The Morning herald., 1875-12-25

assistance was needed or expect ed fro
him. He was not actually unkind, b.
there was difference he did no. appropl
ate Polly as he used to do; he always ga
way when Simeon Brown or Hall Burton
any other of the young men came abou
He was away good deal in the evening
and when he did remain at home was us'
ally absorbed in the newspapers or boos
or else he was busy with accounts and mu
not be disturbed.
Polly wonders sometimes If John has fo
gotten all about that little scene in the oil
kitchen, one spring morning, not SO yer
long ago. She does uot wonder if he ha
gotten over being fond of her-as he sal
he would endeavor to do--she is quite sur
that he has. Though why she should cr
about it is not quite so clear to Polly bu
she does, nevertheless, and the briny drop
fall slowly and mournfully into the dish
pan. When she has "done up'' the dishe
and wept her ''little weep" she bathes he
face in cool spring water, and without ever
one tiny peep into the little cracked locking
glass goes into the sitting groom.
Uncle silas was enjoying his pipe, and
the newspapers together, and Aunt Debby
was counting off the loops on her knitting
needles preparatory to " settin-up" the
heel in grey yarn stocking, whose dimen-
sions proclaimed that 1t was intended to
warm and comfort, during the storms OF
the coming winter, one Of pair of feet at
present reposing inside Of Uncle Sila's far
from Lilliputian slippers. John is not pres
ent, so the room is very still; it is worse
even than the great empty kitchen, for the
crickets keep them from being utterly
dreary, but the ticking of the tall clock in
it's dim corner only makes the sitting-ro
seem more lonesome. Polly takes her work
and sit s down in her little sewing chair,
and wonders what ails herself and every
body and everything. She longs to throw
her work into the fire and herself on the
floor and cry her eyes out; but what would
Aunt Debby say to such doings' All, If the
Aunt Debbys could but look beneath the
surface, oftentimes, what an uplifting of
hands and eyes would take place, to be
sure! But Aunt Debby "set-up' her heel
undisturbed, and, getting into plain sailing,
she remarked how quiet every one was.
This eliciting no response, she next sup
posed it would be late before John got
home then Polly asked where John was
He's gone to Deacon Browns to core
meetin' : Simeon cum along this afternoon
and gin him notice. I think you'd a better
went too, Polly; you don't seem pert
here's nuthin' like a bit O company to
liven young folks up, or old ones either"
Polly did not say anything, but a pang
hot through her heart and she wanted to
ry worse than ever-what could all her
Uncle silas laid his paper down and cast
shrewd glance at Polly over his glasses,
hen hemmed and said I" Mother, do you
hink it's the singin' and nuthin' else that
axes our John to Deacon Browns so oft
f an evenin 2"
Why, what should 1t be You don't
hink he's under conviction do you? I
ho uldn't wonder, though, now that YOU
'ention it, if he was. Them's powerful
armons Parson Hammond's been preechin'
'tely-most enough to wake the dead,
pecially in the graves under the meetin'
ouse winders. Well, if it's the Lords will
} call him, it would be main comfort
} me to see him brought into the fold afore
die. Not but what Johns allus been a
BOD son as things is-tho' ruther fond
addlia and dancin maybe, and carln'
IS for prayer meetings than could wish
still I dunno as he's much different to
ost young folks that way used to be
'ther clipper myself when / was gal."
" You're on the wrong track, mother, en-
rely. How would you like the Deacon's
lice for darter z" II
" La, suz 2'' and Aunt Dcbby dropped
II knitting and started at Uncle silas with !
lde-distended eyes for the space of thirty
conds but nothing short of paralysis :
uld longer deprive that excellent woman t
the use Of her tongue.
suppose that Polly's mistake was rec,i- {
d on the way home, for there was c
'dding at Uncle silas Briggs's on Christ t
Is Eve, on which occasion Aunt Debby T
IS heard to deliver herself after the fol- v
wing characteristic manner:
You never kin tell till afterwards how a @
ddin's goin' to turn out, specially these f
rs when things is so uncertain, and mar. &
d folks don't think no more O. cuttin' d
'se from each other nor men does O. quit n
Z the grocery business. Why, divorce v
Is is getting to be about as common as ped =
-