Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-05-08

III peace lay IN the big box by night and
y Polly's pocket by day; only, one evenin
in when the landlord had taken away q
+, box us part payment of the rent, al
m things were looking so serious that Il
m neighbors began talking of the House
a Polly took the money. and, having n
'f where else to put it, laid ii out in lit
'r heaps upon the mantel shelf, and she az
Dick sat down and looked at it.
d Baby was fast asleep in bed, the chure
d clock outside htd Just doomed out ten G
a the frosty November air, and most of Il
II dodgers were quiet-for the Groves ALE
e folks went to bed early; Polly sat wit
e her thin cheek resting on her hand, an
$ Dick was lying on the ground at her fee
u when suddenly the boy said, :" Let's cour
: it, Polly.
: She must have known instinctively t
q what he was alluding. for, though sh
started, she rose without word, and wit
steady fingers, laid the shilings side b
i side along the manteI shelf. Ninetee
shllings, she said, slowly. and the six
I pence.
1t seems hardly worth while to leav
the sixpence there, said Dick, in Il hurried
whisper, does it, PollyP If itwere ours
II it we're ours, said Polly, with bright
ening eyes, we'd have good dinner to
morrow. Dick, and not cheap bread, ant
we'd give baby milk without water in it.
: And if il were all ours? said Dick, still
speaking softly.
If it were all ours, interrupted Polly
with strange look darkening over hpl
face, we would be happy. Dickie. wouldn'
weP Something to cat for whole montl
I-tlll Chrlstmas-and something over.
| Oh. everything, said Dick. Polly, -anc
he dropped his voice until he had 10 stoor
to listen-couldn't we just-borrow it, yor
know, for month OF SO? If it were ours
And his little childish hand stole out and
touched the first shilling on the shelf
Folly had been sitting us one in a dream
but at the touch she seemed to awaken
The new look that had been creeping over
her face frightened rs she jumped up and
put Dicks hand somewhat roughly aside
If it were onrs, we'd spend it, Dick, she
said; hut as it is. we'll just keep it safe
till we see her.
But if we never sec her2 said Dick,
whimpering and half frightened
Never mind that said Polly, decidedly ;
If the worst comes, Dick, and we have
|
But Il workhouse, objected Dick.
Well, we have to work anyway, said
Polly with practical common sense, and
we may rs well work in IL house rs
out-that's my joke, Dick
Dick laughed rs he always felt bound in
honor to do at Polly's jokes; and half an
hour afterward, he was lying fast asleep,
with long lashes shading the wstful eyes
and the money quite forgotten; but Polly,
remembering the temptation, kept the
shillings always in her pocket for the
future, and went to bed that night with
one other trouble aided to her careful
life
But they did not come to the J." House."
after all, for when the children had gone
to bed that night, Mrs. O'Flannighan held
II council of two in her room, and decided
that she could work with an easier mind
by day if Polly were there to tend Billy
bit, and give him what he needed.
So l'll pay the rent of the room, Mrs.
o Flannighan said, and l don't doubt
they'll pick enough TO get along for the
winter; Tor Mrs. o Flannghan was looked
upon as money ed woman in Groves
Alley.
So it chanced that morning after morn
ing. when Dick had gone out with his
blacking box to earn the daily bread,
Polly would 90 singing down stairs with
the baby to brighten Blly's room with her
patient. CHEEKY ways and pleasant face, as
she frightened her own home; and Billy
caught the infection, and grew to wonder
how he had ever thought the davs long, or
the pain in his back too terrible to bear for
Polly could show him SO MANY ways of
making the time pass She could make
baskets out of nuts. and mice out of apple
pips; she could sing and chatter while she
workee about; and, best of all, when the
sunshine died out and her work was over
she could pin up a corner of the blind,
just to show the red light over the gloomy
alley, and sit holding his feverish hand in
hers, telling him beautiful stories, with her
quiet baby on her lap; only sometimes she
had to stop when she coughed-sho had
grown to cough good deal lately-and
then they would all sit quiet until Mrs.
U Flannghan came bustling in, or Dckie's
whistle sounded on the stairs, and Polly
had to run out to spend the pennies he had
earned.
She's not bad child, Mrs. .O'Flannighan