Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-01-06

However, neither Uncle Silas nor Aun
Debby paid the least regard to Paul Pry':
rather personal and slightly ;mpertinen
remarks; but they made Polly so nervou:
with dread of what he might say mex
that she could not eat, and thereby attract
ed Aunt Debby's attention TO herself.
Be you sick, child. You don't seem
to have no appetite and your face is red
as a beet this minute. do hope to good
| ness you amt going TO be took down with
fever. Simon Brown says it's dretful bad
over 10 Rockaway."
g Polly's cheeks is allus like pink hol,
lyhocks," said Uncle Silas, with a glance
Of aftectionate sdmlration in Poily's di
2ction.
Some folks admire TO see red cheeks
and then again some doesn't. There's
Alice Brown, now; she amt got no more
color nor stattoo; but mos folks lows
she's drefful hansum; that young painter
chap from iork was allus DRAWN o.
her picter. For my part, | think red
cheeks is healthy and Aunt Debhy
stirred her tea meditatiqely.
Alice Brown amt no more to be COM
pared to our Polly for looks nor them
bleached potato-sprouts down cellar is fiji
TO be put in p0sey along O. pinks and
gillyfowers," said Uncle Silas, indig-
nantly.
Well, father, / dunno; last Sabbath
20 church when look up in the core and
see Alice in her white freck and with all
them yellow curls hangin round her face
and singin' so sweet-like, why, couldn I
help thinkin' of the angels.
Polly amt no angel, surely. But
don't you be downhearted, Polly; pretty
gals amt goia' out of fashion this year
No, nor next year nuther"
La father, how YOU do talk As If
Polly didn't know better nor TO set store
by her good looks. Why, there was
Clarissy Hunter, Wien / was a girl; all
perfect WAX doll, all pink and white and
hair the color o. sunshine. Well, she went
down to Falbridge 10 visit her mothers
relations, and took smallpox, and that
was the last Of her good looks. But that
want the wust of IT; she was promised
TO Hiram Barber, and when he sees she
want bit like herself, he up and mar
ried Kitty Gibson. If il had a been me
I'd a ruther had Clarissy, if she was
humbly, for she was sweet.tempered
critter and mighty neat housekeeper
but Kitty Barber--kitty Gibson that was
was Tartar and a slattern 10 boot
which amt common. For you'll mostly
see a slack, easy-goin' woman amt got
no more snap IN her nor di sh -clout
while woman that's suthin OF spitfire
is apt to be mortal spry and generally has
two cleanin' days TO a week
Polly, who had begun to clear off the
supper. table, stopped midway 10 the pan
try TO hear the last OF Aunt Debby's remi.
niscences, and she could not help wonder
ing If it would make any difference to
John if she should lose her good looks /;
that is, supposing they had been engaged
like Clarissa and Hiram OF course as
things were John would not care il her
eyes should suddenly turn crooked in her
head or II her pretty little nose were 10
assume gigantic proportions on the in.
slant
John was what women call handy"
about the house and often helped Polly
wash dishes and peel potatoes; and on
wash days in very cold weather he had
even been known to hang out the clothes !;
all Of which his mother and the neigh
Dor women put down to the score Of
Johns kind heart, and they were all
agreed that hc would make a model hus.
band.
Perhaps il was all abstract goodness on
Johns part; but If so, why was ii that no.
body had ever known him 10 show the
least concern about old Mrs. Moss rheu-
matte hands when she took Polly's place
at the washtub; though he has been seen
to hold Polly's rosy digits for five min
utes just 10 warm them, you know, and
then send her indoors while he battled
mantully with wet, tapping sheets and
stringy towels.
As time went on, however, he seemed
10 lose all his little helpful ways about the
house; the water.bucket might stand
empty half the day without his perceiving
it-Polly might reduce her fingers ID pink
Jelly driving nails to train her roses
John never seemed 10 know ii or TO imag.
inc that any assistance was needed or ex-
pected from him. He was not actually
unkind, but there was difference he did
not appropriate Polly as be used to do +;
he always gave way when Simeon Brown
or Hall Burton or any other of the young
men came about. He was away good
deal in the evenings, and when he did re.
main at ho;ue was usually absorbed in
1.-The newspapers or book or else he was
busy with accounts and must not be dis.
turbed.
II Polly wonders sometimes IL John has
forgotten all about that little scene in the
old kitchen, one spring morning, not so
very long ago. She does not wonder If
he has gotten over being fond OF her--as
he said he would endeavor 10 do--she is
quite sure that he has. Though why she
should cry about 1t Is not quite SO clear
10 Polly; but she does, nevertheless, and
the briny drops fall slowly and mournful.
" into the dish.pan, When she has
+done up" the dishes and wept her :" lit.
De weep" she bathes her face in cool
spring water, and without even one tiny
I,eep into the little cracked looking-glass
loes into the sittlng-room.
Uncle Silas was enjoying his pipe and
the newspaper together, and Aunt Debby
was counting off the loops on her knitting
NEEDLES preparatory to "setting.up' The
hsel in a gray yarn stocking, whose di-
mansions proclaimed that IL was intended
t1warm and comfort, during the storms
ofthe coming winter, one OF pair OF feet
atpresen, reposing inside of Uncle siias'
fta. from Liliputian slippers. John is not
ptsent, so the room Is very still; II Il
wise even than the great empty kitchen,
toll the crickets keep that from being
utterly dreary, but the ticking Of the tall
click in its dim corner only makes the
sittng room seem more lonesome. Polly
tales her work and sits down in her little
sewing -chair, and wonders what aiis her
sell and everybody and everything. She