No one missed them; and when they emerged, the feast was over, except for a few voracious young gentlemen, who still lingered among the ruins.
"That 's the way they always do; poke the girls in corners, give 'em just one taste of something, and then go and stuff like pigs," whispered Tom, with a superior air, forgetting certain private banquets of his own, after company had departed.
The rest of the evening was to be devoted to the German; and, as Polly knew nothing about it, she established herself in a window recess to watch the mysteries.

For a time she enjoyed it, for it was all new to her, and the various pretty devices were very charming; but, by and by, that bitter weed, envy, cropped up again, and she could not feel happy to be left out in the cold, while the other girls were getting gay tissue-paper suits, droll bonbons, flowers, ribbons, and all manner of tasteful trifles in which girlish souls delight.

Everyone was absorbed; Mr.Sydney was dancing; Tom and his friends were discussing base-ball on the stairs; and Maud's set had returned to the library to play.
Polly tried to conquer the bad feeling; but it worried her, till she remembered something her mother once said to her, "When you feel out of sorts, try to make some one else happy, and you will soon be so yourself." "I will try it," thought Polly, and looked round to see what she could do.

Sounds of strife in the library led her to enter.

Maud and the young ladies were sitting on the sofa, talking about each other's clothes, as they had seen their mammas do.
"Was your dress imported ?" asked Grace.
"No; was yours ?" returned Blanche.
"Yes; and it cost oh, ever so much." "I don't think it is as pretty as Maud's." "Mine was made in New York," said Miss Shaw, smoothing her skirts complacently.
"I can't dress much now, you know, 'cause mamma's in black for somebody," observed Miss Alice Lovett, feeling the importance which affliction conferred upon her when it took the form of a jet necklace.
"Well, I don't care if my dress is n't imported; my cousin had three kinds of wine at her party; so, now," said Blanche.
"Did she ?" And all the little girls looked deeply impressed, till Maud observed, with a funny imitation of her father's manner, "My papa said it was scan-dill-us; for some of the little boys got tipsy, and had to be tooked home.