all sides, and then Princewas jumping up and trying to lick her face every minute--but best of allwas, when a lovely face looked down into hers, and Jasper's sister bentto kiss her.

  "I am very glad to have you here, little Polly." The words were simple,but Polly, lifting up her clear brown eyes, looked straight into theheart of the speaker, and from that moment never ceased to love her.

  "It was a good inspiraton," thought Mrs. Whitney to herself; "thislittle girl is going to be a comfort, I know." And then she set herselfto conduct successfully her three boys into friendliness and goodfellowship with Polly, for each of them was following his own sweet willin the capacity of host, and besides staring at her with all his might,was determined to do the whole of the entertaining, a state of thingswhich might bec
ome unpleasant. However, Polly stood it like a veteran.

  "This little girl must be very tired," said Mrs. Whitney, at last with abright smile. "Besides I am going to have her to myself now."

  "Oh, no, no," cried little Dick in alarm; "why, she's just come; we wantto see her."

  "For shame, Dick!" said Percy, the eldest, a boy of ten years, who tookevery opportunity to reprove Dick in public; "she's come a great ways,so she ought to rest, you know."

  "You wanted her to come out to the greenhouse yourself, you know youdid," put in Van, the next to Percy, who never would be reproved orpatronized, "only she wouldn't go."

  "You'll come down to dinner," said Percy, politely, ignoring Van. "Thenyou won't be tired, perhaps."

  "Oh, I'm not very tired now," said Polly, brightly, with a merry littlelaugh, "only I've never been in the cars before, and--"

  "Never been in the cars before!" exclaimed Van, crowding up, while Percymade a big round O with his mouth, and little Dick's eyes stretched totheir widest extent.

  "No," said Polly simply, "never in all my life."

  "Come, dear," said sister Marian, rising quickly, and taking Polly'shand; while Jasper, showing unmistakable symptoms of pitching into allthe three boys, followed with the bag.

  Up the broad oak staircase they went, Polly holding by Mrs. Whitney'ssoft hand, as if for dear life, and Jasper tripping up two steps at atime, in front of them. They turned after reaching the top, down a hallsoft to the foot and brightly lighted.

  "Now, Polly," said sister Marian, "I'm going to have you here, rightnext to my dressing room; this is your nest, little bird, and I hopeyou'll be very happy in it."

  And here Mrs. Whitney turned up the gas, and then, just because shecouldn't help it, gathered Polly up in her arms without another word.Jasper set down the bag on a chair, and came and stood by his sister'sside, looking down at her as she stroked the brown wavy hair on herbosom.

  "It's so nice to have Polly here, sister," he said, and he put his handon Mrs. Whitney's neck; and then with the other hand took hold of bothof Polly's chubby ones, who looked up and smiled; and in that smile thelittle brown house seemed to hop right out, and bring back in a flashall the nice times those eight happy weeks had brought him.

  "Oh, 'twas so perfectly splendid, sister Marian," he cried, flinginghimself down on the floor by her chair. "You don't know what good timeswe had--does she, Polly?" and then he launched out into a perfectshower of "Don't you remember this?" or "Oh, Polly! you surely haven'tforgotten that!" Mrs. Whitney good naturedly entering into it andenjoying it all with them, until, warned by the lateness of the hour,she laughingly reminded Jasper of dinner, and dismissed him to preparefor it.

  When the three boys saw Polly coming in again, they welcomed her witha cordial shout, for one and all, after careful measurement of her,had succumbed entirely to Polly; and each was unwilling that the othersshould get ahead of him in her regard.

  "This is your seat, Polly," said sister Marian, touching the chair nextto her own.

  Thereupon a small fight ensued between the little Whitneys, while Jasperlooked decidedly discomfited.

  "Let Polly sit next to me," said Van, as if a seat next to him was ofall things most to be desired.

  "Oh, no, I want her," said little Dick.

  "Pshaw, Dick! you're too young," put in Percy. "You'd spill the breadand butter all over her."

  "I wouldn't either," said little Dick, indignantly, and beginning tocrawl into his seat; "I don't spill bread and butter, now Percy, youknow."

  "See here," said Jasper, decidedly, "she's coming up here by fatherand me; that is, sister Marian," he finished more politely, "if you'rewilling."

  All this while Polly had stood quietly watching the group, the big,handsome table, the bright lights, and the well-trained servants witha curious feeling at her heart--what were the little-brown-house-peopledoing?

  "Polly shall decide it," said sister Marian, laughing. "Now, wherewill you sit, dear?" she added, looking down on the little quiet figurebeside her.

  "Oh, by Jappy, please," said Polly, quickly, as if there could be nodoubt; "and kind Mr. King," she added, smiling at him.

  "That's right; that's right, my dear," cried the old gentleman, pleasedbeyond measure at her honest choice. And he pulled out her chair, andwaited upon her into it so handsomely that Polly was happy at once;while Jasper, with a proud toss of his dark, wavy hair, marched updelightedly, and took the chair on her other side.

  And now, in two or three minutes it seemed as if Polly had always beenthere; it was the most natural thing in the world that sister Marianshould smile down the table at the bright-faced narrator, who answeredall their numerous questions, and entertained them all with accounts ofBen's skill, of Phronsie's cunning ways, of the boys who made fun forall, and above everything else of the dear mother whom they all longedto help, and of all the sayings and doings in the little brown house. Nowonder that the little boys forgot to eat; and for once never thought ofthe attractions of the table. And when, as they left the table at last,little Dick rushed impulsively up to Polly, and flinging himself intoher arms, declared, "I love you!--and you're my sister!" Nothing morewas needed to make Polly feel at home.

  "Yes," said Mrs. Whitney, and nodded to herself in the saying, "it was agood thing; and a comfort, I believe, has come to this house this day!"