articlesforchristians

Polly was very much excited. She was going to a wedding. So was Peter. But he did not care so much about it. Father and mother were going, too.

Every morning at breakfast Polly talked about that wedding.

“Now there are only five days to wait. Now there are only four days to wait,” she would say.

And at last she said, “Oh, goody, goody! It is tomorrow!”

Mother said, “Yesterday I bought some new ribbon for your hair, Polly. See, here it is.”

“It is wide, isn’t it, mother? Thank you very much. And I am going to wear my white dress and my white shoes and stockings.”

“Yes,” said mother, “and your coat is all clean. You may wear that.”

“I think that I shall look very well,” said Polly.

“Perhaps you will,” father said. “But remember, ‘Handsome is that handsome does.’ It means that if you behave well, you will look well. And if you do not behave well, you will not look well.”

The day of the wedding came. Mother dressed Peter and Polly. Both had on their best clothes. How well they did look!

Father harnessed Mary to the two-seated carriage. Then off they went.

It was not many miles to the house. Soon they were there.

“I am glad that we are early,” said mother. “I promised to help see to the things in the dining room.”

“Oh, are there things to eat?” asked Peter. “I am hungry now.”

“Yes, there are things to eat,” said mother. “But they come after the wedding. So you must wait.”

“I will unharness the horse,” said father. “Then I will see if I can help. What shall Peter and Polly do? We must not let them get in the way.”

“Let me see,” said mother. “Why, Peter and Polly may sit right here in the carriage. By and by we will come out for them.”

“Goodbye, children,” said father. “‘Handsome is that handsome does,’ you know, Polly.”

Peter and Polly sat in the carriage. At first, they played that they were driving. But, after a short time, they wished to do something else.

Then they looked around. They saw the barn, the henhouses, and another small building.

“Maybe that is the icehouse,” said Polly.

“Do you think that they will have ice cream?” asked Peter. “Oh, I hope so! I hope so!”

“Perhaps they will, if that is really an ice house,” said Polly.

“Then I must see if it is, Polly. Mother will not care.” And down he jumped.

He ran to the little house. A padlock was on the door. He could not open it. But he saw sawdust about. So he felt sure that it was an icehouse.