its, and how
can I ever repay you?"

"You do not have to repay them to me necessarily, my child; you can
pass them over, as you will be constantly doing, to all these groups of
children, day after day. I am a sort of stupid, rich old lady who
serves as a source of supply. My chief brilliancy lies in devising
original methods of getting rid of my surplus in all sorts of odd and
delightful ways, left untried, for the most part, by other people. I
've been buying up splendid old trees in the outskirts of certain New
England country towns,--trees that were in danger of being cut down for
wood. Twenty-five to forty dollars buys a glorious tree, and it is
safe for ever and ever to give shade to the tired traveler and beauty
to the landscape. Each of my boys has his pet odd scheme for helping
the world to 'go right.' Donald, for instance, puts stamps on the
unstamped letters displayed in the Cambridge post-office, and sends
them spinning on their way. He never receives the thanks of the
careless writers, but he takes pleasure in making things straight.
Paul writes me from Phillips Academy that this year he is sending the
nine Ruggles children (a poor family of our acquaintance) to some sort
of entertainment once every month. Hugh has just met a lovely girl who
has induced him to help her maintain a boarding establishment for sick
and deserted cats and dogs; and there we are!"

"But I 'm a young, strong girl, and I fear I 'm not so worthy an object
of charity as a tree, an unstamped letter, an infant Ruggles, or a
deserted cat! Still, I know the dresses will be lovely, and I had
quite forgotten that I must be clothed in purple and fine linen for
five months to come. It would have been one of my first thoughts last
year, I am afraid; but lately this black dress has shut everything else
from my sight."

"It was my thought that you should give up your black dress just for
these occasions, dear, and wear something more cheerful for the
children's sake. The dresses are very simple, for I 've heard you say
you can never tell a story when you are 'dressed up,' but they will
please you, I know. They will be brought home this evening, and you
must slip them all on, and show yourself to us in each."

They would have pleased anybody, even a princess, Polly thought, as she
stood before her bed that evening patting the four pretty new waists,
and smoothing with childlike delight the folds of the four pretty
skirts. It was