Five Little Peppers and their Friends

ich Jasper had found her, with Polly waiting patiently on the lower step, when she first

tly, "that I could see my

g, Phronsie smoothed

nd a troubled expression swept over her face-"but t

t stared up at her mother unblinkingly. Phrons

ain some day, if I wa

ll, peered over the railing. "What are you doing, P

" said Phronsi

er. "Oh, Pet, I've an invite for you." She seized Phronsie's ha

sie, coming slowly out of her tho

ry Taylor's, to go with us girls this afternoon to work on our fancy things for the fair. Only think of that, Phronsie Pepper!" An

laimed Polly, "we

eath, "when you all take your bags and work on things?" She set Clorinda

, with a restraining hand. "And oh, Phronsie! I'm going to make yo

ork in, just as Polly and the other girls did when they went to each other's houses with their fancy work, was more than she ever imagined was coming to her till she got as big a

t?" cried Polly, disap

then stood up and began to

ands, "I'm going to have a little silk

ly, seizing her arms, "you'll roll do

er face close to Polly's cheek-"and I'll sew on it for the po

stop dancing,"

id Phronsie, dreadfully excited;

Auntie gave me, for that sachet case I'm making for the fair. But never mind, child"-as she saw a sorry l

e confidently, as long as Polly s

so as to be all ready." Polly flew up from her stair. "Pick up your

my doll," panted Phronsie, as they reach

aughed Polly. "Now, says I,

ek, plunged them into such a state of excitement that those who had been lagging over their fancy work now

f ribbons between them, "here comes Clem up the drive; now I 'most know she wants me to help her on that sofa-pillow," and she t

opping a fascinating bunch of gay ribbons she

ng sad work of the snarl. "There, I'll break the old thing, the

ere. And she's just as mad as can be because I was coming over here for you. You see, her aunt has something for her to do this morning. I'm tickled to death that for o

the little bunch of ribbons in her lap, to lean over to look into

d Clem. "Oh, Polly, yo

er yellow head. "Polly is goin

m gave a groan. "Oh, Po

rnoon with us girls, and she wants a silk bag to carry her work in, too, the same as we big girls have, don't

ith a wriggle of delight, "and I'm goin

-pillow, Clem," said Polly hurriedly, fee

lp on it," said Clem; "I

ll

arl in her lap. "Why, how could you?-and you hadn't the

hed it in that way," said

. I just hate that old d

second girl, and she'

d send it to

you won't give anything to the fair

a cushion. And nobody would have bought it when it was done, except my mother-I'd made her-so what's the use of finishin

ried Polly, wit

id Clem, in a tantalizin

gentle little twitch on her arm

preoccupied way, her eyes on Clem's face. "Oh, I

t's something," declare

o slow, Polly; it's too

know!" She brought up suddenly, nearly overthrowing Phronsie, who had bent anxi

Clem, in great scorn. "

o make is ever so much b

s ag

olly was too deep in thought to notice, and she wrinkled her brows, and bent

s a sachet bag, the

'd be perfectly ashamed, Polly Pepper, to sit there and guess such things. I'm goin

versetting Phronsie. "You ought not to do any such thing," she ran on passionately, a little red spo

comfortably, and not looking up into Polly's face,

oo angry to think what she was saying, "and y

ce. She had gotten up to her feet, and now hurried

"you don't know what you are doing, Phronsie, to stop me. She

oo, Polly Pepper"-she tossed her head high in the air-"to expect to keep all the best things to yourself, and we're all working ourselves most to death over this old fair. And I did come to ask you t

y and ran on unsteady

stingy," she quavere

and little uncomfortable

mad at me," she said,

and swallowed very hard to keep the tears back, but two big drops esc

by myself," she said, without a backw

she does, after this," cried Polly, magnificently,

st now, and Phronsie could scarcely see t

case, and mine is almost done, and none of the girls would copy mine! And Jasper drew

ronsie, clear gone in distress now,

id!" she cried. "Oh, what can I do!" She clasped her hands tightly together. She was now

ter her," she sai

with a little shiver, and covering he

terrible feeling at her throat. Not speak to Polly?-such a

ds and went off with wa

" cried Phronsie, r

attempt at a reconciliation, was off, her b