The Portland daily press., 1868-04-11
selected story
''Polly's Old Sweetheart, "
eNo use saying any more "

IUlly O1u S"o'HoVA VI
GNo use saying any morew
@Wsl, to tel you the truth, there's not
money enough let. OF course il he had told
me 50 before his death, | should have looked
after the place, and made my sell farmer in
station, as well as in work; but | really
thought should be able 10 play the part OF
gentleman Giles and go hunting four days
week IN the season. Now he's gone, there's
not enough lett TO work the farm properly,
let alone keeping two or three me SKINS to
eat their heads of. Beside, can stand be-
ing patronized. Met young sir William yes
terday. Mr.. White,-used to be SAM
'Pve heard about the state of affairs: il il win
be Of any service to you, I'll take the cray
maze oil your hands at sixtv' 'rhank YOU
Sir William Monk said /, 'I'm much oblig-
ed; but | We refused eighty Tor her once or
twice. wen, we'll, it you like to send any
thing from the farm up to the House, they
shall take it at market rates. 1t may help
you bit, you know Mr.. White Thank
you, Sir Wilham Monk said l, not very
gratefully, I'm afraid. BE meant well,
don't doubt; but, conlound it, L can't stand
being patronized by man | was hand and
glove with; so must go and see whether the
sun shines any brighter the other side OF the
word"
"fou might, you know, Sam, put the screw
on Tor year or two.,
That's true enough; but can't load up
manure carts here with all the people look
ing on. No, shall go-I know little about
Cattle"
"Almost too much, Sam"
"Dont laugh at me, Nunky; on my life
she was all right when you had her,"
'fes, and went dead lame two days after.
ward. Oh, Sam! you should have spared
me-"
so would have done, only you insisted
on having her."
wen, perhaps, 1 did; but you certainly
mad got her INTO very tine torn when she
came, and wouldn't take twice the money
for her now"
Wen, you see have prospect; and Pm
oil next week."
"What will Polly p"
"Ah poor little Polly! Hero she isl
POLY, Sans going to Australia next week.
he won't be able to marry GU before he goes"
shouldn't like to be married before he
goes. Shall be only eleven next birthday
and mamma says people ought not to be
married tll they are eighteen or nineteen, or
more; SO 1 ii wait till he comes back
"But suppose [ never come back, Polly?"
Then won't marry ally one at ALL"
"Never?"
mo, never. You said was to be YOUR
little wife when gave youfowers and sewed
the buttons ON your coat You took off the
little gold medal with a hole in it, from your
"~,Su Shoiu' " pay me- 30 IL S all settled,
and shant marry any one else. You must
CONF and fetch me when Pm old enough.'
ga, 1t Will be OF no use; you'll be mar
ried to Frank Monk, and be lady then"
what! that stupid boy? | hate him!
Last time he was here he pushed in the eyes
OF my baby-doll, and melted her ,or nose
against the kitchen bars. No; 1 will never
marry cruel boy like that. He might poke
my eyes in with his dry fingers"
w ell. well, Polly: IN come hack If vou'll
wait or me, then"
"Of course L VIII. When are you goins pr
Next week. Iii bring you keepsake be-
fore CO."
II don't want anything, Sam,-except-"
Nv ell, except"
II was going to say-if might have Clip, |
only TO take cafe OF him for you know
dave hlm?-l shall he on.y 100 glad to |
to find so kind lirte misst ess Tor him; l'il |
Drlng him down next time come. Good-by, |
foily. vi course, as you are my little wife,
must kiss you"
'Ot course you must, Sam.
Zip Was duly brought down, and after a |
long leave-taking, Sam was gone. rs
Wien Polly had dried her eyes she said:
Mamma, WHAT'S that ring on your finger?
not the wedding one-the olher?"
that's a keeper
1t ?"
That's what papa gave me when 1 was en-
gagged to him."
What ior?"
Il don't know; because it's customary to
wear one, SUPPOSED
Don't you think Sam ought to have given
me one, mamma-so as to show ever, body |
I'm engaged? ?"
Bless the child Hes nearly old enough |
to be your lather. Run along and finish your |
sewing?'
Never mind mamma, I've got the little |
gold medal with hole in it, and can show |
them that, can't I?"
"Mr. Halstead's been again to-day. That's |
the fourth time this week. What on earth
does he want here?'
80 tell you the truth, think he wants
Polly"
''Ob, indeed! Our little Polly, too"
snow, John! Little Polly i! She's yery
well grown girl, and was twenty-five yester- |
day
TWENTY-FIVE! How time flies! It seems
but little while since Sam White went away, |
and yet it must be twelve years."
I'VE ought to have letter this mail; it's |
nearly six months since the last, John. |
wish that he would not write at all; that girl
Will never get settled through that nonsense
She'll wait and wait, and then he'll bring
wife home"
There's no hurry Bless my heart wife
Why you were seve E.lnd twenty when mar
ried you"
THAT was your fault. 1 was quite ready
ana Wiling years before, if you'd only spoken
81 tell you what, wife, it's serious thing
this proposing"
wen, hope the result has proved as |
peasant as the prospect was serious.'
All right' old lady, all right! There's not |
much TO erumble at"
should have seen Mrs. Hazel sitting on her
husband knee with her arm round his neck
and tears In her eyes, don't know; but so it
was.
But about Mr.. Halstead, John?
wen, my dear, il he speaks to meas,
suppose. being curate, he will shall give |
nun leave to speak to her. need NOT ask |
%aat you would do. | know that every wo- |
m III would like to have her daughter mar
led to parson, though I'm sure 1 don't
know why"
"The'rs very nice people, John, that's why:
much better than stupid farmers,
ooh! Why didn't you marry curate
then you had two chances ?"
"Because-because-I preferred a stupid
pipe-smoking tanner, like foo-like a SEN
sibe woman, John, DEAR"
"All right, old lady, LII give my CONSENT
In due time consent was asked and given
and Poly refused the curate, tenderly and
kindly; offering him sisterly affection. which
was not exactly what he wanted. And he
laid his plant before her father,
"She says she's engaged, sir, and showed
me a medal"
And thereupon explanations were given;
and the CITRATE went home worse than ever
50 bed, indeed, that in three months, time,
being Of good family, he was obliged to be
consoled by one OF the seven girls at the vi
Garage, and as nobody said anything about
his little affair at the farm, Polly attended
in a sisterly way as a brides maid, as "it
would not do, you know, to have only sisters
though there are six OF them"
Another year went by, and Mrs. Hazel
had her way; there was no letter from Sam.
Farmers and doctors, and another curate
had laid seige to the fortress of Pollys heart
and been beaten oil, and compelled to re-
treat in despair.
Polly was as bright and lively, and did up
her abundant hair in the same ravishno
masses as ever, but she had no love for any
one.
old 'Gip," toothless and little blind. used
to trot about the place after her or be carried
in her arms; bat as for grief or care, Polly
seemed to know them not