CHAPTER VII. GOOD-BY

“OH,dear!MustyoureallygohomeSaturday?”saidFan,somedaysafterwhatTomcalledthe“grandscrimmage.” “IreallymustforIonlycametostayamonthandhereI'vebeennearlysixweeks,”answeredPolly,feelingasifshehadbeenabsentayear. “MakeittwomonthsandstayoverChristmas.Come,do,now,”urgedTom,heartily. “YouareverykindbutIwouldn'tmissChristmasathomeforanything.Besides,mothersaystheycan'tpossiblydowithoutme.” “Neithercanwe.Can'tyouteaseyourmother,andmakeupyourmindtostay?”beganFan. “Pollyneverteases.Shesaysit'sselfishandIdon'tdoitnowmuch,”putinMaud,withavirtuousair. “Don'tyoubotherPolly.She'drathergo,andIdon'twonder.Let'sbejustasjollyaswecanwhileshestays,andfinishupwithyourparty,Fan,”saidTom,inatonethatsettledthematter. Pollyhadexpectedtobeveryhappyingettingreadyforthepartybutwhenthetimecame,shewasdisappointedforsomehowthatnaughtythingcalledenvytookpossessionofher,andspoiledherpleasure.Beforeshelefthome,shethoughthernewwhitemuslindress,withitsfreshblueribbons,themostelegantandpropercostumeshecouldhavebutnow,whenshesawFanny'spinksilk,withawhitetarlatantunic,andinnumerablepuffings,bows,andstreamers,herownsimplelittletoiletlostallitscharmsinhereyes,andlookedverybabyishandold-fashioned. EvenMaudwasmuchbetterdressedthanherself,andlookedverysplendidinhercherry-coloredandwhitesuit,withasashsobigshecouldhardlycarryit,andlittlewhitebootswithredbuttons.Theybothhadnecklacesandbracelets,ear-ringsandbroochesbutPollyhadnoornament,excepttheplainlocketonabitofbluevelvet.Hersashwasonlyawideribbon,tiedinasimplebow,andnothingbutabluesnoodintheprettycurls.Heronlycomfortwastheknowledgethatthemodesttuckerdrawnuproundtheplumpshoulderswasreallace,andthatherbronzebootscostninedollars. PoorPolly,withallhereffortstobecontented,andnottomindlookingunlikeotherpeople,foundithardworktokeepherfacebrightandhervoicehappythatnight.Noonedreamedwhatwasgoinganunderthemuslinfrock,tillgrandma'swiseoldeyesspiedoutthelittleshadowonPolly'sspirits,andguessedthecauseofit.Whendressed,thethreegirlswentuptoshowthemselvestotheelders,whowereingrandma'sroom,whereTomwasbeinghelpedintoanagonizinglystiffcollar. Maudprancedlikeasmallpeacock,andFanmadeasplendidcourtesyaseveryoneturnedtosurveythembutPollystoodstill,andhereyeswentfromfacetoface,withananxious,wistfulair,whichseemedtosay,“IknowI'mnotrightbutIhopeIdon'tlookverybad.” GrandmareadthelookinaminuteandwhenFannysaid,withasatisfiedsmile,“Howdowelook?”sheanswered,drawingPollytowardhersokindly. “Verylikethefashion-platesyougotthepatternsofyourdressesfrom.Butthislittlecostumesuitsmebest.” “DoyoureallythinkIlooknice?”andPolly'sfacebrightened,forshevaluedtheoldlady'sopinionverymuch. “Yes,mydearyoulookjustasIliketoseeachildofyouragelook.Whatparticularlypleasesmeisthatyouhavekeptyourpromisetoyourmother,andhaven'tletanyonepersuadeyoutowearborrowedfinery.Youngthingslikeyoudon'tneedanyornamentsbutthoseyouwearto-night,youth,health,intelligence,andmodesty.” Asshespoke,grandmagaveatenderkissthatmadePollyglowlikearose,andforaminutesheforgotthatthereweresuchthingsaspinksilkandcoralear-ringsintheworld.Sheonlysaid,“Thankyou,ma'am,”andheartilyreturnedthekissbutthewordsdidhergood,andherplaindresslookedcharmingallofasudden. “Polly'ssopretty,itdon'tmatterwhatshewears,”observedTom,surveyingheroverhiscollarwithanairofcalmapproval. “Shehasn'tgotanybwetellestoherdwess,andIhave,”saidMaud,settlingherruffledbandsoverhershoulders,whichlookedlikecherry-coloredwingsonastoutlittlecherub. “Ididwishshe'djustwearmyblueset,ribbonissoveryplainbut,asTomsays,itdon'tmuchmatter”andFannygaveaneffectivetouchtothebluebowabovePolly'slefttemple. “Shemightwearflowerstheyalwayssuityounggirls,”saidMrs.Shaw,privatelythinkingthatherowndaughterslookedmuchthebest,yetconsciousthatbloomingPollyhadthemostattractiveface.“Blessme!Iforgotmyposiesinadmiringthebelles.Handthemout,Tom”andMr.Shawnoddedtowardaninterestinglookingboxthatstoodonthetable. Seizingthemwrongside-up,Tomproducedthreelittlebouquets,alldifferentincolor,size,andconstruction. “Why,papa!howverykindofyou,”criedFanny,whohadnotdaredtoreceiveevenageraniumleafsincethelatescrape. “Yourfatherusedtobeaverygallantyounggentleman,onceuponatime,”saidMrs.Shaw,withasimper. “Ah,Tom,it'sagoodsignwhenyoufindtimetothinkofgivingpleasuretoyourlittlegirls!”Andgrandmapattedherson'sbaldheadasifhewasn'tmorethaneighteen. ThomasJr.hadgivenasomewhatscornfulsniffatfirstbutwhengrandmapraisedhisfather,theyoungmanthoughtbetterofthematter,andregardedtheflowerswithmorerespect,asheasked,“Whichisforwhich?” “Gue