The Lake County star., 1877-06-07
WASTED.

Il declare, II you do, I'll send Miss
Polly back by the next train, and write
+. to mamma to tuck her dresses and rele-
gate her TO the nursery again."
. The speaker Is Mrs. Saltoun, beau
stiful young matron Of three or four
and twenty. The subject she is dis
'cussing with Mr.. Staunton--the hand
some, stlff, soldierly man opposite To
her--is her sister Polly, O young Girl
of sixteen, fresh from the paternal
country rectoIy. let loose from home
for the first time. s.ii ~. -,.i
- Mr.. ,6taunton laughs In o pleasant,
half embarrassed way; he Is on very
tntimate terms with the beautiful
young wife of Captain g., and he does
. not mind her outspokenness on the
subject Of his pronounced attentions to
her sister. In the least. In spite oi
her. threat to send Polly home if he
will persist in dancing all the round
dances with the child, he knows well
that in her heart Mrs. Saltoun is far
from ill-pleased ut the turn affairs are
: taking. \. 7sr iis ,cfT tt~
..Pcliy may be only child, but she's
q remarkably nice child, and refreshes
fellow who has had dose OF the de-
signing girls of the period. Come,
q Mrs, Saltoun, you must let her dance
with me. / am q safe fellow, you
y know. Other feilows, would be sure
to try htinlbug on, with such charm
Ing iittle girl" ge
-. Mrs. Saltoun heaves sigh of mock
. resignation. "Oh, my responsible
@ties!" she says. Here am I bur-
dened with the care Of Miss Polly g
swell-being now, and with three small
daughters OF my own growing up in
the nursery ~ fast rs they can. Bet
ter give her the bonbons, Mr.. Staun-
ton, and not insist on my taking her
to the ball tonight"
r. Mr.. Stauuton shakes his head at the
an undercurrent Of earnestness In Il.
''I do insist" he says In q friendly,
half peremptory tone, where Is Polly
3 i'Puttlng puzzles together" her sis
ter tells him mischievously, "or play
ing cats cradle with my hOusemaid
and wasting that flnctiOnary's time
or seeing how she would look with
her hair turned up and bonnet on.
MY dear Leonard" Mrs. SaltOun
goes on with a sudden dash of earnest
ness, ''let the child be child still"
= "YOu were engaged to SaltOun at
SIXTEEN he urges.
"Oh. don t quote meW che cries With
q laugh, "It's all right with me, just
because Phil Is Phil. How he used to
humor my sudden fancies and imagin-
ary regrets and how he looked after
me, not leaving me to my own devices
= to pick up what friends and ideas i
liked, as half you men do. Don't quote
me; am an exceptionally fortunate
/. woman, and-you're not Phil"
~ She says these words with q sudden
solemnity that Is foreign to her, and
that causes him to look grave and to
remain silent. Then she remembers
that, after all, Leonard Staunton has
q not proposed marriage to Polly; and
also that, up to the present, Polly Is
quite innocent Of the knowledge that
he 10 specially singing her out. Re
omembering these things, she says,
with q swift return to her ordinary
bright, gay manner:
''I believe / am going more than
half way 10 meet trouble. You're
rather fond of teasing in you're sober
way, Leonard?"
"Well, put the question by for the
time" he laughs. Z" What are your
plan, plan ,ha for ths the dsy' Are you going to
al am going to ride; you may be
my escort, II You like"
shall be most happy" he snys
slowly, with q lack OF all fiattering
eagerness. Mira. Saltoun Is unaccus-
toned to have her gracious permission
received in this way, 20 she says,
"Dsnt @ FEEL yourself bound to go be-
cause i asked you--" ~ NI
Is Polly going?" he interrupts |;
and at this plain betrayal Of his feel
ings, Polly's sister cannot refrain
anger against him or refrair. from
mo; Polly will remain. at home in
her bedroom, trimming her first ball
dress all over with rosebuds-real ones,
such beauties ~ ..-,-.
.Extravagant Miss Polly! I know
TO my cost that rosebuds are of price,"
But they were sent to her; they
are an offering OF Mr.. Carew."
p headed fellow in thu th?"
He is In the-th, but as far as can
remember, he's not red-throated, and
certainly he's not white-headed. What
heresy to speak Of his golden hair In
i that way" tnu
/" 81 don't think much of him, ~ Staun-
ton says; aud then, as there isn't much
prospect Of seeing Polly, he takes him.
"I dare say you don't think much Of
hini, Mrs Ssltosn murmurs, thought
fully ;rsbut for alf that he's q warm.
hearted, nice boy, who would love
/. Polly better than himself, which you
never will" ~ tra
Just at this moment the theme her
self comes Into the room-a light foot
ed, slender-shaped girl ofslxteen, with
a sweet, gay child's face. and q pleas
ant. vnafFected -cbilh's manner Lying
inJAJ thick fringe over her forehead.
and hunging In wavy masses down
her 'bael<e half II . rcd lkol1en hue
make ariaureoie ArOudt~ ~her. She has
her hsutis full Of fosebnds. CArew
has been very liberal; having used all
she' wants Tor her dress, she has
brought these to her sister.
"You careless, child, how you're
nneu6eyk k5m{1 fads and tailB Btogefher. I"
!. Mrs. Hsltouu says; !" Thsnks these
.afS Sor me are they {? Have you decor
ated yourself sufficiently In your own
! -TSR XSSt Is sTrs.sild w them TO.
: night, Belle, - the girl replies, II wish
to-night were come. On, Bplle, shall
be wretched II have 70 sit out and
watch other glrls dancing, and don't
ret any mvseIf.D
: y cOK. someohs 3 surs. 10 be rood ma
.tured enough To ask you.r -.
90 Mr.. Carew will, I am sure" /" Polly
And I'Ye ,agldouhtr 4 but that Mr..
. 81 2]1ss @iHy Polly 4ke hss been here
this mosnlngp epf, - ,eiT ,'fsaf
sS7sHss BE ~ Folly says, With superb
'a"Yss, ysr ere sorry 1 didn't send for
YOU ~ the married sister Asks.
's"Oh, 10, Belle, I couIdn't have
come. y the child lsnsweEs freely. 81
VA 2b6rt ny }rsss yod know: I do
.hspe Il Will losk lo0g eneueh behind." "
fseiing sbs p1sDed away from The sub
Ject Of Mr.. 6taunton.