Produced by Vital Debroey, Phil McLaury, Juliet Sutherland,
Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
By AMY BROOKS
AUTHOR OF
"Princess Polly," "Princess Polly's Playmates,"
"Princess Polly at School," "Princess Polly by the Sea,"
"Princess Polly at Play," etc.
Little Rose Atherton sat on the lower step of the three broad onesthat led down from the piazza, and she wondered if there were, in allthe world, a lovelier spot than Avondale.
"And we live in the finest part of Avondale," she said, continuing herthoughts aloud. "Tho' wherever Uncle John is, seems better than anywhereelse."
She had spent the bright, happy summer at the shore, and surely Uncle
John's fine residence, "The Cliffs," had been a delightful summer home.
Then Uncle John had one morning told a bit of wonderful news.
"I've something to tell you, my little girl," he said, drawing Roseto him.
"This is our summer home," he continued, "and a fine summer place itis, but Rose, little girl, we're to spend the coming Winter atAvondale."
It had been very exciting!
Before closing "The Cliffs," those treasures that Uncle John helddearest were carefully packed to be sent to the new home, and then,in the big, luxurious car, they had motored to Avondale.
"Good-bye," Rose had said, as she looked back toward "The Cliffs," andthen, after throwing a kiss toward the house, she nestled back in thecar, and tried, for the twentieth time, to "guess" how the new homewould look.
It had proved to be more grand, more beautiful than she had dreamed."And so near sweet Princess Polly," she said, "just the next house butone."
She sprang from the low step, and ran down to the sidewalk to see ifPrincess Polly was yet in sight. "I think it is a little early," shesaid, "for Polly said she'd come over at nine, and it isn't nine yet."
The dainty Angora came down the walk to meet her, her tail like a greatplume, her soft coat as fluffy as thistle down. Proudly she walked asif she knew her beauty.
"Oh, you darling puss!" cried Rose. "You make this new home seem justas if we'd always lived here."
"That's right, Miss Rose," said the housekeeper, as she looked fromthe window.
"A cat does make a place seem homelike. She's not stared about, noracted wild as most cats do. She made herself at home, and seemed athome the first day the captain brought her to you. Do you remember,Miss Rose, she sprang from the basket, sat down on the rug, and beganto wash her face?"
"I know she did, and that proves that she's a wonderful cat. Shecouldn't act like a common cat. Could you, dear?"...