Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-06

by NARY L. Il. BRANCH.
Ever so many years ago, there was little
girl named Polly, who lived out on eauti-
full farm where there were plenty OF COWS,
and pigs, and chickens, and apple trees and
daisies.
Polly's grandmother lived in the town, in
al Id house. older than you ever saw, may
be, FOR it had been built more than two hun
dred years.
1t had the great fire. place and chimney
that used to be the fashion, and great par
lor, with a wonderful fire-board. 1t had
pantry where there were sure to be pies and
seed cookies, 90 when you would, and it had
best of all, the nice sunny "keeping-room."
with deep-seated windows, where a little
girl could play house all day. and with
grandmother = own bed in the corner, hidden
BY great flowing chintz curtains that
reached from the tester to the floor.
Those curtains were Polly's never-iailing
delight, for they we're covered with punches
of roses and little boy-angels sitting on clouds
and playing their harps.
Oace a week, and often twice, the farm
horse was harnessed up, and Polly and her
mother went to see grandms. But Polly al
ways felt that she never STAYED long enough.
She would just have started house keeping
in the window, perhaps, or have just reached
the middle Of cookie, or have just caught
the kitten, when her father would come in
and say his business was done, and they had
better get home before dark.
"0h, mother, do let me stay all night ~
was Polly's regular request, but she never
did stay till one particular afternoon. when
it grew dark early.
where's Polly ?" asked her father, when
he came in to hurry them off.
where's Polly ," asked her mother, get
ting the little shawl and hood already.
why, here she is on my bed :" exclaim-
grandma, as she went behind the curtains,
"and she's fast asleep It's cruel to wake
the lamb up. Do let her stay for once Ann"
| Mother came to look. and smiled a little
as she noticed twitch in the eye-lids. but
it was showing out Of doors, and she thought
maybe, on the whole, Polly had better stay;
so she said cheerfully -
Every well, we'll leave her, and her IA
ther can come for her tomorrow night"
So they went, and no sooner had the wag-
on fairly started than there was shout and
a great peal Of laughter, and rush, as Polly
jumped of the bed and flew to her grand
mother to give her hug.
"You re little rogue ~ said grandma,
giving her q little shake and big kiss.
"May have jell for supper p asked Pol
ly.
OF course she had it, and everything else
she wanted, and after supper grandmother
held her in her lap. and told her an old fairy
story about "Slee, Bet and Poll"
"Was | named after that Polly :" asked
the little girl.
"No, you were named after your great
grandmother on your fathers side, Polly
Rogers. l used to know her.
Polly sat still and wondered how many
Pollies there had ever been, till her little
head began to nod. Then grandma undress-
cd her, and lent her one Of her own short
night-gowns to sleep in, and Polly sank down
in the great feather bed, and knew no more
till morning. When she awoke, there were
all the little angels looking at her, and the
sun was shining in and she could hear grand
mother in the kitchen. In minute and
half, Polly was there too, watching the bis
cults in the tin baker before the fire.
After breakfast she had splendid time.
In tho first place, she went up garrett with
grandma after the quilting frame, and she
hid inside the old clock for as much as five
minutes, just for fun. and got whole hand
ful ofdried peppeiment to nibble.
Then when they came down, while grand
pa got her quilt in. Polly Kept house
in the small window, and had all the peices
of broken saucer for dishes.
But by-and-by she moved to another house.
and where do you suppose it was ? Under
the great flower basket quilt that was
stretched upon the frame, and you havn't an
idea, unless you have tried it. what a lovely
house that makes. There Polly gathered her
dishes. and the cat and rag baby, and was
happy as queen.
Mrs Clark and Miss Avery came in pres
emily with their thimbles to help grandma
get her quilt out, and they all three talked
and stitched, and talked and stitched quite
forgetting little Polly down at their i,et.
For long time she watched the pretty d.
Almonds as they appeared, Ole after another
in the roof of her house, and when she tired |
of that, why. there were Miss Avery's sharp |
scissors on the floor. that had been dropped
and never missed. Now Polly's mother hard
ly ever let her take her scissors, because she
wasn't quite five yet, and might do mischief.
But this time there was nobody to say, "no,
no"
Those dear little boy angels How often
she had wished she could take one home
to play with She crept out from under |
the quilting frame, and no one noticed. Tor |
they were very busy talking about how to
wash feathers.
At last there came moment when Miss |
Avery missed her scissors, and pushed her |
chair back to look for them.
"Wbere can they be ?" she said. and then
she exclaimed, "Why massa sakes, that lit
tie Pollys got hold Of 'em, and do bSlieve
she's in mischief?''
"You little witch :" said grandma, get
ting up as quick as she could, and both the |
other ladies ran to the spot Polly had Just
finished cutting out the second angel, and
there they lay smiling in her lap.
"Your nice chintz curtains ~ cried Mrs
Clark. "Why you amt had 'em year,
Miss Garner !"
''She' cut EN- all zig zag." said Miss |
Avery, examing the holes hopelessly.
"You little WITCH" repeated grandma,
and she really did not know what else to
say.
The dear little angels were taken away
from Polly, who almost cried to part from
them. and Mrs. Clark and Miss Avery went
to work laying pieces under. and darning |
tutu uONH, III ~ ldst, uittI u touHic VI |
hours. you wouldn't have known, unless you |
looked twice. that the little winged boys had |
ever left their clouds.
.'l know they wanted to come to live with |
me and play with me ~ said Polly. when she |
told her mother all about it that night on
her return to the farm.
Well, they did come to live with her at
last. but it was not till many years after,
when the dear grandmother had gone to live |
among the real angels.
Then tho chintE curtains were taken down |
and folded away. And now they belong to
Polly, who sometimes takes them from their
box and looks at them. and feels like little |
girl again Youths Companion.
An EsQulmauX Wedding.
From the San Francisco Mail