Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-08-02

Polly all her loying kindness to me Is not
thrown away, III try to be more like hef,
Hnseiilsh and forgtving. Save her, oh
fatherl save her" She arose and nutsed
Polly through her long sickness with un'
firing patience. When Polly was so far
recovered that she was able to sit in the
big chair and take an interest in the out
side world, Blanche read to her by the
hour, and never seemed tired of finding
ways to amuse the sick girl. Naturally
apt, she soon learned Mrs. Marston's
ways, and became an admirable helper,
and Mrs. Marston declared she did even
better than Polly, Blanche would look
deprecatingly ct Polly, As though afraid
she would be Jealous, but her heart was
phrged from such things now, and she
would answer Blanche with reassuring
smile, which told of the perfect rest
within.
From the day Blanche Crayton had
promised God to be a better girl, there
was a visible change in her, and although
she could not quite forget the old self,
still the good that was in her claimed the
mastery, and Polly watching the blue
eyes take on softened look, and the
hard lines melt as 1t were, away from the
curved lips, felt that her struggle had not
been in vain.
One Christmas eve as the girls were
busy hanging their presents on the tree
in the little parlor, some one called
Blanche out of the room. She came
back shortly, however, asking Polly to
go up stairs with her, was out of the
room in a moment, Polly followed, won
deringly, and Blanche, in q pretended
search for something, talked incessantly.
Polly heard through 1t all terrible stamp
:, ,f Sc, o,I he ftnf ~ ~
down, but Blanche, with checks red, and
eyes sparkling, held her back, saying,
''What goose you are; don't you sup
pose there can be mysterious noises on
Christmas Eve? You are not wanted
down there"
Polly folded her hands demurely and
sat down upon an ottoman, resolved to
wait events.
"Pollyl Pollyl Pretty Poll" called
Jamie's voice, and rush was made by
both the girls for the lower rooms.
When Polly entered the parlor, she
could not believe her eyes, for there,
standing against the wall, was beautiful
new piano.
"Oh, fatherl oh mother! Is it mine to
keep alwaysS" she exclaimed, hurriedly,
walking up to it.
yes" said her father, cit is yours
look at the card and see what it says
She picked up the white card that lay on
the piano, and read "To my loving
friend, Polly Marston, who first taught
me the value of giving, and who has
blessed my life with sense of happiness
l never can express, give this piano, as
faint testimonial of my appreciation Of
the unselfshuess, which led her to be
stow her all on destitute girl, Blanche
Crayton."
As Polly finished reading she turned to
thank Blanche, but she had vanished
She found her afterwards behind the pan
try, crying softly to herself. "Oh, yol
darling girl p cried she, "how could yot
, do il ?"
"How could / because love you bet
/ ter than do myself, and you must owl
+ that's a victory for Blanche Crayton !
And down went the face into the hand
again.
, ?" What are you crying for on Christ
mas eve."
l Because I'm so happy, 1 can't do an.
! thing else"
I "What made you write such beau
e tiful card did not deserve it, and yo
t could have said something just as we'll
8 81 say somethingl ! should have bluh
e bered right in the midst of it, and beside
: you deserved great zeal more.
Y Blanche" exclaimed Polly suddenly
e "did you use the money from the sale G
S the Great House land?"
Y "Not all of it; there's some left,
q wanted to buy thousand dollar piano
n but your father wouldn't let me; he sal
r a five hundred one would do Just as wei
d So you see haven't been very generou
l. after ALL" And thus summarily she di
v missed the suhirct
$ Polly was very grateful to Blanche, br
J, Blanche would not let her say anythin
d about it, and so she was forced to than
IS her in other ways. The girls were yer
IT happy together after this, and undt
Blanche's tutilage, Polly made wonde
'e full progress in her music, and the lit
d cottage was wont to ring with melody.
/. Blanche" said Polly, looking earnes
l. ly at her one day when they were pra
e tieing their lesson, "dearly as l love tn
g new piano, it doesn't make me as hapI
n as the day when first saw you begin
d smile, and knew that you loved me"