The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-03-02
What that red-throated, whitehead

@Idon't think much of him, Stauntor
says; and then, as there isn't much pros
pect of seeing Polly, he takes himself
away"
Il dare say you don't think much oi
him" Mrs Saltoun murmurs, thought.
fully; but for all that he's a warm.
hearted, nice boy, who would love Polly
better than himself which you never
will"
Just at this moment Polly herself
comes into the room-a light footed ,slend-
er shaped girl of sixteen, with asweet,gay
childs face and pleasant, unaffected
childis manner. Lying in thick fringe
over her forehead, and hanging in wavy
masses down her back, hair of a red
golden hue make anaureole around her
She has her hands full of rosebuds
Carew has been very iberais- having
used all she wants for her dress, she has
brought these to her sister.
You careless child, how you're hold
ing them, tails and heads together Mrs
Saltoun says. Thanks these are for me
are they?" Have you decorated your
self sufficiently in your own estimation.
Il shall be wreathed in them tonight,
Belle" the girl replies; Il wish tonight
We're come. Oh, Bell, l shall be wretch
ed if have to sit out and watch other
girls dancing, and don't get any myself
"Oh, some one is sure to be good ma
tured enough to ask YOU"
.Mr Carew will, am sure" Polly re-
joins.
And I've no doubt but that Mr. Staun-
ton will, Polly; he has been here this
moring."
"Has he?" Polly says with superb in
difference.
"Yes; you are sorry didn't send for
you?" the married sister asks.
"Oh, no Belle; couldn't have come, ,
the child answers freely. Il was about
my dress you know. 1 do hope it will
look long enoug behind. And with this
expression of earnestness feeling she
passes away from the subject of Mr.
Staunton.
Half an hour after this, Mrs Saltoun,
riding away from her house, casts an
upward glance at the drawing room
window, where Polly lounges watching
her. The red golden hair is tangled, for
she has been rolling on the floor with a
puppy, and the bright child's face is
dimpling all over with smiles that are
evoked by nothing particular.
Thank heavenl" the young matron
says, taking her horse away at q sharp
trot. Polly is child still, with no
thought Of love or marriage in her
head"
So thinking, she filings off all wearying
thoughts of the responsibilities of her
elder slsterhood. So thinking, she stays
out many hours of that bright summer
afternoon, enjoying her ride-stung by
no consciousness of violated charge
rec from the oppressive influence of
the knowledge that she will have 10 come
TO definite conclusion soon.
She stays ou., beguiled by the beauty
of the day, so long, that when she reach
es home, hot and tired, she finds that
dinner will be ready in quarter of an
hour, and that Phil is already dressed
for it. In her eyes Phil is faultless. In
other peoples eyes, Phil's mania for
punctuaIity is deemed trif1e less than
a virtue. However, whatever it may be,
Mrs Saltoun has respect for the quail
ty, and reaches the table Just as her hus-
band is beginning to be impatient
She is so breathless with the rapidib
of her movements during the last ten
minutes, that she does not notice Polly
until dinner is nearly over, and she has
detailed to her husband every incident
fher ride. Then she turns to her sis
ter, and is about to offer the latter DON
key ride on Black-heath, when some
thing in the childs face stops her. 7r
What is it?" she CALCULATES. polly"
The red gold hair fringes the brow and
hangs in wavy masses down her back,
just as it did in the morning. But the
free, happy child's face, and bright unaf-
fected child's manner have changed
She has been reused from the enchanted
sleep of childhood; but whether it has
been by the kiss of the genuine fairy
prince or not remains to be be seen.
1--we something to tell you, Belle" I"
she says, with certain sort of out going
of feeling toward her sister, and her lips
quiver, and her eyes fickerand fill with
tears in O way that makes Phil wonder
"if the child has broken anything or
not"
But his wife had no such dread Us this
on her mind as she takes the young girl
"a child no longer-back into the draw
ing-room and asks lovingly:
Tell me dear, is it Carew?''
And, with choking sobs, Polly Suite rs
out
"No, Belle, no; its Mr. Staunton."
@Has he been here?" Belle questions
Indignantly.
"Yes, almost as soon as you left. and
he has been so very, very kind, that i
couldn't say no when he asked me if /
would be his wife"
Did YOU wish to say no." the married
sister asks, in an agony of spirit which
she dares not quite reveal"
NO" Polly says, holding up a tear
stained face to be kissed. Il didn't want
to say anything hadn't thought ofhim
even, till he came in and told me that
he loved me very much, and that he'd
like me to be his wife and that he might
be able to take care Of me; and theh
remembered Aunt Helen and Aunt
Grace, and how dim and dull and cross
they always seem, and mamma say that's
because they have no husbands to love
and take care Of them, and so said yes
Fancy my being married before Flor
ence, Belle. She'll come and stay with
US both now, and / shall take her to the
balls
AS this view of the glories of her
future state beams upon her, Polly's
face glows with gratified vanity, and all
her tears are dried upat once. The tears
threaten to spring again when Mrs Sal
toun SAYS: