Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-10
Railroad Sketches One Of the Hands.
BIZ THE AUTHOR OF "rLucx."

"You wont throw me over for this, Polly
after all these years.
The tone was one of passionate entreaty, ant
Polly trembled.
d" I'm not throwing you over, Dennis; try ant
understand. It's only TO wait a little longer"
mel shirt.
"Only to waiti Harenr 1 waited, Polly,
waited patient? is a mans love nothing, tina
il must be set aside for q drunken brute of 1
father, who's so blind with drink half his ii
that he can't tell the difference between yo1
and black Hannah? and the little house al
eyes, know, Dennis; but promise is a pro
mise; and have promised mother to let nothin,
come between me and father as long as b.
lives. And he has turned against you, Dennis
now at the last minute, and We can't be mar
ried just now"
He turned iercely upon the spare little figur,
at his side. "a woman is the coolest hearted
creature on Gods green earth, If had every
thing In my hands-as you have now-not hea
ven nor earth could stop me. And here yoi
stand-my Godl"
Polly thought of the bright little home dow,
the thought came a silent little ghost of sigh
but she had sailed closed-reefed 40 often sine
yenturtng upon the stormy sea OF this man
love, that she did not blunder now. LAYING ont
slender hand upon his arm, she raised her pa
tent eyes to his face.
Don't you know it is hard for nae too
haunted him. but he needed neither then
Catching her hand, he crushed it in one of his
like feather.
" Its the last time, Polly; I've said it and II
stand to it. III never ask you again, 20 hell
me God! Will you Gomez
20, Dennis, you know can't"
"Then goodbye; promise is a promise, ;" hi
added bitterly, as be turned and walked away
without once looking back.
Without once looking back. And Polly look
ing after him with her lips to the hand he had
hat a xnral harl Inn
4" God bless him." she said ferYently, shin
and all his, forever"
She took up the weary burden of her life
anew, If her courage failed or her heart falt.
tered, none knew-none, save God. Denuts
dropped entirely out OF her life; no widow was
ever more desolate. She had had visions of
little child, with Dennis handsome face-she
was very plain herself, poor Pollyl-a little
child who should sometime call her mother; but
that could never be. I am not sure but this
child of her dreams had been her sweetest
fancy, for il will never die to her though IL:
grave is made in that shadowy ideal kingdom
where she dwelt aforetime.
There was nothing but reality left, and
though she felt 1t more and more as the day
went went on, she worked on faithfully: When hel
rather, miserly even in his cups, said to her In
MS mick, drunken voice, ono tea to- night
Polly we are poor, very poor. But I've saved
TOUR crackers for your supper. I'm good ia
hand-such a thin hand! to take them, and a
thank you father and no look of disgust on
her face, though they smelled of tobacco and
rum.
Perhaps the old man thought the ravens fed
ms daughter, for he made no effort to do so
himself. If ever, in an uncommon tit of gem
er0sity, he brought home anything. he always
asked for it again In the morning, and ate it
himself. Polly was used to IL. She had her
dinner and breakfast with au eccentric Old
lady who liked to 'have her around and paid
her small sum weekly, for the privilege. So
Polly wrote the old lady's letters, and mended
her stockings for about q year and then q
change came. Going home, with the leaves
cropping Silly about her, just as they did on
that evening-hOw long ago. she found her IA
Their at home before her. He was trembling
and whimpering, dropping weak tears over a
weak and dying fire.
60 You're late Polly; what makes you later
Polly laid away her wraps quietly in her old
maidish way, asking kindly questions the while.
Is anything the matter father?'
m not well taken care of. I'm cold and
hungry. You're getting close, Polly, close
when you won't get your old father a Inouthful
OF tea when you've plenty of money
Polly put her shawl on again.
. Where are you going? | want you here;
you're mighty fond ofleaving me alone" Polly,
patent and long suffering, put away her shawl
and beckoning 10 a boy who stood on the street
outside sent for what she wanted. Then she
mended the fire and sat down to wait.
g." You've not been good to me Polly, this last
year; you've not been cheerful. 1 can't bear a
long face; You ought TO know it. You do know
it, don't you Polly"
Yes, father"
g | don't feel right; I'm all ola shake and
culver Why don't you do something
THE kettles boiling father, and have sent
Tor loaf and some tea. You'll feel better
when you have had your tea"
He did feel better well enough to lay aside
what was left of the loaf for his breakfast, and
scatter the fire. SO that it would not burn the
1 est of the wood.
" That'lI be wood enough to get my break
fast You're SO extravagant Polly. 60 to bed. :"
10 he hnf DOLL sat in pAlh
and darkness, thinking. long after her father
had drifted into the shadowy land of dreams.
When she had made the room neat next morn
ing and prepared his breakfast, she went to call
her father. He lay with one hand under his
cheek and the bed clothes huddled about his
head staring with wide open eyes at the ceiling,
stone dead. Cold and dead. 1t was great
rhock to Polly. He had never loved her, but
she had given up much for him, and all through
the dreary day, while the neighbOrs came and
went in the next room she sat by the little table
alone and STILL 1t had been like death almost,
this life since Dennis left, but she was thankful
now, that she had not left her father. Poor IA
Their! to save part of his support for another
time, and so near death and heaven. To be SO
poor! And Polly plying him in his loneliness
and poverty almost came TO love him, although
he had been so cruel to her.
:" But he did not know" she said sitting the
thought, mo man could know"
So they buried her dead out of her sight, and
a new surprise came to her. She was an heir
ess. Houses and lands were hers, but she was
iust ~ 1TOtu happiness d- Wuen DcnHlS
turned his staIwart back upon her and sail
goodbye.
" Men are curious animals" said the eccen-
tric old lady aforementioned, and there's no
them; but my dear, ii were in
your place, all the money in the world wouldn't
hire me TO take q particle of interest in one of
them That's my notion. But you're one of
the forgiving kind (Which l must confess I'm
not,) and dare say you want to be serving
somebody. Do as you please. Hunt up this
high tempered laborer; and eudow him with
your riches. You've had no advantages, poor
child, and know no better. Lord. to think of
money pilling mp all the timer
SO, cautiously worded advertisements were
put in the papers, with no result but disap-
pOintment.
''He is dead, ;" said Polly, and sighed.
A" He is married" said the old lady, "and you
are my daughter"
So the two established themselves together,
and lived another year. Then the old lady,
looking at Polly's sad little face one day, said
she must travel. Her rheumatism troubled
her, and her physician recommended Caltfor-
MIA. So they started.
When we are momentarily expecting great
sorrow or a grea, shock, II passes us by, but at
some future time, when we sit thinking of the
most trivial of common place things, it comes,
and taking us unawares, ii prostrates US.
So with Polly. Sitting in the cars, wonder
ing idly whether the wind Is east or west, the
engine shrieks and stops, and there Is q great
commotion.