She stopped at sight of Polly, stared a minute, then took up her roar just where she left it, and cast herself into Fanny's lap, exclaiming wrathfully, "Tom 's laughing at me! Make him stop!" "What did you do to set him going?
Don't scream so, you 'll frighten Polly!" and Fan gave the cherub a shake, which produced an explanation.
"I only said we had cold cweam at the party, last night, and he laughed!" "Ice-cream, child!" and Fanny followed Tom's reprehensible example.
"I don't care! it was cold; and I warmed mine at the wegister, and then it was nice; only, Willy Bliss spilt it on my new Gabwielle!" and Maud wailed again over her accumulated woes.
"Do go to Katy! You 're as cross as a little bear to-day!" said Fanny, pushing her away.
"Katy don't amoose me; and I must be amoosed, 'cause I 'm fwactious; mamma said I was!" sobbed Maud, evidently laboring under the delusion that fractiousness was some interesting malady.
"Come down and have dinner; that will amuse you;" and Fanny got up, pluming herself as a bird does before its flight.
Polly hoped the "dreadful boy" would not be present; but he was, and stared at her all dinner-time, in a most trying manner.

Mr.Shaw, a busy-looking gentleman, said, "How do you do, my dear?
Hope you 'll enjoy yourself;" and then appeared to forget her entirely.

Mrs.Shaw, a pale, nervous woman, greeted her little guest kindly, and took care that she wanted for nothing.

Madam Shaw, a quiet old lady, with an imposing cap, exclaimed on seeing Polly, "Bless my heart! the image of her mother a sweet woman how is she, dear ?" and kept peering at the new-comer over her glasses, till, between Madam and Tom, poor Polly lost her appetite.
Fanny chatted like a magpie, and Maud fidgeted, till Tom proposed to put her under the big dish-cover, which produced such an explosion, that the young lady was borne screaming away, by the much-enduring Katy.

It was altogether an uncomfortable dinner, and Polly was very glad when it was over.