Five Little Peppers And How They Grew [86]
into shape, so that the house will be kept for all of us; so that we can come or go. And how can I do it better than to have the Peppers--you, Mrs. Pepper, and all your children--come here and live, and"-- "Oh, father!" cried Jasper, rushing up to him; and flinging his arms around his neck, he gave him such a hug as he hadn't received for many a day.
"Goodness, Jasper!" cried his father, feeling of his throat. "How can you express your feelings so violently! And, besides, you interrupt."
"Beg pardon, sir," said Jasper, swallowing his excitement, and trying to control his eagerness.
"Do you say yes, Mrs. Pepper?" queried the old gentleman impatiently. "I must get this thing fixed up to-day. I'm really too ill to be worried ma'am."
"Why sir," stammered Mrs. Pepper, "I don't know what to say. I couldn't think of imposing all my children on you, and"---- "Imposing! Who's talking of imposing!" said Mr. King in a loud key. "I want my house kept; will you live here and keep it? That is the question."
"But sir," began Mrs. Pepper again, "you don't think"---- "I do think; I tell you, ma'am, I do think," snapped the old gentleman. "It's just because I have thought that I've made up my mind. Will you do it Mrs. Pepper?"
"What you goin' to do, mamsie?" asked Joel quickly.
"I don't know as I'm going to do anything yet," said poor Mrs. Pepper, who was almost stunned.
"To come here and live!" cried Jasper, unable to keep still any longer--and springing to the children. "Don't you want to, Joe?"
"To live!" screamed Joel. "Oh whickety, yes! Do ma, do come here and live--do!"
"To live?" echoed Phronsie, over in the old gentleman's lap. "In this be-yew-ti-ful place? Oh, oh!"
"Oh, mamsie!" that was all Polly could say.
And even Ben had his arms around his mother's neck, whispering "Do" into her ear, while little Davie got into her lap and teased her with all his might.
What shall I do! cried the poor woman. Did ever anybody see the like?"
"It's the very best thing you could possibly do," cried the
old gentleman. "Don't you see it's for the children's advantage? They'll get such educations, Mrs. Pepper, as you want for them. And it accommodates me immensely. What obstacle can there be to it?"
"If I was only sure 'twas best?" said Mrs. Pepper doubtfully.
"Oh, dear Mrs. Pepper," said Mrs. Whitney, laying her hand on hers. "Can you doubt it?"
"Then," said Mr. King, getting up, but still holding on to Phronsie, "we'll consider it settled. This is your home, children," he said, waving his hand at the five little Peppers in a bunch. And having thus summarily disposed of the whole business, he marched out with Phronsie on his shoulder.
POLLY'S DISMAL MORNING
Everything had gone wrong with Polly that day. It began with her boots.
Of all things in the world that tried Polly's patience most were the troublesome little black buttons that originally adorned those useful parts of her clothing, and that were fondly supposed to be there when needed. But they never were. The little black things seemed to be invested with a special spite, for one by one they would hop off on the slightest provocation, and go rolling over the floor, just when she was in her most terrible hurry, compelling her to fly for needle and thread on the instant. For one thing Mrs. Pepper was very strict about--and that was, Polly should do nothing else till the buttons were all on again, and the boots buttoned up firm and snug.
"Oh dear!" said Polly, sitting down on the floor, and pulling on her stockings. "There now, see that hateful old shoe, mamsie!" And she thrust out one foot in dismay.
"What's the matter with it?" said Mrs. Pepper straightening the things on the bureau. "You haven't worn it out already, Polly?"
"Oh no," said Polly, with a little laugh. "I hope not yet, but it's these dreadful hateful old buttons!" And she twitched the boot off from her foot with such an impatient little pull, that three or four more went flying under the bed. "There now--there's a lot more. I don't care! I wish they'd all go;
"Goodness, Jasper!" cried his father, feeling of his throat. "How can you express your feelings so violently! And, besides, you interrupt."
"Beg pardon, sir," said Jasper, swallowing his excitement, and trying to control his eagerness.
"Do you say yes, Mrs. Pepper?" queried the old gentleman impatiently. "I must get this thing fixed up to-day. I'm really too ill to be worried ma'am."
"Why sir," stammered Mrs. Pepper, "I don't know what to say. I couldn't think of imposing all my children on you, and"---- "Imposing! Who's talking of imposing!" said Mr. King in a loud key. "I want my house kept; will you live here and keep it? That is the question."
"But sir," began Mrs. Pepper again, "you don't think"---- "I do think; I tell you, ma'am, I do think," snapped the old gentleman. "It's just because I have thought that I've made up my mind. Will you do it Mrs. Pepper?"
"What you goin' to do, mamsie?" asked Joel quickly.
"I don't know as I'm going to do anything yet," said poor Mrs. Pepper, who was almost stunned.
"To come here and live!" cried Jasper, unable to keep still any longer--and springing to the children. "Don't you want to, Joe?"
"To live!" screamed Joel. "Oh whickety, yes! Do ma, do come here and live--do!"
"To live?" echoed Phronsie, over in the old gentleman's lap. "In this be-yew-ti-ful place? Oh, oh!"
"Oh, mamsie!" that was all Polly could say.
And even Ben had his arms around his mother's neck, whispering "Do" into her ear, while little Davie got into her lap and teased her with all his might.
What shall I do! cried the poor woman. Did ever anybody see the like?"
"It's the very best thing you could possibly do," cried the
old gentleman. "Don't you see it's for the children's advantage? They'll get such educations, Mrs. Pepper, as you want for them. And it accommodates me immensely. What obstacle can there be to it?"
"If I was only sure 'twas best?" said Mrs. Pepper doubtfully.
"Oh, dear Mrs. Pepper," said Mrs. Whitney, laying her hand on hers. "Can you doubt it?"
"Then," said Mr. King, getting up, but still holding on to Phronsie, "we'll consider it settled. This is your home, children," he said, waving his hand at the five little Peppers in a bunch. And having thus summarily disposed of the whole business, he marched out with Phronsie on his shoulder.
POLLY'S DISMAL MORNING
Everything had gone wrong with Polly that day. It began with her boots.
Of all things in the world that tried Polly's patience most were the troublesome little black buttons that originally adorned those useful parts of her clothing, and that were fondly supposed to be there when needed. But they never were. The little black things seemed to be invested with a special spite, for one by one they would hop off on the slightest provocation, and go rolling over the floor, just when she was in her most terrible hurry, compelling her to fly for needle and thread on the instant. For one thing Mrs. Pepper was very strict about--and that was, Polly should do nothing else till the buttons were all on again, and the boots buttoned up firm and snug.
"Oh dear!" said Polly, sitting down on the floor, and pulling on her stockings. "There now, see that hateful old shoe, mamsie!" And she thrust out one foot in dismay.
"What's the matter with it?" said Mrs. Pepper straightening the things on the bureau. "You haven't worn it out already, Polly?"
"Oh no," said Polly, with a little laugh. "I hope not yet, but it's these dreadful hateful old buttons!" And she twitched the boot off from her foot with such an impatient little pull, that three or four more went flying under the bed. "There now--there's a lot more. I don't care! I wish they'd all go;