Princess Pollys Playmates | Page 2

and sometimes when the garden is hot and sunny, I go to the parlor, and try to amuse myself, but oh, I wish I had someone to play with. "When I try to pick out a tune on the piano, the notes sound so loud, I turn around to see if Aunt Rose is provokt, but she never folows me. There's a portrate of a funny old man that hangs at the end of the parlor, and I always think he's watching me. When I smile, he seems to smile, and when I'm lonsum, he doesn't look jolly at all. There's five people in this house beside me. There's my two aunts, and three servants, but no one makes any noise, and oh, sometimes I WISH they would.
"Aunt Rose says sometime she'll give a party for me, but she says there must be no romping, and that it must be dig-ni-fide. I don't believe I spelled that right, and I'm not sure what it means, but it doesn't sound nice. I don't believe the children that come to it, will like a party that's digni--, I can't write that long word again.
"Aunt Lois is to have her portrate painted, and I'm to go with her to the artist's studyo.
"Aunt Rose just came in, and said, 'That is a long letter. Shall I help you with the spelling?' I didn't let her. I know some of the words are funny, but I don't want her to see this letter.
"I haven't said anything norty in it, only about how quiet and lonsum it is, but she mite not like that. I just had to tell you. Aunt Rose is going to ask you to visit me, and I'll be so glad when you come.
Your loving little friend,
ROSE.
P.S.--Aunt Rose said this morning that I ort to sine my name, Rose Jerusha Atherton, because that's her name, and I was named for her. How can I? Isn't JERUSHA orful?"
Of course the three little friends sympathized with Rose.
They felt as if they had seen the quaint, beautiful old house, with its dark, cool rooms.
They seemed to see bright, merry little Rose, now quiet, and lonely, wandering through the great hall to the parlor, to find a companion in the piano, or looking up into the friendly face of the old gentleman whose portrait she had described.
"And she says she is to go with her aunt to the artist's studio," said Leslie, "and wouldn't I like to do that? Just think what fun it would be to see him painting."
"I wonder if he'll let Rose watch him?" said Polly.
"There'd be no fun in going if she couldn't see him paint," declared Leslie "and if I were Rose, I WOULD watch him, if I had to peep when he wasn't looking."
"Oh you WOULDN'T!" said Vivian.
"I WOULD," said Leslie firmly, and Vivian did not reply.
"I wonder what her Aunt Lois will wear?" said Polly. "All of the portraits in our drawing room are young ladies in lovely gowns, with flowers in their hair, and jewels, many, many jewels, and plumes, and fans. Her Aunt Lois wouldn't wear such things as that!"
They wondered much about the portrait, and decided to question Rose regarding it.
"And now," said Polly, "I'll lay these letters on the table in the hall. I can read them later. We'll play."
It was easy to choose a game. The first choice, when the little playmates were at Sherwood Hall, was always "Hide-and-Seek."
There were such fine places for hiding, so many odd nooks where no one would ever think of looking that the game seemed always new, and interesting.
They had been playing but a short time, when Inez Varney ran up the driveway.
"What are you playing?" she asked.
"Hide-and-Seek," said Polly, "and it's Lena's turn to blind. Come! I know a fine place, big enough for three."
Usually Inez objected to whatever game her friends chose, but she was in a pleasant mood, and said that she would rather play "Hide-and-Seek" than anything else.
She clasped Polly's hand, and while Lena counted, the three ran off to the place that should be large enough to keep them from sight.
One fact made Inez easy to please; Rose was not with them.
Rose Atherton had been a bright, merry little playmate, beloved by all save Inez, and yet the only fault that Inez could find in Rose was her popularity.
Naturally jealous, Inez did not like to see that everyone loved Rose, and to know that Polly Sherwood, or Princess Polly, as everyone called her, cared more for Rose than for any of her friends, seemed really too provoking.
"NOW, Princess Polly must choose another BEST friend, and I wish it might be ME!" thought Inez.
She knew that Rose was sweet tempered. She knew that her own temper was hasty.
Could she keep from saying the sharp