Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-03-21

green curtains were nall uraWn-pl6nty
of chance for the choir to peep out and
Whisper thing all choirs like to do.
" say, Polly, where did you get
that feather ~ asked her neighbour =
| only wish somebody would give me
one. It's just elegant.
:" Mother bought it, . said Polly, her
eyes on the door.
" Who are you looking for, Polly 2
/ Your mother There she is, now
| What good looking woman James
wife is, isn't she e.
I " l suppose You have heard the news.
Polly z" broke in another whisper from
behi1d. g The news about Phil Rails
| ton 2"
" No. What do you mean ~ with
sudden interest.
He came up last night, you know ;
and what do you think he brought with
him hut wife The old folks did mt
know a word about it. Wasn't it fine
Thanksgiving surprise z"
How did you hsar?" asked Polly,
family, with white lips.
Steve saw them our Steve, YOU
know He came in the same train, and
there was Phil getting out with his wife,
and the squire meeting them, and look
ing so surprised; and Phil, lie said,
Father, I've got new daughter to
introduce to You And then some
more in allow voice, which Steve couldn't
hear, and the Squire, he almost cried,
and he shook hands and said: You're
welcome, my dear That was all that
Steve saw, for he had to come away but
| Reuben was up to the Squire's in the
evening about load of hay, and Pills
wife came in, and the Squire introduced
her. "My sons wife," he said and
looked real pleased, for all be hadn't
been told beforehand. Here they are
Look, Polly, just coming in"
For moment all swan before Pol
ly's eyes. Then the mist cleared again
and she saw Squire Ralston's white
head passing up the aisle, followed by
his sister, dear old lady, who kept
house for him; then Phil, and bv his
side lady. With unnatural fire in her
blue eyes she scanned the stranger,
noting the clear, olive cheek, the grace
full undulating walk, the gait, which
even to he- inexperienced vision seemed
something rich and foreign. That,
then, was Pills wife, the woman he
preferred to all others And with a
sudden power of hatred, Polly felt that
she hated her. All the sweet, even
pulses of her noble nature seemed turn
ed into bitterness and fire.
She looks old for Phil, doesn't
she 2" whispered the other girl.
She did, but how beautiful And
still, as the service went on, what a
mockery it seemed-the prayer in which
she did not join, the sermon which
spoke of people as thankful, happy +
! She rose with the others, she bent her
! head, and all the time something ling-
led in her ears the one phrase, Phil,
is married, Phil is married ~ till it
seemed as if she could not bear it
Long afterwards, when she was happy
again, that wretched morning would
come back to her as visions of fever to
returning health; little things she was
unconscious of noticing-a late canker-
worm walking up Mary Jane Oaks bon
net string: the scrap of newspaper left
on Deacon Bunker's face from his
morning shaving, and on which could
be plainly read, Lost and strayed,"
with the after clew of "helfer just
below. She remembered the exact
position in which Phil stood as he held
the hymn-book open FIR his-wife =
Once he half turned and glanced at the
gallery. That was too much. Polly
drew tight the green curtain and look
ed no more.
" You're pale to day." whispered the
friendly gossip in the rear, "or else
your hat isn't becoming"
This reused her pride. Bad as it
was to be miserable, it was worse to be
pitied; she Bit her lips till they were
red, ana taking advantage of the last
prayer, | am sorry to say inflicted up
on her cheeks series offurtive pinches
which restored thc.r bloom. Coming
down stairs with the rest, she saw, she
was sure, Phil lingering as if to speak.
Cruel, insulting, she would not see
Leaning on James arm, chatting, all
bloom and animation, she brushed
past. polly" ne half exclaimed, then
paused. Backs are sometimes as eX-
pressive as faces. Polly said distinct
" as back could. :" Don't speak to
me- Phil looked after them a mo-
ment, then suppressing low whistle,
he plunged his hands into his pockets
and took the opposite direction. But
soon relenting, he was sorry to have
done so. "She didn't see me, he
said to himself, " that was it. Well,
I'll go over this evening at all events,
and find out what it means.
Oh what a miserah lie day it was All
the little carefully prepared for pleas
ures we're so many goads and stings to
poor Polly. The turkey clicked the
children's merriment stunned her. And
there were all the relations to be seen
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