The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-09-10
JUVENILE COLUMN.
PoLLY's REVENGE.

Ifhem Polly Day ton, VINO, running briskly
down the road, soon out distanced her
noisy companions.
1t had been trying afternoon for Polly.
9 Her sums would not add she had descend
Il ed the spelling class to third from foot,
4 and had barely escaped extra imprisonment
II because of her general inattention and dis
! order. Ordinarily she was busy as q bee,
and the teacher could see 10 reason for her
4 strange misbehavior.
But Polly thought there was very good
reason. That noon-time she had gone into
the woods to inspect the chestnut trees; not
with much hope, for the season was back
= ward, and the burrs persistently green,
when to her joyful surprise, she beheid
goodly company of brown coats scattered
here and there on the ground. Quickly
she stopped and began gathering them into
her apron but the school bell broke in
upon her raptures and despoiled her hopes
Of feast. She hurried her picking, and
depositipg apron and all at the foot of a
tree scampered dutifully back.
So far Polly was good little girl, yet it
required much effort for her to face those
long columns of figures when her thoughts
had room only for the brown coats in the
woods. But she battled hard, and might
have succeeded, only that, az the minutes
passed, she noticed Bob Buffers seat still
vacant, and no prospect of his return. Bob
Butler was Poly's special dread he was
the source of her greatest troubles, failures
anu anu LDo DetleI CflaC
be was even now devoaring her chestn uts
was more than poor Polly could bear. She
gave full vent to her wrath and indign alton,
nor cared for the result.
Polly was right. Escaped finally from
durance vile, she hurried to the woods bot
to view heap of empty burrs, aud Bob
Buffers unmlstakable whead retreating
down the road. 1t was too much for
Polly.
"You mean boy !" she shouted. rIll do
somethin' dreadful, see if I DON'T" and
with this, great tears ran down her cheeks.
She sobbed aloud.
This would seem foolish behavior for
Polly, when shortly there would be deluge
of chestnats in the land: but, you see, it
was not SO much the loss of the brown
coats that grieved her, as the part that
Bob Butler had played therein. 1 am sorry
to admit that, PRESENTLY, she dried her
tears, and meditated some plan for revenge.
But though Polly thought and thought
she as constantly shook her head. 1t was
no easy task. There was little that she
could do for which Bob Butler would care
Suddenly her face frightened.
81 know I" she cried, and with an un-
conscious kick at tie empty brown coats
she fairly flew down the roadway, never
pausing till she reached a small house, in
the door of which sat an old gentleman
reading.
This last was Uncle Alec, a man with DO
AoiaI'es III tne Worlu save the meek little
woman who kept his house; yet uncle to all
the children in the neighborhood the
special object of their veneration and love.
10 these Uncle Alec was wisdom person
lfed; to Polly, especially, an unfailiug
neip. That he could solve her problem she
did not doubt.
Uncle Alec" she cried, breathleesly,
want You to tell me somethin' dreadful
to do to Bob Butler"
And what did Uncle Alec-scold, look
stern, and tell her what wicked girl she
Wasf Not at all he simply patted her
flushed cheek, and said softly
"Why, little Poll. what has Bob Butler
been doing to your"
Polly, in her eagerness to punish the
enemy, had thought only of Uncle Alec's
power to help; something in the grave
voice troubled her she wished she hadn't
come come. Still she poured out hurriedly the
story of her wrongs, exclaimiDg:
must do somethin' dreadful He's a
bad boy, and 1 ,rH!"
Did Uncle Alec scold7 No; he smiled.
Little Poll" he said, You want to be
revenged on Bob Butler7 You want to
uo something that will make him, oh, 80
sorry that he emptied your brown coats,
ana keep him from ever troubling you
fully"
Yes" .gasped Polly.
Wel;" continued Uncle Alec, "I've
r I0 On
to do as 1 say" p
Polly. gave hearty assent. But when
Unlce Alec spoke, she blazed indignant.
Little POLL" he said, "iu a few davs.
nuts will be ripe. You must go to the
woods and empty enough brown coats to
NIL your dinner pail. Heap it full and
plenty, then go to Bob Butler and say you
picked them for him ~
For moment, Polly could find no
speech. Suspense, disappointment, anger,
heid her spell bound. Pick ehestnuts for
Bob Butler Fill her dinner pail for that
odious boy
uT-1 - won't !" she cried spasmodically.
Uncle Alec, won't !"
AND Ano without another word, she rushed
from the house.
but the next day came to Polly the re-
ii' mem m oTance OF her promise. She dared not
ne 10 Uncle Alec; so, desperately, che be-
gamer. gan ner task. Speedily the brown coats
ppuImitPlled, and at the end of the week,
rGliy found her pail full, and in company
RnS Rtn y herself, standing in the presence of