Lillian Elizabeth Roy

“ You know, Tom, that we all favor you immensely, as a future husband for Polly, but we certainly would discountenance any advances you might make right now, to turn Polly’s thoughts from sensible work and endeavor, to a state of discontent caused by the dreams of young love. If you are not willing to be a good friend to the girl, now, and wait until she is older, before you show your intentions, then I will certainly do my utmost to keep Polly out of your way. ”

“ Dalken,” declared Polly, vehemently, causing her companions to laugh. “I am more determined than ever, since seeing such wonderful things in Europe, to devote my life to my chosen profession. Why, the marvellous objects I saw in Europe, used in interior decorating in centuries past, enthuse me anew. I wonder that anyone can keep from studying this fascinating art where there is such a broad field of work and interest.” ”

“ Her friends laughed and Nancy Fabian, the oldest girl of the five, said teasingly:
“Isn’t it delicious to worry one’s self over who could have sent us a welcome, when we might know for certain, if we would but act prosaically and open the seal.”
The girls laughed, and Eleanor remarked, knowingly: “Oh, Polly knows who it is from! She just wants to enjoy a few extra thrills before she reads the message.”
“Nolla, I do not know, and you know it! You always make ‘a mountain from a mole-hill.’ I declare, you are actually growing to be childish in your old age!” retorted Polly, sarcastically. ”

“ Polly was fully recovered again, with no signs of the shock or soaking she had received; so, when Tom was announced by the telephone girl in the hotel office, she felt no undue nervousness.
“Anne, you are going to help entertain Tom, aren’t you?” said she, casually patting her hair down neatly.
Anne looked at her sister-in-law with an amused smile. “If you think you will need a chaperone when such an old friend calls. Tom always seems more like a brother than a young man who might turn out to be a beau, some day.” ”

“ Polly turned back. Eleanor stood pondering for a moment, then said, “About Tom’s affair, I would advise this: treat him brotherly—that is be sisterly to him; if you are not madly in love with him, so madly that you will jump into the Hudson or throw yourself upon the subway track unless you know he loves you the same way, then let Cupid manage the whole affair. Believe me, child, Cupid can do it far better than you or I! ”

“ He laughed at his own words and Eleanor joined him, even though she failed to see a joke. Then she said: “Polly could have so many admirers, but she never looks at a man. Perhaps that is why all you males sigh so broken-heartedly at her heels.”
The young man laughed softly to himself. “Maybe! But this ‘Tom’ seems to feel assured of a ‘look’ from her.”
Now it was Dorothy’s turn to pinch Eleanor, and she did so with great gusto. Eleanor winced but dared not express herself in any other manner, just then. ”

“ Maybe father will have to sell out his beloved farm and go away,” explained Polly, with quivering lips.
“Oh no, Polly,” hastily came from Mr. Latimer. “We are all stock-holders in this venture, you know, and one man alone does not bear the costs of the mine and its losses. That is why Mr. Dalken and I came over, tonight, when we got word that John had written you. We feared you might not understand matters.”
“But I understand father, well enough, Mr. Latimer. He will never permit anyone to lose a penny because of him or his interests.” ”

“ Courtney.
“Nolla, we ought not to dream of such a trip, because we are tied to a two-year agreement with each other, you know. Then we’ve got to give a definite answer to those life-partners, you know,” was Polly’s lugubrious reply.
“I don’t know, Polly! In such an unexpected matter as our going to the South Seas, a mere beau will have to bide his time. We may find a Fiji Islander more interesting to us than one of our Yankee beaus,” laughed Eleanor. ”

“ The Fabian group leaned over the rail of the steamer and watched breathlessly as the boat was rowed across 21 the intervening space and, finally, was made fast to the steamer.
“Poll, did you recognize your future Fate?” giggled Eleanor, nudging her companion, knowingly.
“I saw yours!” retorted Polly. “And now I comprehend why you can speak of nothing else than beaus and Fate! You are so obsessed by your own dreams that you think everyone you know must be dreaming the same stuff!” ”

“ At that statement, a quiet young fellow, who had been standing about watching progress and noting the bids on a paper, laughed. “I don’t want anyone to say they was taken in at my folk’s sale; but I got’ta tell that young lady that I bought them blue dishes myself, last year, at the tea-store in White Plains fer ten cents each.”
Even Polly had to join in the laugh at Eleanor’s expense now, and poor Nolla felt like selling herself for a nickel. But the auctioneer had scant time for jokes or reckless buyers as he was there for business. ”

“ Polly smiled. “Mr. Latimer, this is what I propose doing to earn my expenses in New York. Instead of buying old objects for fun, I shall secure them to sell again and make money.”
“Poll is right! And I propose going with her as the partner in her first business venture!” declared Eleanor.
“Where will you two girls find customers?” asked Mr. Dalken, admiring the way they accepted the news that their gold mine seemed wiped out for all time.
“Oh, Polly’ll find a way, never fear!” declared Eleanor with fervent faith in her friend’s ability to accomplish things. ”

“ Meantime, Eleanor had managed to free the next frame, which was a huge affair of old mahogany. The glass was so dreadfully dusty that not a bit of the picture underneath could be seen. She looked about for something to use as a duster, and saw an old end of chenille curtain on the walnut dresser. This she used and wiped away as much of the dirt as would come off with hard work—the rest must have hot water and soap.
“Well, I declare! Look at this old engraving!” called she to the others. Polly was at hand, and saw that Eleanor had actually found a treasure. ”

“ Eleanor made after her, saying as she ran: “I’m sure I’ll never want to take death seriously, Polly, for that is the time of all times when we need to be cheerful and prove to our dear ones that they have nothing to weep over—because I am of the firm belief that no one goes into oblivion. It is simply progression, you know.”
The sudden change from laughter to seriousness halted Polly’s exit at the door, and she turned to look at her friend with a strange expression in her eyes.
“Nolla, you should have been born in April—with the most changeable weather of the year. ”

“ Although this explanation about Polly and her associates took time for us, it did not interrupt the lively banter between the five girls. Dorothy was now certain that Polly had a real beau, somewhere, and being so very candid and talkative herself, she admired the reticence displayed by Polly in keeping the affairs of her heart to herself.
Dodo whispered back to Eleanor: “Dear me! I hope he is worthy of her. She ought to have the finest husband in the world.” ”

“ Tom flushed and sent Kenneth an angry glance, although poor Ken was innocent of any guile in this case.
“If you do not care to dance with me, Polly, say so, and I’ll go to the smoking-room and enjoy the companionship of men who appreciate me,” retorted Tom, impatiently.
The imp of resistance took instant possession of Polly, and she said: “Tom, there’s where you belong—with men who want to talk about work and money. You are too old to enjoy youthful follies as I do.” ”

“ Polly could not help speaking of the “fixed” sale of antiques, and Eleanor said: “That is why everything brought such awfully high prices. The articles must have had a set price on them to begin with, and when Mr. Van Styne offered a thing, the dealer was there to run it to a figure beyond the given price on the books. I am surprised that the old auctioneer would do such a thing.”
“I don’t believe he knew the sale was what we call ‘padded’; for he seems too conscientious a man to lend himself to such a deception,” remarked Mrs. Fabian. ”

“ Then she slyly watched her friend’s expression to try and read her mind.
“I wonder why Tom never came in tonight?” said Polly.
“Jack Baxter met me this afternoon, and he says Tom goes uptown regularly, to see a girl. Jack shadowed him and knows exactly where the girl lives. But he didn’t say I must not tell you,” said Eleanor, confidentially. Neither did she add that she had heard the address of this “girl” and knew it to be Tom’s home and mother.
Polly flushed, but said nonchalantly: “Poor Tom! He feels awfully bored with us girls, at times!” ”

“ Paul scowled and stiffened his spine as he replied: “Mr. Dalken, I heard with my own ears, 219 that Nolla is infatuated with another young man. She said, and I heard her say it: ‘She was not certain which one of us she preferred but the test would show if she used a good dose of anti-toxin to help the germ! But I’m no ‘second fiddle’ even if that other fellow is! If a girl can’t tell whether she loves me without using hypodermics to help her find out, then she’s no wife for me! Maybe I’m a wild and woolly westerner from Denver, but believe me! ”

“ I am confident you can give the right atmosphere to my boudoir.” Just as the elevator reached the ground floor, Mrs. Courtney handed Polly and Eleanor each a card upon which she wrote her private telephone number.
“Now, good-morning, my friends. Remember what I said to you about having chosen the right pathway, for the present. You will make all the better wives and mothers for having had a genuine business experience. How superior is your ideal to those of empty-headed society misses who live but to dance or drink or waste their true substance.” ”

“ Eleanor laughed in 251 order to show her friend how unconcerned she was about anything which might have happened at the Latimers.
“Had you seen him, with his feet in boiling water and mustard, his face coated with vaseline, his eyes like Bear Forks, and his temper like a sore hyena’s, you wouldn’t sit there and say he’d be fresh as ever today,” Polly retorted with a reminiscent smile. ”

“ And that Jack Baxter, well, I’ll make Dalky ship him off to some distant college so there’ll be no further wasting of valuable time with him!”
This last declaration so over-joyed Tom that he found courage to offer a suggestion. But he was too unwise this time. “You’re absolutely right, Polly dear. That Baxter has nothing better to do than kill time. He never did a stroke of work in his life, nor did his father before him. Those young ‘lady’s men’ who live on their ancestor’s rewards of labor, never amount to a row of beans.” ”

“ Eleanor added the latter remark after a moment’s deep consideration.
“I’ll tell you what we can do,” ventured Dorothy, in a whisper. “We have often visited the wireless room; let’s you and I go there again, and start a friendly chat with the operator. Maybe he will speak of the message.”
Without stopping to think whether this method would be principled or not, Eleanor eagerly agreed to Dorothy’s plan. While Polly and Nancy were discussing the beautiful hazy picture made by New York’s sky-line as seen from the Harbor at Quarantine, Dorothy and Eleanor hurried to the wireless room. ”

“ It was a whim of his to give the girls a contract, and Jack could afford whims, so his guardian said nothing about the bills.
“Well, I must say,” said Polly the day after Jack held a “house-warming” in his newly furnished domain, “I never saw ten days go by as fast as these did. Here we are almost on top of that sale in the country, and it seems like yesterday that we got the announcement.”
“It shows how much we really love our profession,” said Eleanor, “when we get so much pleasure out of work.” ”

“ But Polly was practical, and stubborn to a degree. She refused to go, and when Mrs. Latimer 245 came back, she told her that Tom ought to be in bed and given a great big dose of quinine—then he’d be all right in the morning.
“That’s exactly what we planned to do, Polly,” said Mrs. Latimer. “I sent Katrina to the drugstore for the pills, just now. But you run back and enjoy yourself, dear, as you can do nothing for Tom. He’s like all men—as grouchy as a bear with a sore head, the minute anything ails them.”
His mother laughed, and Polly stood smiling. Tom fumed. ”

“ Mrs. Courtney laughed. “Yes, the South Sea Isles. Do not think them so cannibalistic as report has it, my dears. I know an American who has lived there more than twenty years and he says that for climate and interesting life, give him the South Sea Islands. He almost persuaded me to take the trip when he was here last.”
“Is he an old friend?” asked Polly.
“No; he is a man I used to commission to find certain curios for me. He tells me that textiles woven and colored by the natives of those islands are the most beautiful things ever seen. ”

“ Eleanor sat beside Andrews in the other car, and entertained him with a highly colored story of Polly and her home in Pebbly Pit. Before they reached the Fabian home in New York, young Andrews pictured the enormous wealth of “Choko’s Find” gold mine, and the marvellous beauty of the lava jewels found in Rainbow Cliffs on the ranch. To think that one girl should be lucky enough to own both such money-producers! ”

“ Because of my experience, I can advise other young girls—not to marry too young, nor to accept a man for his looks or manners. A girl needs to be experienced from business, or travel and association with men, before she is capable of judging wisely and selecting the proper mate for life.”
The bond created that morning between the mature woman and the two young girls, proved to be of such quality as would last. And such a friend as Mrs. Courtney would be for two young girls, was one of the benefits both Polly and Eleanor received by visiting country auctions of a higher class. ”

“ As he concluded, Eleanor laughed hysterically and held out her hands to Mr. Dalken beseechingly. “Oh, dear Dalky! Can’t you see how Paul misunderstood everything! I was speaking of Jack’s case with Polly, and advising him in regard to Tom. I know Jack is not seriously in love with Polly, but he fancies himself so, because Polly is so attractive and indifferent to him. As Jack has always been flattered and made love to by society girls, this unexpected attitude of Polly’s piqued the boy. ”

“ I shall have to find someone else who will prove trustworthy and work.”
Polly’s threat did not appear to disturb Eleanor very much, for she laughed merrily and retorted: “Dodo, if I answer your question for Polly, what will you do for me, some day?”
“Nolla, you mind your own affairs!” exclaimed Polly, flushing again. “Dodo is such a tactless child that she never stops to consider whether her questions are too personal, or not. But you—well, you know better, and I forbid you to discuss me any further.”
“Come, come, girls! ”

“ Courtney watched with deep interest as she spoke in a low voice, to Eleanor.
“Jack Baxter called on me, one evening before he went West; he told me that your remarkable young friend had everything in life to make a young girl want to have a good time, yet she chose a profession for herself in place of gayety and beaux.”
Eleanor smiled and nodded affirmatively but said nothing.
“That is one of the reasons I wanted to meet you young ladies again. It is so gratifying to find any young girl, these days, who takes life in earnest. ”

“ There is Mrs. Courtney: very good-looking, rich, refined, lonely, about thirty-five or thirty-eight, at most. Here is our Dalky, also handsome, rich, refined, lonely (but for us) about forty years old, and just the man to have a wonderful wife to make him happy. Is that not an ideal match?” Eleanor tossed her head wisely.
“That’s what we think! But we are not going to marry Dalky nor Mrs. Courtney. They may not agree with us, you know.”
“Polly, nothing like trying out a thing to see how it works. ”

“ I thought of this way to give the girls many interesting quests, and make use of the car at the same time, so I mentioned it to him. He was delighted and wants the girls to try the plan,” explained Mr. Ashby.
“And I will offer myself as chaperone,” hastily added Mrs. Fabian.
“If I could only be included in these outings I should love it,” laughed Nancy Fabian.
“You are! Any one who belongs to us, must consider themselves as invited,” said Polly, laughingly.
So an outing for Saturday was planned, that night, and Mrs. Fabian and Nancy were to manage the details for the girls. ”

“ You see our likes and pursuits are so different. The very difference in our ways of living now—you with luxurious art in New York, me in the rugged life of a miner in the Rockies, creates a gulf between our ideals. ”