Five Little Peppers Abroad

Margaret Sidney

Description

When the friends of the Pepper family found that the author was firm in her decision to continue their history no further, they brought their appeals for the details of some of those good times that made the little brown house an object-lesson.

Informations

• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 23 octobre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819909071
• Langue: English

Extrait

PREFACE
When the friends of the Pepper family found that theauthor was firm in her decision to continue their history nofurther, they brought their appeals for the details of some ofthose good times that made the "little brown house" anobject-lesson.
In these appeals, the parents were as vigorous asthe young people for a volume of the stories that Polly told, tokeep the children happy in those hard days when her story-tellinghad to be a large factor in their home-life; and also for a book oftheir plays and exploits, impossible to be embodied in thecontinued series of their history, so that all who loved the "FiveLittle Peppers" might the better study the influences that shapedtheir lives.
Those requests were complied with; the authorrealising that the detailed account held values, by which strongerlight might be thrown on the family life in the "little brownhouse."
And now the pressure is brought to bear for a bookshowing the Little Peppers over the ocean, recorded in "Five LittlePeppers Midway." And the author is very glad to comply again; forforeign travel throws a wholly different side-light upon the Pepperfamily. So here is the book.
It is in no sense to be taken as a story written fora guide-book, – although the author lives in it again her repeatedenjoyment of the sights and scenes which are accurately depicted. A"Baedeker," if carefully studied, is really all that is needed as aconstant companion to the traveller; while for supplementary helpsand suggestions, there are many valuable books along the same line.This volume is given up to the Peppers; and they must live theirown lives and tell their own story while abroad just as theychoose.
As the author has stated many times, her part is"simply to set down what the Peppers did and said, without tryingto make them say or do anything in particular." And so over theocean they are just as much the makers of their own history as whenthey first opened the door of the "little brown house" to MARGARETSIDNEY.
I
OVER THE OCEAN "Dear me," said Polly, "I don't seewherever she can be, Jasper. I've searched just everywhere forher." And she gave a little sigh, and pushed up the brown rings ofhair under her sailor cap. "Don't worry, Polly," said Jasper, witha reassuring smile. "She's with Matilda, of course. Come, Polly,let's you and I have a try at the shuffle-board by ourselves, downon the lower deck." "No, we can't," said Polly, with a dreadfullonging at her heart for the charms of a game; "that is, untilwe've found Phronsie." And she ran down the deck. "Perhaps she isin one of the library corners, though I thought I looked over themall." "How do you know she isn't with Matilda, Polly?" criedJasper, racing after, to see Polly's little blue jacket whiskingahead of him up the companion-way. "Because" – Polly stopped at thetop and looked over her shoulder at him – "Matilda's in her berth.She's awfully seasick. I was to stay with Phronsie, and now I'velost her!" And the brown head drooped, and Polly clasped her handstightly together. "Oh, no, she can't be lost, Polly," said Jasper,cheerfully, as he bounded up the stairs and gained her side; "why,she couldn't be!" "Well, anyway, we can't find her, Jasper," saidPolly, running on. "And it's all my fault, for I forgot, and lefther in the library, and went with Fanny Vanderburgh down to herstate-room. O dear me!" as she sped on. "Well, she's in the librarynow, most likely," said Jasper, cheerfully, hurrying after, "curledup asleep in a corner." And they both ran in, expecting to seePhronsie's yellow head snuggled into one of the pillows.
But there was no one there except a little oldgentleman on one of the sofas back of a table, who held his paperupside down, his big spectacles on the end of his nose, almosttumbling off as he nodded drowsily with the motion of the steamer."O dear me!" exclaimed Polly; "now we shall wake him up," as theytiptoed around, peering in every cosey corner and behind all thetables for a glimpse of Phronsie's little brown gown. "No danger,"said Jasper, with a glance over at the old gentleman; "he's just asfast asleep as can be. Here, Polly, I think she's probably tuckedup in here." And he hurried over to the farther side, where thesofa made a generous angle.
Just then in stalked a tall boy, who rushed up tothe little old gentleman. "Here, Granddad, wake up." And he shookhis arm smartly. "You're losing your glasses, and then there'll bea beastly row to pay." "O dear me!" cried Polly aghast, as she andJasper whirled around. "Hey – what – what!" exclaimed the oldgentleman, clutching his paper as he started forward. "Oh, – why, Ihaven't been asleep, Tom." "Ha! Ha! tell that to the marines,"cried Tom, loudly, dancing in derision, "You've been sleeping likea log. You'd much better go down and get into your state-room. Butgive me a sovereign first." He held out his hand as he spoke."Hurry up, Granddad!" he added impatiently.
The old gentleman put his hand to his head, and thenrubbed his eyes. "Bustle up," cried the boy, with a laugh, "or elseI'll run my fist in your pocket and help myself." "Indeed, youwon't," declared the old gentleman, now thoroughly awake. "Ha! Ha!"laughed the boy. "You see if I won't, Granddad." Yet he dropped hisimperious tone, and waited, though impatiently, while the bigpocket-book was drawn out. "What do you want with money on boardthe boat?" demanded the old gentleman. "Give me a sovereign,Granddad," cried Tom, controlling his impatience as best he might,with many a cross look at the wrinkled old face under the whitehair.
His Grandfather slowly drew out the coin, and Tomtwitched it eagerly from the long, thin fingers. "I don't see howyou can need money on board the boat," repeated the old gentleman."Never you mind what I want it for, Grand-daddy," said Tom,laughing loudly and shaking the sovereign at him as he ran off;"that's my business, and not yours."
Polly had not taken her eyes off their faces. Nowshe turned toward Jasper. "Oh, how very dreadful!" she gasped –then would have given everything if she had kept still, for the oldgentleman whirled around and saw them for the first time. "Hey –who are you – and what are you listening there for – hey?" hedemanded sharply. He had little black eyes, and they now snapped ina truly dreadful way at them. "We came to find her little sister,"said Jasper, politely, for Polly was quite beyond speaking."Sister? I don't know anything about your sister," said the oldgentleman, irascibly. "And this room isn't a place for children, Ican tell you," he added, as if he owned the library and the wholeship.
Jasper made no reply. "Phronsie isn't here." Pollyclasped her hands again tighter than ever. "And, oh, Jasper!" andshe looked at the angry old face before them with pitying eyes."What I say to my grandson, Tom, and what he says to me, is our ownbusiness!" exclaimed the old gentleman in a passion, thumping thetable with his clenched hand. "And no one else has a right to hearit." "I am so very sorry we heard it," said Polly, the colour whichhad quite gone from her cheek now rushing back. "And we are goingright away, sir." "You would much better," said the old man,nodding angrily. "And you, boy, too; I suppose you think yourselfbetter than my Tom. But you are not – not a bit of it!" Andsuddenly he tried to start to his feet, but lurched heavily againstthe table instead.
Polly and Jasper rushed over to him. "Lean on me,sir," said Jasper, putting both arms around him, while Polly ran tohis other side, he was shaking so dreadfully.
The old gentleman essayed to wave them off. "Let mealone," he said feebly; "I'm going after my grandson, Tom." Hisvoice sank to a whisper, and his head dropped to his breast. "He'sgot money – he's always getting it, and I'm going to see what he'sdoing with it." "Polly," said Jasper, "you help me put him back onthe sofa; there, that's it," as the old man sank feebly downagainst the cushions; "and then I'll run and find hisgrandson."
It was just the time when everybody seemed to be inthe state-rooms, or out on deck in steamer chairs, so Polly satthere at the old man's head, feeling as if every minute were anhour, and he kept gurgling, "Tom's a bad boy – he gets money allthe time, and I'm going to see what he's doing with it," withfeeble waves of his legs, that put Polly in a fright lest he shouldroll off the sofa at every lurch of the steamer. "Tom is coming,"at last she said, putting her hand on the hot forehead. "Pleasestay still, sir; you will be sick." "But I don't want Tom to come,"cried the old gentleman, irritably. "Who said I wanted him to come?Hey?" He turned up his head and looked at her, and Polly's handshook worse than ever when the little snapping eyes were full onher face, and she had all she could do to keep from running out ofthe room and up on deck where she could breathe freely. "I am sosorry," she managed to gasp, feeling if she didn't say something,she should surely run. "Does your head feel better?" And shesmoothed his hot forehead gently just as Phronsie always didGrandpapa's when it ached. And when she thought of Phronsie, thenit was all she could do to keep the tears back. Where could she be?And would Jasper never come back?
And just then in ran Tom with a great clatter,complaining noisily every step of the way. "I told you you'd muchbetter get off to your stateroom, Granddad!" he exclaimed. "Here,I'll help you down there." And he laid a hasty hand on the feebleold arm. "I think he is sick," said Polly, gently. Jasper camehurrying in. "Phronsie is all right," he had time to whisper toPolly. "Oh, Jasper!" the colour rushed into her cheek that hadturned quite white. "I am so glad." "Nonsense!" exclaimed Tom,abruptly. "It's only one of his crotchets. You don't know; he getsup plenty of 'em on occasion." "What did you want a sovereign for?"asked the old gentleman, querulously, taking his sharp little eyesoff Polly to fasten them on his grandson's face. "Say, I will know." "And I