The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-01-13

y
ruther clipper myself when was a
gal.
g You're on the wrong track, mother,
entirely. How would you Ike the Dea-
cons Alice for darter?"
La, SUI = and Aunt Debby dropped
her knitting and stared at Uncle Silas
with wide distended eyes for the space
of thirty seconds but nothing short of
paralysis could longer deprive that ex-
cellent woman of the use Of her tongue.
"Deary me! well, to be sure! but
why not Alice is a good sensible gal
as we'll as hansum one, and not bit
split with bein' an only darter, as gals is
apt to be, and then the Deacon's fore
handed and his medder jines ourn.
Well, father, considerin' everything,
John might go futher and fare wus.
$50 think, mother not that Alice
would be my ch'ice-she's too still and
white but then it's not me that's goin'
to marry her if John fancies her it's all
right shan't ask him to look at her
through my glasses. No, no let him
please himself and he'll please me-"
Polly tried to say something to keep
her silence from beng observed but If
her life had depended on the articulation
of dozen syllables she could not have
spoken them. Poor Polly she had
found out at last what allied her she
loved Joha with her whole warm little
heart, and now he would go and marry.
Alice Brown and-a lump got into Pol
ly's throat just here and threatened to-
choke her, and before she knew it sob
escaped, and Polly took refuge in de-
ceiJtul fit of coughing, which, Like all
falseness, carried its own punishment
with it-for it distracted Aunt Debby's
attention from her future daughter-in-'
law and concentrated it on Polly's self. Il
".Why, child, you've caught drefful
hard cold all to onst you must take a
tablespoonful of hoarhound balsam right
away. / never herd drier cough nor
that of yeurn-it sounds just like CynthyI
Besom's did the winter she took the gal
lopin consumption, and was dead and
buried ali inside of six months" And
Aunt Debby hustled about and got out
the big bottle from the chimney cup
board, and measured out dose of the
hoarhound balsam. Polly knew that re-
monstrance would be worse than useless,
ture without protest. Then she was sent
to bed with directions to go to sleep
right away, and with the comforting as
surance that if the cough did not sue
cumb to the balsam before morning John
should go for old DR.. Drugen the first
thing after breakfast. -..4
Polly's mistake was one that is often
made by young girls who are too much
taken up with the pleasant story of their
own lives to stop to think OF ask ques-
tons of their hearts. We are none of us
much given to introspection in our
"salad days - and when at last we do
take to ul-probing it is usually too late
to benefit by our discoveries.
Polly-the orphan child of PARKWAY
cousin-had been adopted by Uncle 81
las and Aunt Debby when very small, SO
she and John had grown up together
like brother and sister, and she had
really never once thought of John Gs
lover, or a possible husband, unEil his
rather abrupt proposal had startled her
into the declaration that she did not
love him, when the truth was ahe had
been loving him every day of her life
without in the least suspecting it. Polly
did not go off in galloping consump-
ton like Cynthia Bosom, nor did she
pine away and die of a broken heart
healthy people never do either-she just
lived on from day to day, as we all do
and must in spite of disappointment and
heartbreak. She did not even droop,
but held up her head like brave little
flower that will not heed the rude winds,
but smiles through all their buffettings.
Perhaps hope was not yet plucked up
by the roots; for hope is sturdy plant
that hourishes in sterile soils, and will
sustain life long time on very scant
nourishment.
1t was December now, and the young
folks of Sleepy Hollow were met in Uncle
Silas Briggs woods for skating frolic
on the woodland pond. When the mer-
riment was at it's height, and the skaters
flying in all directions, every ear was
startled by the loud cracking of the
frozen surface then came crash-a
heavy cry-and in few moments later
John Briggs lay at Polly's feet cesd.
At least SO it seemed to Polly then
the sun went down and night came in
moment, and there lay Polly in swoon
on the dead mans breast But John
was not dead, or even much hurt, only
chilled to insensibility, and conscious
ness returned before any one had recoy-
cred presence of mind to remove Polly
from her resting place on his bosom.
"Good gracious Polly's tainted r
cried Susy Brown; run quick, some
body, and fetch some water"
The girls had rallied by this time and
crowded round Polly like bees round
crocus bed in spring, and she was in
danger of being killed by kindness, when
Simeon Brown rushed up with cap full
of icy water and dashed it slap in Polly's
face. That woke her up in hurry she
gasped, opened her eyes, and seeing the
group of frightened faces about her,
asked !" What's the matter?" Poor
Polly she knew Immediately what the
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