Polly's First Year at Boarding School

September and the opening day of school. The girls who had already arrived were walking arm in arm about the grounds, in the broad assembly hall, and in t

the school, and a number of the faculty were receivi

station. The girls were waving and calling hellos as they passed one another, and

st the least little bit frightened. She had never seen quite so many girls no

f fun, and her big brown eyes had so much impishness in their depth, that to have called h

nt, Hannah Pendleton, her father's eldest sister, and quite as severe as her name. It had been a very unexciting existence

ed and she came to New York to live with Uncle Roddy. It had been a great change to leave the old house an

ncle's arm, was shown into the reception-room. She was finding it harder every minute to keep down the unacco

na? My dear," she added, putting her hand on Polly's shoulder,

indly blue eyes, felt, as had every other new girl at Seddon Hall, the complete understanding and sympathy of

r, big blue eyes, and the sweetest and jolliest smile, caught her principal's beckoning nod, and

, Louise linked her arm in Polly's in a big

l those doors are classrooms. This is the Bridge of Sighs," she continued,

e of Sighs?" i

en they reached the other side, Louise

Hale is the Latin teacher, and when you know her,

s as dreadful as all that," laughed

r. "Junior and Sophomore corridors are in the other wing, and Freshman Lane, where you'll be

e little girls I

ch of them until they're Intermediates-that's the

l find yo

h a shout of joy as the girls, who were dashing in a

y glad you're back," called some on

re a dignified Senior this year, and we mustn't b

hey stopped short. It was Louise who b

where Marianna Pe

her real name, Polly looked

is Marianna

never get used to it. No one has

l be; it suits you,

son. Louise doesn't seem to hav

of the most popular of the younger girls, who was speaking. He

begin introducing you at once. This is Roberta Andrews; she's in your class. This i

n her sleep," in

iate class the year before, had frightened one of the poor new teachers almost to

ry beautiful about her firm mouth, straight nos

se continued. "Don't take any st

eyes as blue as the sky, her pink and white cheeks, and her

ath." Then, turning to Polly, she continued: "Don't let her give you

re, standing with suit case and tennis racket in hand, dressed in a blue Peter Thompson sailor suit, her tawny-c

rent from the other girls. The welcome she was receiving showed her to be a general favorite and much thought

t once. Louise left for the society of her own cla

ad come to tell her she was wanted in the reception-room to say go

uestioned the latter. "A

p back the lump in her

reception-room; m

" Lois advised. "You'd ne

ecidedly unhappy. He was feeling a responsibility for, perhap

mething snapped as the carriage disappeared down the hill. She realized she was all alone. She would

asserting itself in tears a

ng her arm around her shoulder and pretending not to notice the tears. At this

he new girls. As she lay wide awake in bed until late that

she's such fun. But Lois is the nicest of all. It was awfully sweet of her to ask me to sit bes

ither, except basket-ball, and Betty's promised to t

continued

ost girls, and Aunt Hannah said I was a tomboy. Bu

ed down in her pillows and dropped off to