The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-12-25 00:00:00

POLLY.

(By Cheese Dickens, in the Chrittmas extra number el
Al the Year Round.)
Harbor Brother' was turning towards his quarters
when a very little hand crept into his, and a very little
voice said:
'0! If you please, lam lost r
He looked down, and aim a very little fair-haired girl.
" Yes," she said, confirming her words with a serious
nod. "I am indeed. lem lost."
Greatly perplexed, be stopped, looked about him for
help, described none, and said, bending low: "Whored*
you live, my child r
'1 don't know where I live," eh* returned. "I am
lost."

" What is your name ?"
" Polly."

"Whet is your other name?"
The reply wee prompt, but unintelligible.
Imitating the sound, u b• caught it, ho bassarded
the geese, " Trivita r
..o no r said the child, shaking her head. "Noth-
ing like that."
" Say it again, little one."
An unpromising laminas. For this Lime it had quite
a different sound.
He made the venture: " Padden& r
"0 no!" said the AM. "Nothing like that."
"Once more. Let us try it again, dear,"
A most hopeless burnous. Tnis time it swelled into
four syllables. "It ern% be Tappitarverr said &them
Brothers, rubbing his head with his hat in discomfiture.
"No I It ain't," the child quietly assented.
On her tryiug this unfortenete name onee more, with
extraordinary efforts at distinctness, it swelled into
eight syllables at least
"AA ! I think," said Bathos Brothels, with • des-
perate sir of resignation, "that we had better give it
Up.,'
"But I am lost," said the child, nestling her little
hand more closely in his," and you'll take ears of me,
won't you?'
If ever a man was disconcerted by division between
compassion on the one hand, and the very imbecility of
irresolution on the other, here the man wee. "Lost r
he repeated, looking down at the child. "I am sure I
am. What is to be done r
" Where do you liver asked the child, looking up at
him, wistfully.
"Over there, " he answered, pointing vaguely in Ike
direction of his hotel.
" Hadn't we better go there r said the child.
"Really," be replied, "I don't know but what we
had."
So they net off band in hand. He, through compari-
son of himself against his little eompanion, with a
°loamy feeling on him self he had just developed into
a foolish giant. She, clearly elevated in her own tiny
opinion by having got him so neatly out of his embar-
rassment.
"We are going to have dinner when we get there, I
suppose?' said Polly.
"Well," he rejoined, " I suppose we are."
"Do you like your dinner?" asked the child.
"Why, on the whole," said Bather Brothers, "yes
think I do."
"I do mine," said Polly.
ant sister,?'
"No. Ham& your
" Mine are dead."
"0 !" said Barbet Brothers. With that aboard
sense of unsrieldinese of mind and body weighing him
down, he would have not known how to pursue the
conversation beyond this curt rejoinder, but that the
child was always ready for him.
"What," she caked, turning her soft band utilise,
in his, " aro you going to do to awesome, after dinner!"
"Upon my soul, Polly." exclaimed Berlioz Brothers,
very each at a lost, "I have not the slightest idea!"
'Then I tell you what." said Polly. "Have you got
any card; at your louse r
" Plenty," said Barbel Brothers, in a boastful vein.
"Very well. Then VII build houses, and you shall
look at me. You mustn't blow, you know."
"0 no I" 'aid Barbel Brothers. "No, no, no. No
blowing. Blearing's not fair"
He flattered hi-neelf that be had said this pretty well
for an idiotic monster; but the child, instantly pereeiv-
leg the awkwardness of his attempt to adapt himself to
her level, uttetly destroyed his hopeful opinion of him-
self, by saving, compassionately: What a Iguny man
you ire?'
- Feeling, after this melancholy failure, as if he every
minute grew bigger and heavier in person, and weaker
in mind, Berbox gave bitnuilf up for • bad job. No
giant ever submitted more meekly to be led in triumph
by all-conquering Jack, than he to be bound in slavery
to Polly.
"Do you know any stories r the asked him.
He was reduced to the humiliating eionfeesitu :
" No. " .

"Hove you any brothers

"What • dunce you must be, mustn't your said
Polly.
H• was tednoeCto the humiliating oonfmnion :
" Tat." - .

" Would you like me to WIWI you a dory But you
mast remember it, you know. and be obis listen it right
to mom body else r
He profeesed that it would afford bins the highest
meet.' gratidastion to be taught a story, and that he
would humbly end, avow to netaie it in hi. mind Wham
noon Polly, giving bet hand • Do. little turn in hie ez-
oressiv• of settling down for enjoyment, commesced a
long romance, of which every relishing clause began
with the words : "Bo Ude or " And so this." As. "lio
this boy ; " or "So this fairy ;" or " And so this pie waa
four yards round, said two pods and • quarter deep."
The intermit of the romance was derived from the in-
tervention of this fairy to onaish this by for havinfris
'Revd/ apostle. To madams which purpose, this fa
Toed* this pie, and this boy ate aid ate mid ate. and h
cheeks mailed sad swelled and swelled. There was
many tributary eirestesstaness, but She forsiblo interest
wilminatad ia Uee total smasateptioa of this pie, and the
bursting of this boy. Truly b• um a tee sight, Ruben
Brothers, with serious atisative hos, and ear bent down,
moot jostled on the pommels of this buy town,
but Until of losing a single insident of the seta, lost he
should be examined In it by.aed.by and fowled delleient.
Thee they wised at the hotel. Lad there be had to
way at the bar, and wid awkwaadly asoegb "I have
feud skids:OA I"