"I suppose it will have to do," sighed Polly. "I hate to give up,
now we've started; but if you won't read, you won't."

"Very true," remarked Jean, while Florence added,--

"Now, tell us truly, Polly, do you know what the man is talking
about half the time?"

"No, I don't know as I do," admitted Polly.

"Then what do you want to read it for?" pursued Florence,
determined to come to an understanding.

"Oh, it sounds sort of good, you know," said Polly vaguely; "just
as if we ought to like it. 'Most everybody does read it, and I
didn't know but, if we kept at it long enough, it might teach us a
little something."

"Who wants to be taught? And besides, I'd rather have something a
little fresher than this," said Jean, making no secret of her
heresy.

"Polly! Polly!" called a voice from below.

Polly sprang up from the floor, where she had seated herself.

"That's mamma; what can she want?" she exclaimed, running to the
window and putting her head out.

Down in the street sat Mrs. Adams in their low, two-seated