IX
THE BAG OF RYE FLOUR
All that week Mother Pepper kept Joel and David away from theStore, and Polly or Ben had to go, whenever the errands made itnecessary. Polly, when it was her turn, did not trust herself tolook at the flaming yellow sheets of paper with the big staringletters across them, stuck up in the dirty store windows, orhung from the beams in among the kitchen utensils, or breadthsof calico and gingham, wherever they would attract the mostattention.
One, in particular, was nailed up just inside the door. It waspretty hard to avoid this, but Polly turned her head away, andtried not to think of it, but keep her mind on what Mamsie saidjust before starting. "Don't keep looking at what you want andcan't have, but keep busy over what you can have;" so she sether brain hard to work over the play, trying to decide whethershe would have Mr. Primrose, who was to be Ben, rescue from thebear the white cat, who was to be Phronsie, in the remains ofthe old white fuzzy mat that Mrs. Henderson had given them toplay with, or whether she (Polly), who was to be the fairy,should change her back into the small damsel she was at first,or whether--
"Well, Polly, my girl," said Mr. Atkins, with a hearty laugh,"I've spoke to you three times, and you seem deef to-day."
He was a jolly good-tempered man, and very kind to Mrs. Pepper,sometimes giving her sacks and coats to make when he reallydidn't need them just then; and though he never waited for hismoney but once, and that was when the children had the measles,and Joel nearly died, he used to give large measures of things,and sometimes he'd slip in an apple or two, and once a wholefine orange went into the bag of Indian meal, so as to be asurprise when it was opened at home. So Polly liked Mr. Atkinsvery much.
Now she blushed rosy red. "Oh, I didn't mean--" she began, andwas just going to say, "Please, I'd like three pounds rye flour,Mr. Atkins," when he broke out, "I s'pose you're athinkin'about the circus--don't wonder--I got my mind some on itmyself."
"O dear, no," cried Polly, hastily, all in a tremble, and onlyanxious to get it out of her mind as soon as possible, andwhirling around with her back to the wonderful picture.
"I s'pose, now, your Ma don't approve of 'em," he said, lookingquite solemn all at once; "well there, I s'pose they ain't quite'xactly the thing, but they look pretty nice on paper. See thatfellow, now, Polly, a-flyin' through that ring. Beats all howthey do it. Makes my head spin to look at him. See there!" andMr. Atkins pointed a stubby forefinger, shaking with excitement,to the big poster hanging by the counter.
"Oh, I can't look, Mr. Atkins," she said hastily. "Please dohurry and give me the flour." And then she got so very miserable,for fear she had been rude, that she stood quite still, and thecolor flew out of her cheek.
"I s'pose your Ma don't approve," observed Mr. Atkins again, notbeing able to tear his gaze off from the splendid evolutions ofthe man flying through the ring, and others of a like nature;"well-well-well, I d'no's 'tis 'xactly the thing, but then--an'then them horses. Why, Polly, this man is a-ridin' five greatstrong prancing ones all to once, dancing like ginger." Pollygave a great gasp. "Oh, if Joel could only see those horses once!It was too bad--it was cruel." Her heart seemed to jump into herthroat, and to choke her. "We _must_ go!" It seemed to heras if she screamed it, as she started suddenly and ran out ofthe store on wild little feet.
But Mr. Atkins, and the men and boys and women and girls leftbehind, were all staring open-mouthed at the pictures, andspelling out the no less wonderful descriptions of the staringyellow posters with the big flaring letters, so no one noticedher particularly, until the storekeeper tore his gaze away fromthe man flying through the paper rings, and the other one ridingfive prancing horses, and remarked, "I declare, I don't b'lieveI put up that rye flour for Polly Pepper, after all. Well,she'll come back for it, most likely, so I'll get it ready.Three pounds, she said." So he weighed it out, and tied it up,and set it to one side, saying to the frowsy-haired boy whohelped him, "Jim, that's Mrs. Pepper's little girl's bundle, nowremember."
"Yes," said Jim, with no eyes or ears for anything but thecircus posters.
Polly ran across the road, and into Mr. Slimmen's meadowopposite, and to the further end, where she flung herself downon the stone wall, and pushed off the brown hair from her hotforehead. "O dear me, how could I!" she cried, twisting herhands tightly together. "What would Mamsie say! Now she never'lltrust me to go to the store again. Oh, I shall cry! O dear,dear!"
"_Moo!_" said Mr. Slimmen's cow, coming close to the stonewall, to lay a friendly nose on Polly's gingham sleeve, and tostare with wide eyes of surprise at her being there at all.
"O dear me!" cried Polly, glad of anything to speak to, andlaying her hot face against the soft one so near, and she threwher arms up over the cow's neck.
"_Moo!_" said Mr. Slimmen's cow, as if she quite understoodthe matter, and no one need explain. And Polly felt quitecomforted, although the dreadful thought of going back into thestore nearly overcame her. But remembering that Mamsie would bewaiting for her, and worry if she did not soon come back, Pollymade a desperate effort and hopped off the stone wall.
"_Moo!_" said Mr. Slimmen's cow, as if sorry to have her go,as Polly ran off, determined to get it over with as soon aspossible.
She had her bundle tucked under her arm, glad that no one hadspoken to her; for Jim just pointed to it, when she laid themoney down on the counter, and then turned back to study theposter again, and was skipping over the ground, when she metJoel coming at a lively pace down the road.
"Oh, Polly, what a lot of time you've been gone!" he exclaimed."Mamsie sent me after you."
"Did she?" cried Polly, in dismay. "Well, we must hurry backthen, as fast as we can."
"I'm goin' to the store," said Joel, edging down toward Mr.Atkins'.
"What for?" demanded Polly, stopping a moment. "Did Mamsie sendyou for anything?"
"N-no--not exactly," said Joel, digging his bare toes into thesand; "but I might--might--p'r'aps get a letter, Polly," headded, as a bright idea struck him. Mr. Atkins, besides beingthe storekeeper, was also postmaster.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Polly; "why, Mamsie never has any letters,Joel. There isn't anybody to write to her."
"She may, p'r'aps," said Joel, confidently "there may be onethis afternoon. I'm goin' to see," and he darted off beforePolly had time to stop him.
"_Joel_!" she called, running after him. But as well try tostop the north wind. Joel raced up over the steps and disappearedwithin the store. Polly, endeavoring to reach him before he sawthe yellow and red posters again, put forth all her effort, butstubbed her toe against a big stone, and fell flat. Away flew herbundle of flour--thud went the paper bag, and off came the string,and there it was all spilled on the ground.
Joel didn't ask about the letter for Mamsie, but the minute hisblack eyes fell on those horses careering and prancing anddancing, he was nearly beside himself. And pushing in betweenthe men and boys of the largest group, he stared, spellbound,and lost to everything else.
"Now that's too bad!" said a voice that Polly loved dearly tohear, and some one lifted her up out of the sandy road. The dustwas all in her eyes, so she couldn't see for a minute, but sheknew 'twas Parson Henderson. "Well, Polly, I don't believe youare much hurt," he said kindly. "A tumble in the dirt isn't theworst thing in the world, is it?"
Polly looked around for her bundle, anxiously. All the while shewas saying, "Oh, thank you, sir. I'm not hurt a bit." But allthe money for the rye flour gone! She could get no more, forMamsie never had things charged, although Mr. Atkins was quitewilling to do so. "'Tisn't safe," Mrs. Pepper always said; "if Ido it once, I may again, so I'll pay as I go."
Parson Henderson looked off the road over his spectacles and sawthe rye flour all sprinkled on every side, just where it hadflown. "Now that's too bad!" he said. "Well, Polly, they sayit's no use to cry over spilt milk, and I suppose spilt flour isjust as bad," and he took her hand. "Let us see if Mr. Atkinshasn't some more." But Polly hung back; still, she must go intothe store and get Joel. So she started forwar
d again, and saidimpulsively, "I won't get any more flour, please, Mr. Henderson,but Joel's there, and he must come home with me."
"I'm intending to get some flour to send to Mrs. Pepper," saidParson Henderson, "and you don't have anything to do about it,but to carry the bundle, Polly," he added lightly. So they werepresently in the centre of the store. When Mr. Atkins saw theminister, he got away from the red and yellow poster as soon ashe could, and came forward, rubbing his hands. So Mr. Henderson,not saying a word about Polly's accident, bought some rye flour,and several other things for the parsonage, chatting pleasantlyall the time. But the storekeeper didn't say a word about thecircus.
Polly was up by Joel, where he stood, his round face plasteredup to the flaming sheet. "Come home, Joey," she whispered,trying to draw him off.
"Gee-wheezes!" exclaimed Joel, his cheeks red as fire, and hisblack eyes sticking out. "See, Polly, I can ride as good as thatman," pointing to the one who had so roused Mr. Atkins'admiration, "if I had five horses. Yes, sir-_ree_!"
The farmers standing about burst out laughing, and punched eachother to see him.
"Joel," said Polly, in a low voice, and putting her arm aroundhim, "come home at once, that's a good boy!"
"Look at that white horse, Polly!" cried Joel, quite gone withexcitement. "See him dance, like this, Polly," and he slappedhis sturdy leg, and kicked out suddenly. Everybody laughed, thefarmers guffawing in delight; and one small girl on the edge ofthe group who burst out, "Tehe-ee!" couldn't stop. Joel suddenlyturned and saw them all; and he doubled up his little brownfists, and squared his shoulders. "Stop laughing at me!" hecried, throwing back his head defiantly, his black eyes sparklingin anger.
"'GEE-WHEEZES! I CAN RIDE AS GOOD AS THAT MAN'"]
"Joel!" commanded Polly, in great distress. Then a hand reachedover between them and touched him on the shoulder. "Come here,my boy," said Parson Henderson, and before Joel knew it, therehe was marching off out of the store.
Parson Henderson said not a word, only, "Run back, Polly, andget the bundle of rye flour for me. Tell Mr. Atkins I'll step infor the other things." And Polly, doing as she was bidden, andcatching up with them as they walked slowly down the dusty road,heard the minister say, "Well now, Joel, I should like to gofishing with you some day."
Joel, who had hung his head sheepishly, now raised it. "Oh,would you?" he cried; "that would be prime!"
"Yes," said Parson Henderson, "I think it would be, Joel," andhe laughed gayly.
"O dear, isn't he good!" cried Polly, softly, to herself, as shegained Joel's other side. Then she suddenly ran around him, andstepped up to the minister.
"I think you might walk next to me," said Joel, in a dudgeon,craning his neck to look past Parson Henderson.
"So I will, Joel," answered Polly, "in a minute." Then shelooked up into the minister's face. "Oh, thank you so very much,sir!" she said, the color rushing all over her round cheeks.
"All right, Polly," said the minister, smiling down at her."I've enjoyed my walk very much, and Joel and I are goingfishing together, some day. Now I must say good-by," and hestopped.
"Here is your bundle," said Polly, handing up the rye flour.
"That's Mrs. Pepper's bundle," answered Parson Henderson,cheerily, and he was gone.
"What's in the bundle?" cried Joel, crowding up to Polly. "Letme see; let me see, Polly."
"Take care, Joe," said Polly, whirling around and covering thebundle with her arms as best she could, "or you'll spill itagain."
"Spill it again?" repeated Joel, wonderingly. "I haven't spilledany bundle, Polly Pepper. Let me see what's in it?" and he triedto get hold of one end that stuck out.
"Joel Pepper!" exclaimed Polly, quite worn out, "you've been abad, wicked boy, and now you're going to tear this bundle all topieces. Stop it!" she commanded sharply.
"I haven't been a bad, wicked boy," contradicted Joel, in a loud,vehement tone, and stamping with his bare heel in the dust thatflew up in their faces in a little cloud, "so there now, PollyPepper!"
And there they were, those two little Peppers, in the middle ofthe road, in such a state, and Mamsie smiling over her work asshe thought of her children!