CHAPTER VIII. SIX YEARS AFTERWARD

llaughatPolly'spicturehadsubsided. “Well,inthefirstplace,weforgotmyivy,andKittycamerunningafterme,withit.Thenwestartedagain,butweresoonstoppedbyagreatshouting,andtherewasWillracingdownthehill,wavingapillowinonehandandasquashpieintheother.Howwedidlaughwhenhecameupandexplainedthatourneighbor,oldMrs.Dodd,hadsentinahop-pillowforme,incaseofheadache,andapietobeginhousekeepingwith.SheseemedsodisappointedatbeingtoolatethatWillpromisedtogetthemtome,ifheranallthewaytotown.Thepillowwaseasilydisposedof,butthatpie!Idobelieveitwasstowedineverypartofthewagon,andneverstaidanywhere.Ifounditinmylap,thenonthefloor,next,upsidedownamongthebooks,thenjustonthepointofcoastingoffatrunkintotheroad,andatlastitlandedinmyrocking-chair.Sucharemarkablepieasitwas,too,forinspiteofallitswanderings,itnevergotspiltorbroken,andwefinallyateitforlunch,inordertobeleftinpeace.Next,mykittygotaway,andIhadachaseoverwallsandbrooksbeforeIgother,whileMr.Brownsatshakingwithfun,toseemerun.Wefinishedoffbyhavingthebook-shelvestumbleonourheadsaswewentdownahill,andlosingmychairoffbehind,aswewentupahill.Ashoutmadeuspause,and,lookingback,therewasthepoorlittlechairrockingallbyitselfinthemiddleoftheroad,whileasmallboysatonthefenceandwhooped.Itwasgreatfun,Idoassureyou.” Pollyhadrunoninherlivelyway,notbecauseshethoughtheradventuresamountedtomuch,butfromawishtocheerupherfriends,whohadstruckheraslookingratherdullandoutofsorts,especiallyMr.Shawandwhenshesawhimleanbackinhischairwiththeoldheartylaugh,shewassatisfied,andblessedtheunluckypieforamusinghim. “Oh,Polly,youdotellsuchinterestingthings!”sighedMaud,wipinghereyes. “IwishI'dmetyou,I'dhavegivenyouthreecheersandatiger,foritmusthavebeenanimposingspectacle,”saidTom. “No,youwouldn'tyou'dhavewhiskedroundthecornerwhenyousawmecomingorhavestaredstraightbeforeyou,utterlyunconsciousoftheyoungwomaninthebaggagewagon.” Pollylaughedinhisfacejustassheusedtodo,whenshesaidthat,and,inspiteofthedoubtcastuponhiscourtesy,Tomratherlikedit,thoughhehadnothingtosayforhimselfbutareproachful,“Now,Polly,that'stoobad.” “True,nevertheless.Youmustcomeandseemypets,Maud,formycatandbirdlivetogetherashappilyasbrotherandsister,”saidPolly,turningtoMaud,whodevouredeverywordshesaid. “That'snotsayingmuchforthem,”mutteredTom,feelingthatPollyoughttoaddressmoreofherconversationtohim. “Pollyknowswhatshe'stalkingaboutherbrothersappreciatetheirsisters,”observedFanny,inhersharptone. “AndPollyappreciatesherbrothers,don'tforgettoaddthat,ma'am,”answeredTom. “DidItellyouthatWillwasgoingtocollege?”brokeinPolly,toaverttherisingstorm. “Hopehe'llenjoyhimself,”observedTom,withtheairofamanwhohadpassedthroughallthemysteries,andreachedthatstateofsublimeindifferencewhichjuniorsseemtopridethemselvesupon. “Ithinkhewill,heissofondofstudy,andissoanxioustoimproveeveryopportunity.Ionlyhopehewon'toverworkandgetsick,assomanyboysdo,”saidsimplePolly,withsucharespectfulbeliefintheeagerthirstforknowledgeofcollegiansasaclass,thatTomregardedthedeludedgirlwithasmileofloftypity,fromtheheightsofhisvastandvariedexperience. “Guesshewon'thurthimself.I'llseethathedon'tstudytoohard.”AndTom'seyestwinkledastheyusedtodo,whenheplannedhisboyishpranks. “I'mafraidyoucan'tbetrustedasaguide,ifvariousrumorsI'veheardaretrue,”saidPolly,lookingupathimwithawistfulexpression,thatcausedhisfacetoassumethesobrietyofanowl's. “BaseslandersI'massteadyasaclock,anornamenttomyclass,andamodelyoungman,ain'tI,mother?”AndTompattedherthincheekwithacaressinghand,sureofonefirmfriendinherforwhenheceasedtobeaharum-scarumboy,Mrs.Shawbegantotakegreatprideinherson,andhe,missinggrandma,triedtofillherplacewithhisfeeblemother. “Yes,dear,youareallIcouldask,”andMrs.Shawlookedupathimwithsuchaffectionandconfidenceinhereyes,thatPollygaveTomthefirstapprovinglookshehadvouchsafedhimsinceshecame. WhyTomshouldlooktroubledandturngraveallatonce,shecouldn'tunderstand,butshelikedtoseehimstrokehismother'scheeksosoftly,ashestoodwithhisheadrestingonthehighbackofherchair,forPollyfanciedthathefeltaman'spityforherweakness,andwaslearningason'spatientloveforamotherwhohadhadmuchtobearwithhim. “I'msogladyouaregoingtobehereallwinter,forwearetobeverygay,andIshallenjoytakingyouroundwithme,”beganFanny,forgettingPolly'splanforamoment. Pollyshookherheaddecidedly.“Itsoundsverynice,butitcan'tbedone,Fan,forI'vecometowork,notplaytosave,notspendandpartieswillbequiteoutofthequestionforme.” “Youdon'tintendtoworkallthetime,withoutabitoffun,Ihope,”criedFanny,dismayedattheidea. “ImeantodowhatI'veundertaken,andnottobetemptedawayfrommypurposebyanything.Ishouldn'tbefittogivelessonsifIwasuplate,shouldI?Andhowfarwouldmyearningsgotowardsdress,carriages,andallthelittleexpenseswhichwouldcomeifIsetupforayoungladyinsociety?Ican'tdoboth,andI'mnotgoingtotry,butIcanpickupbitsoffunasIgoalong,andbecontentedwithfreeconcertsandlectures,seeingyouprettyoften,andeverySundayWillistospendwithme,soIshallhavequiteasmuchdissipationasisgoodforme.” “Ifyoudon'tcometomyparties,I'llneverforgiveyou,”saidFanny,asPollypaused,whileTomchuckledinwardlyattheideaofcallingvisitsfromabrother“dissipation.” “Anysmallparty,whereitwilldotowearaplainblacksilk,Icancometobutthebigonesmustn'tbethoughtof,thankyou.” Itwascharmingtoseet