Five Little Peppers at School Part 54

"Polly," she called. "Oh, Polly Pepper, where _are_ you?" running over the stairs at the same time.

But Polly, as we have seen, was not in her room.

"Now then," Mother Fisher said at sound of Alexia's voice, "as we've finished our talk, Polly, why, you must run down and see her."

But Polly clung to her mother's neck. "Do you think I ought to go next Sat.u.r.day morning out shopping, Mamsie, after I've been so naughty?"

"Indeed, you ought," cried Mrs. Fisher, in her most decisive fashion.

"Dear me! that would be very dreadful, Polly, after we put it off for you, when we thought you had gone down to the Salisbury School. Why, we couldn't get along without you, Polly."

So Polly, with a happy feeling at her heart that she was really needed to make the shopping trip a success, and best of all for the long talk with Mamsie, that had set many things right, ran down to meet Alexia, br.i.m.m.i.n.g over with her important news.

"Where _have_ you been?" demanded Alexia, just on the point of rushing out of Polly's room in despair. "I've looked everywhere for you, even in the shoe-box." And without waiting for a reply, she dragged Polly back.

"Oh, you can't possibly guess!" her pale eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Then tell me, do, Alexia," begged Polly, scarcely less wrought up.

"Oh, Polly, the most elegant thing imaginable!" Alexia dearly loved to spin out her exciting news as long as possible, driving the girls almost frantic by such methods.

"Well, if you are not going to tell me, I might as well go back again, up in Mamsie's room," declared Polly, working herself free from the long arms, and starting for the door.

"Oh, I'll tell, Polly--I'll tell," cried Alexia, plunging after. "Miss Salisbury says--I've just been up to the school after my German grammar--that Mr. John Clemcy and Miss Ophelia have invited the whole Salisbury School out there for next Sat.u.r.day afternoon. Think of it, after that smashed vase, Polly Pepper!"

Polly Pepper sat down on the shoe-box, quite gone in surprise.

It was as Alexia had said: a most surprising thing, when one took into consideration how much Mr. John Clemcy had suffered from the carelessness of a Salisbury pupil on the occasion of the accidental visit. But evidently one of his reasons--though by no means the only one--was his wish to salve the feelings of the gentlewomen, who were constantly endeavoring to show him their overwhelming sorrow, and trying to make all possible reparation for the loss of the vase.

And he had stated his desire so forcibly on one of the many visits to the school that seemed to be necessary after the accident, that Miss Salisbury was unable to refuse the invitation, although it nearly threw her, self-contained as she usually was, into a panic at the very idea.

"But why did you promise, sister?" Miss Anstice turned on her on the withdrawal of the gentleman, whose English composure of face and bearing was now, in its victory, especially trying to bear. "I am surprised at you. Something dreadful will surely happen."

"Don't, Anstice," begged Miss Salisbury, nervous to the last degree, since even the support of "sister" was to be withdrawn. "It was the least I could do, to please him--after what has happened."

"Well, something will surely happen," mourned Miss Anstice. "You know how unfortunate it has been from the very beginning. I've never been able to look at that gown since, although it has been washed till every stain is removed."

"Put it on for this visit, sister," advised Miss Salisbury, with a healthy disapproval of superst.i.tions, "and break the charm."

"Oh, never!" Miss Anstice raised her slender hands. "I wouldn't run such a chance as to wear that gown for all the world. It will be unlucky enough, you will see, without that, sister."

But as far as anybody could see, everything was perfectly harmonious and successful on the following Sat.u.r.day afternoon. To begin with, the weather was perfect; although at extremely short intervals Miss Anstice kept reminding her sister that a tremendous shower might be expected when the expedition was once under way.

The girls, when they received their invitation Monday morning from Miss Salisbury in the long schoolroom, were, to state it figuratively, "taken off their feet" in surprise, with the exception of those fortunate enough to have caught s.n.a.t.c.hes of the news always sure to travel fast when set going by Alexia; and wild was the rejoicing, when they could forget the broken vase, at the prospect of another expedition under Miss Salisbury's guidance.

"If Miss Anstice only weren't going!" sighed Clem. "She is such a fussy old thing. It spoils everybody's fun just to look at her."

"Well, don't look at her," advised Alexia calmly; "for my part, I never do, unless I can't help it."

"How are you going to help it," cried Amy Garrett dismally, "when you are in her cla.s.ses? Oh dear! I do wish Miss Salisbury would get rid of her as a teacher, and let Miss Wilc.o.x take her place."

"Miss Wilc.o.x is just gay!" exclaimed Silvia. "Well, don't let's talk of that old frump any more. Goodness me! here she comes," as Miss Anstice advanced down the long hall, where the girls were discussing the wonderful invitation after school.

And as the day was perfect, so the spirits of the "Salisbury girls" were at their highest. And Mr. Kimball and his a.s.sociates drove them over in the same big barges, the veteran leader not recovering from the surprise into which he had been thrown by this afternoon party given to the Salisbury School by Mr. Clemcy and his sister.

"Of all things in this world, this is th' cap-sheaf," he muttered several times on the way. "A good ten year or more, those English folks have been drawin' back in them pretty grounds, an' offendin' every one; an' now, to get a pa.s.sel o' girls to run over an' stomp 'em all down!"

Being unable to solve the puzzle, it afforded him plenty of occupation to work away at it.

Mr. Clemcy and Miss Ophelia, caring as little for the opinion of the stage-driver as for the rest of the world, received the visitors on the broad stone piazza, whose pillars ran the length of the house, and up to the roof, affording a wide gallery above. It was all entwined with English ivy and creepers taken from the homestead in Devonshire, and brought away when the death of the old mother made it impossible for life to be sustained by Miss Ophelia unless wrenched up from the roots where cl.u.s.tered so many memories. So Brother John decided to make that wrench, and to make it complete. So here they were.

"I didn't know it was so pretty," cried Clem, after the ladies had been welcomed with the most gracious, old-time hospitality, and the schoolgirls tumbled out of the barges to throng up. "It rained so when we were here before, we couldn't see anything."

"Pretty?" repeated Alexia, comprehending it all in swift, bird-like glances. "It's perfectly beautiful!" She turned, and Mr. Clemcy, who was regarding her, smiled, and they struck up a friendship on the spot.

"Miss Salisbury, allow me." Mr. Clemcy was leading her off. Miss Anstice, not trusting the ill-fated white gown, rustled after in the black silk one, with Miss Ophelia, down the wide hall, open at the end, with vistas of broad fields beyond, where the host paused. "Let the young ladies come," he said; and the girls trooped after, to crowd around the elder people.

Amongst the palms and bookcases, with which the broad hall was lined, was a pedestal, whose top was half covered with a soft, filmy cloth.

Mr. Clemcy lifted this, and took it off carefully. There stood the little vase, presenting as brave an appearance as in its first perfection.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THERE STOOD THE LITTLE VASE, PRESENTING AS BRAVE AN APPEARANCE AS IN ITS FIRST PERFECTION.]

Miss Salisbury uttered no exclamation, but preserved her composure by a violent effort.

"I flatter myself on my ability to repair my broken collection," began Mr. Clemcy, when a loud exclamation from the girls in front startled every one. Miss Anstice, on the first shock, had been unable to find that composure that was always "sister's" envied possession; so despite the environment of the black silk gown, she gave it up, and sank gradually to the ground.

"I told you so," cried Clem, in a hoa.r.s.e whisper to her nearest neighbors; "she always spoils everybody's fun," as Miss Anstice, at the host's suggestion, his sister being rendered incapable of action at this sudden emergency, was put to rest in one of the pretty chintz-covered rooms above, till such time as she could recover herself enough to join them below.

"I couldn't help it, sister," she said. "I've been so worried about that vase. _You_ don't know, because you are always so calm; and then to see it standing there--it quite took away my breath."

Oh, the delights of the rose-garden! in which every variety of the old-fashioned rose seemed to have had a place lovingly a.s.signed to it.

Sweetbrier clambered over the walls of the gardener's cottage, the stables, and charming summer-houses, into which the girls ran with delight. For Mr. Clemcy had said they were to go everywhere and enjoy everything without restraint.

"He's a dear," exclaimed Lucy Bennett, "only I'm mortally afraid of him."

"Well, I'm not," proclaimed Alexia.

The idea of Alexia being in any state that would suggest fear, being so funny, the girls burst out laughing.

"Well, we sha'n't any of us feel like laughing much in a little while,"

said Clem dolefully.

"What is the matter?" cried a dozen voices.

"Matter enough," replied Clem. "I've said so before, and now I know it's coming. Just look at that."

She pushed aside the swaying branches of the sweetbrier, and pointed tragically. "I don't see anything," said one or two of the girls.

"_There!_" "There" meant Mr. Clemcy and Miss Salisbury pa.s.sing down the rose-walk, the broad central path. He was evidently showing her some treasured variety and descanting on it; the princ.i.p.al of the Salisbury School from her wide knowledge of roses, as well as of other subjects, being able to respond very intelligently.