The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-07-07

Tom, said Polly, some hours after,
as they were about starting for home,
4" do give me that thimble. It's mean to
make mother believe it's lost, and I'll
just tell her, so there"
Cant, remarked Tom. It's beyond
the reach of mortal hand. It's gone
where the good thimbles go. Didn't l
tell you you'd never see it again?"
But" said Polly, mother says l
must look for it when l get back, and
how can l when know it isn't there?"
Let me tell her about it, Tom dear, do"
Don't you be a goose, Poll" said
Tom; " don't call me names, either. Sup
pose Jean had heard you, wouldn't he
laugh? If the thimble's lost, it's lost,
and Pm sure | don't know where it is
Just at tins moment, any more than you
DO. Come on, and don't be silly" Tom
accompanied Polly and Jean to their
home, and even pressed his services on
them in their search for the missing ar
ticle.
"Beats everything where that can
have gone, " he said, with a side glance
at Polly. "She says it rolled to the door
and disappeared, and so it did, sure
enough. But it doesn't seem possible
that it shouldn't turn up with all this
search, does it, Mrs. Pardoe?" But of
course they had to give it up.
Polly, are you sick?" asked Mrs.
Pardoe that night at supper. " No,
ma'am," said Polly, meekly; but she
pushed away her bowl of milk almost
untasted, and hurried off to bed at an as
tonishingly early hour for wide-awake
Polly. The next morning in came Jean,
holding in his hand-what, but the
identical old thimbe that was giving
Polly so much trouble. She sprang up
eagerly.
Where did you find it," she cried.
" You're pretty girl, you are" said
Jean, to pretend you lost it, and then
60 and throw it into the cove You're
mothers truthful girl aren't you?
Funny about my finding it, too. l was
wading out after a shell | saw, and when
| mad got the shell l saw something shin
ing away off in the water. l couldn't
reach it myself, SO hollered to Joe, and
he came off in the boat with the oyster
tOngs and tished it up, Wasn't he mad
when he found it was only Jeannie's old
thimble I'm going to show it to mother"
and off he went in spite of Pollys dec
laration that she didn't throw it in
there, truly.
"S'pose it rolled there" said Jean,
scornfully. Mrs. Pardoe looked startled
and very sorry. Polly had always been
50 truthful that Mrs. Pardoe had often
said: when Polly tells me thing is
so, know it is So; and now she be-
lieved Polly had told her an actual lie.
She went and asked poor Polly for her
explanation; but Polly only cried bit
terly and declared she didn't do it, in
deed she didn't" But no further light
could Mrs. Pardoe get on the subject.
She took her little girl to her own room
and talked to her long time, but Polly
would not tell anything more of the
matter. AS punishment Polly was for
hidden to 60 to the cove for a week, and
condemned to sew three hours each day
during that time, and to use the old
thimble, too. The next day Polly was
seated in her little chair, patiently stitch
ing some patchwork, when who should
appear but Tom.
"Halloo, Polly! Don'thave to be both
cred with any thimble now, do you?"
Polly solemnly raised her finger to his
astonished gaze.
"Well, he burst out, "Ineverexpected
to see that again. How did you find it,
POlly?" Polly recounted the whole
story.
You see," she said, with sage air,
" it's of no use to try to deceive about
things. We are sure to get found out in
some way by somebody" This was
what Mrs. Pardoe had told her yesterday
and she knew it must be the proper thing
to say
"Well, I don't know about that" said
Tom, " but, any way, come down to the
beach and help dig up those things we
buried in our mine last week"
Can't" said Polly, soberly.
Why not, I'd like to know? Pm
going back to school next week, and l
think you might put off that sewing and
have good times while do stay" And
Tom put on an injured look, and began
whistlng Indignantly Then Polly told
him about her punishment and no sooner
had he learned how matters stood than
he rushed off like boy possessed" as
Polly said, and soon came tearing back
| Ill SlCdI htlSlC.
So you took all the blame yourself,
did you, and made Mother Pardoe think
you told an out-and-outer? always said
you were a splendid girl, Polly, and now
say it more than ever. But I've made
it all right with Mother p, and she's as
pleased as a boy with a brand-new pair of
red-top boots to think you're not so bad
as she supposed. She says you needn't
sew another stitch while stay. So come
on. Hurrah for our gold mine!" And
off he scampered with Polly at his heels
The day Tom left for school he depos-
tied mysterious little package in Polly's
hand, with orders to q not open it till he
had cleared" 1t contained tiny box
lined with red velvet, and nesting in its
soft bed was the dearest little silver
thimble, with "Plucky Polly" engraved
on the side. Accompanying it was a
funny scrawly note, which read thus:
DEAR Polly: Be sure this thimble doesn't
roll into the cove. Tom.
Perhaps it was the new thimble which
made learning to sew such a compare
lively easy task after this; perhaps it was
because Polly devoted herself SO perse-
veringly to her task; but at all events
she did learn, and to this day keeps the
old brass thimble in memory of her