"Well, I had then, but I've begun again," said Jasper, recklessly. He walked up to the group and held out his hand, then pointed to his kodak. They smiled and nodded, showing all their teeth, and the mother took the littlest baby, for there seemed to be a very generous number of the smaller members of the family, and sat down with it in her lap on the rickety step. Then they all drew up stiff as sticks, and didn't even wink.
"That's capital," said Jasper, in huge satisfaction, pouring the coins into the mother's lap, where they rolled underneath the fat baby. Polly and he hurried on.
"Oh, Polly, I'm so very glad you've come," said Phronsie, as Polly and
Jasper ran up to a doorway through which they could see their party.
Phronsie stood just inside, and appeared to be watching for them.
"There's a woman here who's been showing us things." There was Mrs.
Fisher up by the tiny window, bending over an old woman who had spread
out in her lap some white embroidered garments, while a young woman
hovered near, smiling and blushing, and very happy at all this notice.
And the rest of the party crowded up as close as they could.
"They are her daughter's wedding clothes," said Mrs. Fisher, "I do believe." For, the old woman was working fearfully hard to make them understand, and pointing first to the white garments and then to the young woman. "Wedding clothes?" asked Mrs. Fisher, speaking very slowly.
The old woman seemed to understand the one word "wedding," for she nodded furiously and smiled well pleased; and then devoted her whole time and energy to the display of the garments. And she even laughed aloud when old Mr. King put some coins in her hard hand.
Polly took the time to study her headgear. "I think there is a round board under the cap," she confided to Jasper when once out of doors; "how else could they be pulled so tight? And they look as hard as a drum."
"I didn't investigate," he said, laughing. "I'll leave that to you,
Polly."
"Well, it's funny anyway," she said, "that all the women and girls dress alike in those queer gowns in two parts, and those embroidered jackets over their waists, and those caps and horrible pot-hooks and long curls."
"It's well that we've got so many pictures, for the people at home would never believe our stories without them."
"And these houses," continued Polly, squinting up at a crooked row, "all colours—green stripes and black stripes—and, O dear me! Jasper King, just look at Phronsie!"