Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-05-08

Sometimes fear we were very foolish
ana yet we were happy-quite happy.
Perhaps it is best as it is.''
The foolishness to which she referred
was perhaps the solemn VOW made bv the
two sisters-when Arabella was eighteen
and Cornelia tifteen-that they would new
er marry, and always remain together un-
til death should part them.
Miss Arabella did not explain this when
she talked to herself But the vow had
been made, and faithfully kept; and they
were quite happy, and loved each other de-
votedly; so that to all appearances, every
thing was for the best, and for the greatest
happiness of the greatest number
For II the Misses Guernsey had not been
the Misses Guernsey, who in the wide
world would have been the mothers of the
Parish Doll? Not the pastor, evidently,
nor the pastors wife, nor any of the dea-
cons. Miranda would have been more
than an orphan; she would never have
been put together. And there she was,
with beautiful head seWed to beautiful
body, an accomplished fact, and blessing
to all beholders.
Miranda's life was full of variety Part
OF her time was spent in a long, narrow
box, the abode of peaceful meditation.
Then came periods of glowing happiness,
when she was held in plump little arms,
and pressed to youthful bosoms; when
dewy little rosebuds showered kisses upon
her, and all her charms were praised For
when the children Of the parish came, in
small detachments, to spend the afternoon
at the parsonage, the first question asked
was, please, Miss Guernsey can we see
Mlrandy?" In after years, many a little
maiden would remember with smile or
sigh, the happy days when the beautiful
"Mirandy' had been her first and happy
love
While the Parish Doll was thus gather
ing recollections to herself, her mothers
were pursuing the even tenor of their way
The winter had passed, the spring had
come as usual; and there were no signs in
the heavens. Yet events of the first mag
nitude-
But let us begin at the beginning
One morning Miss Arabella was sitting
on the kltchen-porch, preparing rhubarb
Tor pies, when she perceived a girish fig
urc walking hastily across the green COM
mon in front of the church. The figure
came nearer and nearer, and finally stop
ped at the porch.
Miss Arabella looked up and met a pair
OF great, round, black eyes staring at her
from under much battered hat and
profusion of flying red hair.
please, ma'am, be you deaf" asked the
traveller.
No, am not Why do you ask 90
"'Cause, if you was, | would have to
holler. Miss Brown she is as deaf as
dOOrnail.n
what do you want?" asked Miss Ara
bella.
Then the girl dropped little courtesy,
an on rnI5 5la
please, ma'am | am the new girl, if
you Will take me. | amt much to look at
but | am real smart inside"
"We do not wish for a girl"
''No maam; but | want to come and
work for you, cause you have got the big
doll, and you amt mean folks"
How old are you? and what is your
name?"
Il am going on fourteen mostly. And
my name is Polly, guess"
And what else can you do?"
Mostly everything, when l want to. l
have had 'sperience."
Indeed! And how did you get it?"
"Get it? Cause | couldn't get nothing
else. You see''-very confidentially-
father he got killed, or suthin; and my
mother she took sick and died. And there
| was. So | ruined away, and got some
where; and | worked, and got sent off.
SO | kept a-going from pill and to post,
and here be. | hate Miss Brown, | do!
And so, if you like, can't | come here?"
1t is very wrong for you to speak so of
Mrs Brown"
No, it amt, cause it's true. She says
| stealcd her old shawl; and | didn't: |
for my little Maggie as was sick"
..Wbn - vo,Jr little NaUUiaS'
"She is one of my dolls, she is. | have
six of them; and | make them myself !
do You see, folks as hasn't got nobody
wants somebody: it's kind of encouragin'-
But they keep real quiet, and won't 'sturb
youa bit Then | am so bad, perhaps you
can make me good Miss Brown says |
am Il case
Miss Arabella reflected little while.
Then she talked with the family; and the
result was, that Polly came to the parson-
age, bringing her dolls with her
The dolls were made of newspapers,
clothed in rags, and by no means beauti-
full. But Polly loved them quite seriously.
How can you tell them apart?" asked
Miss Arabella.
oh! easy enough. Some of them
are taller than each other, you see;
and them two are both twins. Then, when
| feel like it, | take them out and read
them; them papers is full of tragedies, and
accidents and things"
How she had learned TO read was mys-
terry; but she had decided taste for liter
ature and the fine arts. Among her few
treasures was an engraving representing
the Garden of Eden before the creation OF
man She called it the picture OF Adam
and Eve" and took particular pains to eX-
plain, that you can't see Adam and Eve
lust now, cause they have gone some
where else"
To such an enthusiastic, artistic spirit,
TO behold Miranda was to love her, and to
love was to worship. Indeed it was the
only thing she did well, besides eating.
She broke as many dishes as she eonven-
ientlv could; she told as many stories AS
she could invent; and at church she set all
the children laughing, by making funny
faces. and looking like martyred saint
the moment she was detected.
Miss Arabella. and the whole Guernsey
family, croaned under the intilctlon; but
what was TO be done?
Polly decided that question. One fine
morning in August Polly was nowhere to
be found. She had gone away during the
night, and left her dolls motherless.
"She will return soon,' said Miss Ara
bella. But she did not return; and search
was made for her. No one had seen her;
no one could find her.
Il.