Margaret Sidney

“ Pepper, “he would; I couldn't stop him. I don't know how he found out you wanted one so bad; but he said it must be kept as a surprise when your eyes got well.”
“And he saved my eyes!” cried Polly, full of gratitude. “I've got a stove and two new eyes, mammy, just to think!”
“We ought to be good after all our mercies,” said Mrs. Pepper thankfully, looking around on her little group. Joel was engaged in the pleasing occupation of seeing how far he could run his head into the biggest oven, and then pulling it out to exhibit its blackness, thus engrossing the others in a perfect hubbub. ”

“ Pepper laughed till she wiped her eyes to see them go.
“We aren't ever goin' to have any more burnt bread,” sang Polly, all out of breath.
“Nor your back isn't goin' to break any more,” panted Ben, with a very red face.
“Hooray!” screamed Joel and David, to fill any pause that might occur, while Phronsie gurgled and laughed at everything just as it came along. And then they all danced and capered again; all but Polly, who was down before the precious stove examining and exploring into ovens and everything that belonged to it. ”

“ Pepper declared, “They'd have to know it; and if they were let into the secret they'd keep it better.”
So they had individually and collectively been intrusted with the precious secret, and charged with the extreme importance of “never letting any one know,” and they had been nearly bursting ever since with the wild desire to impart their knowledge.
“I'm afraid I shall tell,” said David, running to his mother at last; “oh, mammy, I don't dare stay near Polly, I do want to tell so bad.”
“Oh, no, you won't, David,” said his mother encouragingly, “when you know mother don't want you to ”