How "A Dear Little Couple" Went Abroad.

by Mary D. Brine.

CHAPTER I.

POLLY THINKS OVER HER "SURPRISE."

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Polly opened her blue eyes one lovely morning in May, and found the "sun fairies"--as she called them--dancing all about her wee bed-chamber, and telling her in their own bright way that it was high time little girls were up and dressing for breakfast.

At first she was sure she had been having a beautiful dream, for what else could make her feel so happy and "sort of all-overish," as if something very nice and unusual had come upon her? She was sure she had dreamed that a splendid surprise had happened, and it was something about going away, too!

Polly lay still in her little white nest of a bed, and thought over her dream, and lo! on a sudden, as she grew more and more awake, the real cause of her new and glad sensations came into her curly head, and she bounced, like a little rubber ball, right out of bed, and danced a wee lively jig on the floor.

Why, of course it wasn't a dream! No, indeed! it was as real--oh! as real as Polly Darling herself, and no wonder she had felt so "all-overish" and so "glad all inside of her"! She sat down on the soft carpet and drew her stockings and shoes on, but it was slow work, because Polly was thinking, and she had a great deal to think about, you see.

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First--oh! how it all came back to her now!--first she remembered that last night after supper Papa had taken her on his knee and whispered in her ear: "Pollybus, how would you like to go with Mamma and Papa across the sea for a little trip?"

And while she was squeezing him almost to pieces by way of answer, Mamma had come along, and had shaken her finger at Papa, as she said: "Oh, naughty Papa! the idea of telling Polly that _just when she's going to bed_! She won't sleep a wink for thinking of it." And Polly remembered jumping down from Papa's knee, and going to Mamma's side, saying very earnestly: "Oh, yes, I will! I truly will, Mamma! I'll shut my eyes and think 'bout little lambs jumping over a fence, 'cause Cook says that's the best way to get sleepy, and it's worked be-yewtifully on _her_ lots of times! Oh, true and true, black and blue, I'll go right to sleep! And oh, I'm so happy!"

And pretty soon after that the bed-time for little girls had come, and Polly had been kissed and petted a little, as was usual after she had snuggled down in bed, and had a little while alone with her dear Mamma, and then she had tried very hard to keep her promise, and "go right to sleep." But oh, dear, it had been such hard work to keep those blue eyes shut! No matter how much she thought of the lambs jumping, one after the other, over the imaginary fence, it did not make her the least bit sleepy, and the lambs all seemed to scamper off to Europe as soon as they had jumped the fence, and of course Polly's thoughts had to go flying after them. So, you see, it had really been a long while before the little tired lids had closed over those dear soft blue eyes, and sleep had really come. But when it did come you may be sure it was a very sound, sweet sleep, and so when Polly awakened in the morning it could hardly be wondered at that she thought she had been having a beautiful dream.

She knew now that it was no dream, but a most delightful reality, and oh, how happy she was!

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She came to the end of her long "think" at last, and turned her attention to her dressing, and just then Mamma came in to put the finishing touches to the process, and Polly's tongue wagged so fast all the while that it really seemed as though it were hung in the middle, like a little sweet-toned bell, and able to swing both ways.

However, Mamma patiently answered all the rapid questions, and explained that Papa, having to go abroad on business, had decided that it would do Mamma and Polly good to go also, and be the best thing to keep _him_ from being lonely, of course.

And she told Polly something else that had not been told the night before, but kept for an added "surprise" this morning, and that was that Teddy's Mamma and Papa had given permission for _Teddy_ to go with Polly to Europe, as a great and wonderful treat for both little folks. But Teddy didn't know it yet, because both Mammas thought Polly would enjoy telling him herself and giving him a delightful surprise.

"So you may run over right after breakfast," added Mamma, "and tell him the good news."

This additional beautiful "surprise" was more than Polly could bear in an ordinary way, so she just simply _cried_ for joy (you've heard of people doing that?), and in the midst of her tears she began to laugh, and then she cried a little more, and it seemed a long time before the little happy Polly settled down and was able to eat her breakfast.

CHAPTER II.

TEDDY'S SURPRISE.

PERHAPS before I go any farther I ought to explain to those of my little friends who have not chanced to read the first book about "The Doings of a Dear Little Couple" that Polly and Teddy were next-door neighbors in the pretty village which was their home, and that they had been, during all their acquaintance with each other, most loving and devoted little chums. They were each seven years old at the time of my last writing, but at the time of this story had become eight-year-olders, and Teddy insisted that because their birthdays came together they were "real truly twinses." Now I will return to my story.

When Polly finished her breakfast and was excused from the table, she scampered off as fast as she could down the garden till she came to the little gap in the fence of which my first book told you, you remember, and called: "Teddy! Ted-dee! Oh! Teddy Terry!" as loud as she could all the while she was running.

Now, it happened that Teddy Terry was eating _his_ breakfast at that time, and he was just putting a piece of potato into his rosy mouth when he heard Polly's eager voice. He swallowed that piece of potato so fast that it nearly choked him, and when he had finally gotten it out of the way, he said: "Please 'scuse me, Mamma, Papa!" and, slipping from his chair, was off in a jiffy to meet his little chum, Polly.

"Oh, Teddy, come up in our tree!" cried Polly, as Teddy's curly brown head pushed through the low gap in the dividing hedge fence. "Come quick, quick, quick! I've got the goodest news in the world to tell you 'bout!" She danced about on her little toes while speaking, and, Teddy's plump body having speedily followed his head, he left the fence, and with his little companion ran for the old apple-tree which--as you remember I told you in the first book--was the "consultation office" of our dear little couple whenever they had any especially private conversation with each other.

So up into the stout branches of the old tree they clambered, and settled comfortably down in a safe fork of limbs amid a thicket of green leaves, and then, after Teddy had followed his usual loving habit of kissing Polly on her soft little cheek, and receiving the same sweet greeting from her, she proceeded to tell her secret.

"I'd ask you to _guess_ it first," she said, "but oh, Teddy Terry, you never could in the world! It's this: You 'n' I are going to Europe with my Papa 'n' Mamma! There! what do you think of _that_, Teddy Terry? Oh, isn't it the very bestest news we could have? Aren't you s'prised most to pieces?"

Teddy's brown eyes opened so wide that it is a wonder they did not stretch out of shape. Surprised? well, indeed he was, and when Polly had told him more about the matter he gave the loudest _whoop-la_! he could, and then a funny thing happened--he slid off that tree and disappeared in the wood-shed near by, and--I don't know surely--but I think it likely he went in there to hide the tears that came to his eyes, the tears of joy which Polly had had, you know, only Teddy didn't want her to see him turn "cry-baby," and so he had run quickly away. But Polly soon found him there, and together they went to see his Mother, and then he learned more fully all about the pleasure in store for him, and that Mamma and Papa had consented to let him go because _they_ had been called unexpectedly away a long distance to see a sick relative, and it made them glad to know that their little son would be safe and happy with Polly and her Mother and Father during that time. Afterwards, when Teddy and Polly were again together, they talked the coming trip over as children do, and were greatly excited and delighted.

"I promised Mamma solermy, oh, jus' as solermy as could be, that I'd be the goodest behaving boy your Mamma ever saw!" said Teddy, when he and Polly, tired of jumping about and shouting "whoop!" at last sat down on the gra.s.s to talk it over, "and--and--she said she wasn't 'fraid to trus' me at all."

"Course not," responded Polly; "you're the best that ever could be to keep promises, and if you forget 'bout 'em, it's jus' 'cause you couldn't truly help it."

The more they talked over the wonderful new surprise, the more excited the dear little couple were growing, and the number of times Teddy put soft kisses on his Polly's cheek (one of his sweet little ways of expressing his joy, at any time, over pleasures they were to share together) I cannot tell, but you may be sure he did not limit his kisses in the least, dear loving little chum as he was!

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CHAPTER III.

"STARTING DAY."

AS the days went by, the children grew very restless, wishing the "starting day" would come. Ted's Mamma had packed his little trunk, and marked it "T. T.," and finally, when only one more day remained of the "between days," as the children called them, Mr. and Mrs. Terry had bidden their little son good-bye and started off on their own journey.

So Teddy was all the more glad when the "great day" came at last.

"Hurrah, hurrah, Polly! This is our starting day! Polly, why don't you halloo?"

"I'm _going_ to halloo," replied Polly: "listen!" And her voice rang out in a clear shout which reached even down to the gate.

"Once more," cried Teddy, and this time his voice joined hers, and Mamma, coming to the hall door, looked out to see what was going on.

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"It's 'cause we're so glad, Mamma dearie," replied Polly to the question asked, "and it's our starting day, you know." She was perched upon the piazza rail nearest the piazza of Teddy's house, and Teddy was to have breakfast with her presently. Just now he was having his jacket well brushed by Bridget, as he stood on his own piazza, and he was so impatient to get over to Polly that he could hardly stand still long enough for the brushing.

"Goin' inter the dirty wudshed just to see 'bout that tricircle," said Bridget, grumbling as she brushed, "an' s'ilin' this bran' new suit yer Ma bought for yer trav'lin'! I told yer I'd put it safe away!"

"Well, I wanted to see if you hadn't only _thought_ you'd put it safe,"