five little peppers and how they grew by margaret sidney

Polly, hidden from their view, overhears the men and misinterprets King's interest in her family. Thompson of the Amalgamated Mining Company visits with King to discuss a bid for the mine. A week later, as the family celebrates the return of Polly's vision, Mr.

Barker, his business assistant, is surprised to learn that King is no longer interested in swindling, let along buying, the mine. Informed by the doctor that Polly's recovery depends on rest, quiet and good food over the next several weeks, King bundles the family into his car and takes them to his mansion, where he grows very fond of the Peppers as Polly recuperates. Polly's illness leaves her temporarily blind.

When Polly, exhausted from worry and work, falls seriously ill, King sends for his doctor and the girl's mother. King gradually develops an admiration for these exceptional children, as one by one they are struck down by measles and Polly valiantly struggles to be nurse, cook and housekeeper. When Phronise becomes a victim of the measles, King and Jasper are quarantined with all the Pepper children. After presenting the family with a new stove the next day, they celebrate with a dinner of beans. King ingratiates himself in the household to try to convince Polly, the heir to the mine, to sell her share. Jasper returns to the Peppers with a kitten and a songbird as gifts, and the cold-hearted Mr. Pepper has to leave for a few days to work at an overall factory, Polly becomes the head of the household. At dinner, all the Peppers pretend to like Polly's tasteless cake while at the King residence, Jasper celebrates his birthday with his grandfather, who barely notices Jasper until he learns that his new acquaintances are the same Pepper family who inherited the mine. After helping the Peppers repair their stove, Jasper departs. Joey and Polly invite Jasper to ride on the 'Black Pirate,' their 'boat,' a modified go-cart, and the three race down the long driveway and through the streets to the Pepper home. Polly and Joey's efforts to locate the dress's buyer lead them to the King mansion, where Jasper, King's grandson, agrees to give his new friends the necessary makings. A dress knitted by Polly is to be sold for $1.50 to purchase ingredients for the cake. Eldest daughter Polly organizes the others,Ben, Joey, Davie and Phronsie,in preparations for their mother's birthday celebration. Pepper's widow and her five children, unaware of the worth of the property, are waging a battle against poverty with the little money the matriarch earns by sewing. King is adamant about securing fifty percent ownership in a copper mine apparently owned by the family of its discoverer, the late John Pepper, a copper mining engineer.

Five little peppers and how they grew by margaret sidney