Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-05-22

evening fire of red blazing logs as Polly
came in with her escort.
He started. So did his pretty, apple
checked wife. as she brought a hot cake
to place on the tea-table alongside of
cold beef.
"Jabez," Polly said, simply, 81 have
brought you guest for tonight. Mr..
Holmsby, of Holmsby Hall"
Jabez, naturally as hospitable as the
sunshine, welcomed the new conner at
once.
"Sit down, sir, sit down." said he.
But had supposed that Mr.. Holmsby
was still abroad"
az returned last night" said the
stranger
Polly ran away to take off her bon
net, brush out the CLASSY spirals of her
sunny brown curls, and whisper IN the
ears of Elvira, her sister-in-law, the
story of her strange and romantic rem
contre."
"Wasn't it singular, Ellie ?" she asked,
as she hurriedly twisted a rose colored
ribbon through the curls. And-oh,
Ellie, if 1 should be the lady of Holms-
by Hall! Don't you think he's hand
some! And isn't his voice low, and
deep, and sweet, just like Edgar Ravens
woods? And"
Hes we'll enough" said Elvira, as
she lifted the steaming teapot off the
hob of the kitchen gate; but he isn't
so good looking as George Bird"
George Bird!' cried Polly, contempt
uously; "a mere pink and white dandy"
"For all that" persisted Elvira,
"there's disagreeable look to his eyes,
and sort of sheer on his lips. But
come, Polly, teas ready now"
Mr.. Holmsby made himself exceed
ingly agreeable that evening; SO much
so that even Elvira was converted to a
favorable opinion.
And little Polly sat with pink cheeks
and glittering eyes, listening to his
graceful eloquence.
"Isn't he splendid, Jabez?" she cried,
when at last the guest was conducted
into the best chamber, where there was
a carpet on the floor and the snowy
linen sheets smelt of sweet clover and
dried leaves"
"He's smooth tongued fellow
enough" Jabez reflectively answered.
"But I don't exactly like the way he
talks about some things"
"That's because YOU haven't travel
ed" said Polly, disdamfully.
She rose early the next morning, and
dressed herself in her prettiest blue
alpaca, with ribbons to match the color
of her eyes, and late rose in her belt,
while the breakfast waited for Jabez,
who had been despatched to the village
for white sugar, instead of the every
day brown that was in the cupboard.
Presently Jabez returned, flushed and
out of breath
at beats al,r he exclaimed, setting
down the cone shaped grocery package
on the table "Do you know, Polly,
Holmsby Hall was broken open yester-
day afternoon, and all the silver and
linen stolen? And"
And 1 can tell you who did it," said
Mrs. Elvira, jumping, woman fashion,
to an immediate conclusion; "that
young man up stairs with the smooth
tongue and the disagreeable droop to
his eyelids. Don't stand staring there,
Jabez, but run up this minute and see
if he hasn't slipped off during the night,
taking the whole side of the house with
him."
Jabez made hate accordingly, while
Polly and Elvira stood looking mutely
at each other, and pale as the bleached
damask table cloth that was the pride
of the latter's housekeeping and in a
minute he came down again.
He's gone, and so has Elvira's grand
mothers silver cream jug that was on
the mantel, and the money that I put
under a pile of linen sheets, and my
best Sunday suit, and Elvira's black
silk dress. No, no, wife, don't cry" he
added, kindly; " as long as he has left
you, and the baby, and Polly, we won't
fret. Only, Polly" with a good-humor-
ed twinkle in his eyes, "you must be a
little more careful about the company
you invite home with you"
Polly's tears were tears of genuine
modification at this unlooked-for end
ing of her enthusiastic dream of ro-
nance.
When Mr.. Holmsby really did come
back, the next Spring, he turned out a
fat, short, fussy old bachelor, with a
thousand and one whims; and Polly
never saw OR heard anything more OF
her hero ~
n