The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-03-26
!, =. ;SsnEFORD, ME-, FRIDAY

HdppcHs 10 nave pTcJuulcc uSuIist "'
riagc, and so you promise yourself to re-
main single till she dies
'Oh, don't speak so. I owe Aunt Polly
everything and her death will be the
greatest misfortune In the world to me-
'All the benefits In the world give her
no right to dictate in q matter Ike this
Il know
Well, then consider me a little-you
consider her so much-let me come here
tomorrow, and speak to her plainlyr' ).
"Oh, I darent!" oh, Lyman, what shall
do? There she comes now."
In fact, two more figures were dlsccrni-
BILE coming through the gate, unmistaka'
bly, the figures of Miss Polly and Mr. III
kins. They seemed In no hurry to 20 In,
but stood leaning In the moonlight ana
talking. Presently-oh disastrous move
ment! they were seen sauntering slowly
toward the garden. ...r.,, ..
"what shall I dow gasped Jane again In
the very extremity Of terror
"Come under the shade, said Mr.. Eills.
"She won't perceive u.s." r.s
In moment they were crouching 40
close to the retreat Of their fell0w-suffer:.
ers that the recumbent Mr.. Hall could
have touched Mr.. Ellis's cOat-talls.
This moon Is dclightful!" was the first
remark Of Miss Polly's that reached their
ears.
"It is" responded Mr.. wilkins. "Hem
1t is-enchanting."
II love to walk by moonlight"
'lt makes me quite-hum-sad-lone-
some."
"Ahp' said Miss Polly. sympatbizlngly.
"I-hum-feel as If l hadn'ta friend IN
the world" -....
"rhat's strange"-Miss Polly stopped
to gather rOse-"when you have so
many"
"You are-mistaken. Hum-I haven't
one." ..r.-a.
"l'm sure Pm your friend, Mr.. WI
kins," said Miss Polly speaking lower,
and putting the rose before her face.
Mr.. wilkins Immediately became be-
wildercd In desert of "Hums," che
hum-he wished he would-huIn-ah-hc
wished he could-hum-belleve It."
"I should think you might" responded
Miss Polly, "when i say It. Isupposc the
thought Of your past happiness Is rather
trying" she continued.
"Hum-no. | hunl-o0uld bc--hum-
happier than I-hum-cver was"
"fndeed?''
"I-hun assure you. If-lf-you-
thought so."
"Don't!" exclaimed Miss Polly. Re
member your-think of Mrs. wilkins
dead and gone"
Mr.. wilkins was so abashcd by this out
burst that he said absolutely nothing for
five minutes. Miss Polly got out Of pa
tience.
"You weren't congcnial," she said, 81
see. All, that Is trying!"
Mr. wilkins was betrayed again, and
declared he "IIum-ncvcr knew what
congcniality was till-hum-till lately.
Would m-hum-allowh him-hum
to say so?"
"Don't speak to mc?' exclaimed Miss
Polly, sinking down on the much cndur-
Ing bench. "I'm disgrace to myself,
Ohg if those girls should hear this, what
trouid they say?'
Those girls! There was such n shout
of merry laughter behind her. II pealed
forth upon the startled ears of Miss Polly
and Mr.. wilkins, frightening them nearly
into fits. When they recovered little,
there were Tom and Mollic on ono side,
and Jane and Mr.. Ellis on the other, the
iuot WV o" P''SSN'
In an instant Mollic's arms were round
her aunt's neck, and she was crying.
"We'll say you are the dearest au.,tic In
the world. BE good, now"
"Be magnanimous," put In Tom. "fou
see we've all found each other out"
"And all are equally culpable," sub
Joined Mr.. Ellis.
Miss Polly Whittlesea was a wise wo-
man. I!shouldn't have written about her
II she hadn't been wise. And when she
saw that Fate favored her desires she did
not try to undo the doings Of Fate. For
reasons Of her OWE she had determined TO
try her fortunes matrimOnially and when
she saw that her neices inclined thus also,
she agreed to let them 90 along with her
for shipwreck or prosperity, remembering
that If she did otherwise her example anu
prccept would contradict each other. Oh,
acute Miss Polly! Thus 1t happened that
three weddings took place In one day.