Amy Brooks

“ Shouts of laughter greeted his costume! Knee breeches of yellow linen, a waistcoat of white linen damask, with lace frills on his bosom and at his wrists, together with a coat of flowered striped material, made him look like some old portrait suddenly alive.
Rose close beside him, in the pretty frock that Aunt Judith had loaned her, clung to his right arm as they entered together, little Sprite Seaford on his left.
Her gown was one that her great grand aunt had once worn, and it was most becoming. Uncle John Atherton had especially asked her to go to the party with Rose and himself. ”

“ And when they had admired the rippling brook that ran through the garden, the tall white lilies standing in queenly grace beside the stone wall, the terraces crowned with rose bushes, and the gorgeous beds of geraniums, they ran back to the piazza, and seated themselves in the hammock that swung in the breeze.
"Do you remember any of the pretty songs you used to sing last Summer when we were out on the beach, or sitting on the ledge?" Polly asked.
"There's one I always like to sing when I'm in a dory," Sprite said. ”

“ Cliffmore! Every one get out, because this steamer goes no farther!"
"Is that true, Sprite, that the steamer Queen of the Ocean stops at
Cliffmore, and then turns and goes back?"
"Oh, yes," said Sprite. "Some of the boats go farther, but that vessel never does."
"Well, we had a fine trip in our hammock-steamer," said Princess Polly, "and if our vessel did pitch pretty badly, what did we care, while the sky was blue and cloudless overhead?"
"It has been bright and sunny here at Avondale," said Sprite, "and I've had a lovely time, and I only long to go home, just because it is home." ”

“ Sprite ran to meet her, and with their arms about each other, they paced up and down the broad piazza.
Sir Mortimer blinked at them as he sat in the sunlight, as if he approved of their merry chatter. Possibly he thought it fine that there were to be two little girls at Sherwood Hall to pet him.
"The garden is so lovely," Sprite said, as they paused to look out across the lawn.
"Come!" cried Polly. "I'll show you all the prettiest places."
The big cat followed them, trotting along the gravel walk, pausing whenever they did, as if all that Polly was showing was new to him. ”

“ Sprite's truthful eyes were looking straight into Gwen's bold blue ones. "Are you sure that happened?" she asked.
"Well, what do you s'pose?" Gwen asked pertly, and then, without waiting for a reply she caught Sprite's hand and hurried with her into the great hall.
"I brought you in here to show you the pictures," she said, pointing to the family portraits that adorned the walls.
Sprite looked in admiration at the ladies in their quaint gowns of stiff brocade, and at the men in their lace frills, and satin waistcoats. ”

“ Sprite, now wholly disgusted, turned and ran.
Mrs. Harcourt, from an upper window, saw Sprite running away from the house, just as Gwen's angry voice made itself heard.
"Oh, dear!" she sighed, "What a pity that of all the children that
Gwen knows, not one really understands her."
The lady, to whom she spoke, looked up into her handsome face, and wondered how any intelligent woman could be so blind regarding her own child.
"She's so very high strung," continued Mrs. Harcourt, "that she is easily excited, and she's so very sensitive that her playmates are constantly hurting her." ”

“ Now, slowly going over his beat a patrolman passed, walking along as if haste were a thing unheard of.
"That's what made him run!" cried Princess Polly.
"What? The policeman!" cried Sprite. "Why he isn't chasing him."
"Of course he isn't," Polly replied, "but Gyp is so afraid of any one of the policemen in this town, that he runs screaming just like that the minute he sees one."
Together they watched, until Gyp was out of sight.
"They say folks here in Avondale are going to make Gyp go to school," said Polly, "but I shouldn't think they could do it, and if they could, just think how he'd act!" ”

“ Miss Kenyon told the pupils that they had been rude to laugh, or make comments when another pupil was taking any part in the exercises.
They knew that, but they also knew that Gwen's composition had been "funny."
Gwen rushed home with her composition in her hand.
Of course Mrs. Harcourt praised and comforted her.
"Absurd!" she cried. "Did she wish you to consult a dictionary? Any ordinary child could do that, but to evolve such odd ideas! Why that is genius! She is dull if she doesn't know great creative genius when she sees it!"
"And must I go to school again to-morrow?" Gwen asked. ”

“ He was over here last evening, and he said that he would let us keep you up to the first half of the Winter, as we agreed, but after that he would have you at his home with Rose, if he had to steal you. He laughed, but he meant it, so see how very welcome you are at Avondale."
"Oh, it is sweet to have so many people love me," Sprite said, gratefully, and her eyes were as bright as stars. She was tired with the long car ride, and with Princess Polly, she sped to her room, there to make her little self fresh, and fair for dinner. ”

“ Proudly she walked as if she knew her beauty.
"Oh, you darling puss!" cried Rose. "You make this new home seem just as if we'd always lived here."
"That's right, Miss Rose," said the housekeeper, as she looked from the window.
"A cat does make a place seem homelike. She's not stared about, nor acted wild as most cats do. She made herself at home, and seemed at home the first day the captain brought her to you. Do you remember, Miss Rose, she sprang from the basket, sat down on the rug, and began to wash her face?" ”

“ Princess Polly looked thoughtful. "You don't really believe she could make you live with her again, do you?" she asked.
"Oh, Rose, you haven't but just begun to live at Avondale!"
"Uncle John said she'd not easily get me away from him," Rose said, "and it may be that I needn't have been so frightened, but I feel better out here, and I'll stay out until I know that she must have gone home. Come! We won't let it spoil our fun. We'll have a fine long walk, and when I get back, Great Aunt Rose will have surely gone." ”

“ Polly asked.
"Never!" cried Rose, "unless it was other stories that she told at other times. There's the one that she made us listen to when we were over to Lena Lindsey's one day. The one about the ghost that rode down the main street every night at twelve."
"Oh, I remember," said Polly. "That was the time that Rob Lindsey said the shivers ran up and down his spine until his back was all humps! He said the shivers had become chronic! We laughed at Rob, but even the funny things he said couldn't drive away the thoughts of the story that Gwen Harcourt had told." ”

“ Aunt Judith came to the door with a plate of sandwiches.
"There, Gyp," she said, "those sandwiches on that side of the plate are chicken but these on this side are filled with some of your nuts."
"Oh, who ever heard of bread stuffed with nuts!" he cried. "They're great!" he cried a moment later, "but I don't want the plate. We take what we eat in our hands at home." ”

“ One morning Polly and Sprite were on the piazza, before breakfast, and after pacing up and down for a while, they went down the steps, and around behind the house to search for Sir Mortimer.
"He's sometimes in under the bushes taking a nap," said Polly, and they crouched to look under the shrubbery. An ear-piercing screech made them spring to their feet, and there, flying down the road, was Gyp, tearing along as if in fright, but what could so have startled wild, careless Gyp? ”

“ Yet a bit farther willows took the place of birches, and there they left the road to cross the meadows, coming out into the bright sunlight.
The three little playmates had walked rapidly, and now began to slacken their pace, and when they reached a clump of trees, they sat down to enjoy the cool shade, and to talk for a while.
"You'll be happier, Rose, if we talk of something else," said Polly, "so I'll tell you that Sir Mortimer is strutting around our garden this morning with a new collar that I bought for him, and the big pink satin bow upon it is very becoming." ”

“ The children held their breath, and they felt very warm and cosey and secure, as they sat watching the dancing flames, and listening to tales of adventure.
"Now let us all enjoy a simple, old-time treat," said Aunt Judith. She tapped a tiny silver bell, and the pretty maid in her striped gown and kerchief appeared with a tray on which were little sandwiches cut in fancy shapes, and filled with chicken, others filled with lettuce, and yet others with chopped nuts. Gyp did not dream that nuts were ever served thus. ”

“ None in the world is happier
Than you, my love, and I."
CHAPTER III GWEN Little Sprite Seaford felt so completely "at home," that it seemed to her as if she had always lived at Avondale. There were times when she felt homesick. At early morning, before Polly was awake, she would lie with wide open eyes, gazing around the lovely room, and missing the dear voices that always greeted her so cheerily. At twilight, when the shadows grew deeper, there would be a longing for the dear ones at home, and her loving little heart would ache, and she would have to struggle to keep back the tears. ”

“ You are never quite content, unless planning pleasure for others. Oh, I know it, and it's no use to deny what I say."
"As Captain Atherton is a truthful man, he's not likely to deny it," said Mrs. Seaford, "and now if you will all enjoy a shore dinner, I'll ask you to be my guests."
"I know of nothing more tempting," Captain Atherton said, and then, because he believed that Mrs. Seaford would enjoy an hour when she could have Sprite quite by herself, he took Rose and Princess Polly over to "The Cliffs," where they might amuse themselves, while he inspected the work that was being done. ”

“ Polly, and Rose, and Sprite made a lovely trio, and older people meeting them as they tripped along together, marvelled that three such beautiful children, happened to be intimate neighbors.
Gwen Harcourt had not entered school on the first day, but one morning she appeared with the news that she should attend school all the year if she chose, but that she could leave at any time if she wished.
"Oh, but won't your mamma make you go to school?" a small girl asked.
"My mamma never makes me do anything!" declared Gwen sharply. "I guess that's so!" Rob Lindsey said, softly. ”

“ Nearer and nearer he rode, and now, as he reached the foot of the cliff, the Princess Lora saw that he was handsome, for his visor was up, and even from that height she could see that his eyes were dark, and fine. He had seen her portrait that a great artist had painted, and he had vowed that he would win her. ”

“ Aunt Judith felt that she must work carefully, lest Gyp be seized with fear, and bolt for the door, and freedom.
Gently she told him how, by doing his best, he would find friends who would deal kindly with him. That he might have friends if he chose, and that he could, by good behavior, force them to respect him.
"I will be your friend," she said, "and Gyp, let me prove it. Rose tells me that you find your lessons hard to master. ”

“ Aunt Judith was trying not to laugh as heartily as the little pupils whose merriment had so annoyed Gyp.
"And the next thing she asked was about dividing pears, too. Don't folks divide anything but pears? They don't in the arithmetic!" ”

“ There are few things that you can do that will not be easier, or better done, and perhaps be better paid for if you are 'quick at figures.' You must not always live like a gypsy. You must learn all you can while you are at school, and then you must work, and earn, and try to be a good, and useful man. You can, I know, if you try."
Gyp thought of Aunt Judith's words as he lay on his rude bed that night. ”

“ It would be too costly, and the cottage is too small, but she is generous and kind to give us any party at all, and oh, Gyp!" she cried, moving nearer to him, "I do wish you wouldn't tease her."
Gyp wriggled.
"She said she hated me!" he said.
"Well, she might have been angry, but she likes boys. I've heard her say so," Rose replied.
"I ain't just a boy. I'm a Gypsy boy. That's different."
"Princess Polly is always kind to her, and I know it would please her if you stopped teasing Aunt Judith," Rose said. ”

“ Gwen was quickly angered, but her anger was never long-lived.
She turned toward home.
"Let him run, if he wants to. Who cares? I don't."
Already she was humming a merry tune.
"I read a story yesterday 'bout a house that had a secret closet in it. 'Twas a fine story, and I guess I'll tell it to the first girl I meet," she said.
It happened that Rose and Polly were walking down the avenue, on the way to Sherwood Hall, just as Gwen Harcourt gave up chasing Gyp.
"Hello!" she cried, "I wondered when you'd come to Avondale to live. ”

“ A less beautiful costume, and a bit of training in ordinary rules of courtesy, would have been far more beneficial. Mrs. Harcourt felt that Gwen must, at all times, be daintily dressed, but she permitted her to do or say whatever she chose, and at times when she was hopelessly rude, the silly mother thought her charming.
In the big hammock the three playmates still were swinging.
"Come!" said Polly, "let's walk around the garden, and when we come to the terrace, we'll sit down, and listen to the story that Rose promised to tell."
"No, the story that Sprite was to tell!" cried Rose. ”

“ Harcourt, "no, indeed! As you say, the picture is ruined, but Gwen has proved her love for Art, and her artistic nature. She felt so attracted to the picture that she was actually obliged to take it with her when she went out. She surely loves Art. As I have always said: 'Gwen is a most unusual child. She shows great force of character, and I can overlook the mistake she made in cutting the canvas, because the act showed me another fine trait,—the love of Art. I do wonder if she will be an artist?"
The guests were disgusted. ”