River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-03-28
DARK DAYS.

London, on the very hottest of july
days, is not, perhaps, the place of all 9th
crs where one would choose to live, al
ways supposing that the power of choice
were left us. We should find the glare
on the pavements and on the white houses
the close, oppressive atmosphere, The
brown and withered grass in the squares
perfectly insupportablc after very few
days, al we chould fly to Cowes or Ryde
10 Norway or New York, for change and
TefTeshment.
But if, like Polly Marker and ''the
boys" we We're moneyless, homeless
friendIess, outside the great Babylon, we
should probably spend the July days as
she did, and revel, as the boys used to
do, in the Jolly heat
Polly was the eldest of the family by
four years, and, if you care to look at her,
as she stands clinging to the ratings of
the Square gardens, | think you will
agree with me that there is something in
her face that makes you wish to look
again. Straight soft hair laid smoothly
on each side OF narrow head, surmount-
cd by sun-bonnet; wide, sad mouth
and humorous eyes that belle, by their
sudden twinkling glances, the story of
y /,
moreover, only Dicks are larger, and the
lashes that shade them are more indisput-
ably Irish, and are Polly's pride. Dick
is standing, with his hands in his pockets,
leaning against a lamp-pOst whistling,
while the baby lies lazily at his feet,
sucking the brushes out of his shoe-bl
boN-for the whole family are waiting
for job.
Suddenly Polly, who has been gazing
intently and wistfully at geraniums in the
Square, and making believe she is lady
and this is her own garden, drops her
bands hastily from the ratings and re
treats backward toward the boys and the
Square gardener shakes his fist at her
from the inside. And il you could give
me few flowers from the evening, Stand
Iy," she says, in loud clear voice-for
she is still /" making believe" that this is
her own gardener-'I shall be much
obliged
"Oh, say Polly" says Dick, remon-
straitingly, as the baby sets up howl of
anguish, you're Just trea6iDg on him,
you know, and you should just look
where you're going, you know"
PoiIy's dream thus rudely disturbed,
she becomes prosaic ins family; picks up
the box she has upset, gives the baby an
admonitory slap, and thumps him down
on the pavement some two yards further
off, where he cries privately, in a silly,
whimpering way, for some minutes, and
then begins n laborious progress toward
the blackingbox again.
Suddenly out OF Green Street, over
which the afternoon shadows were folding
,ioIy, 70 6ai
tllv into quiet, sunny Grosvenor Square,
The horse was wicked looking chestnut
and it came up the centre of the road,
tos ing It's pretty head, and stepping high
with It's four white -stockinged feet. The
whole family rose with one accord, and
Polly pointed out the beautiful creature
for baby's admiration, but Dick had
caught sight of the rider. and was stand
ing motiOnless The rider was lady
vouEg enough in reality, but old to Dick,
to whom twenty-onc lay in such very
dim future She sat her horse we'll and
lightly, looking straight between the
delicate sensitive cars. She had golden
brown hair that the sun. caught and gilded
into a glory, and she had brown eyes
that lighted upon the children presently,
rs they stood watching her. Her groom
had inst turned the corner as she
beckoned to Dick and handed him a
letter.
xviii you drop that into the letter box
for me-" she said, land here is sixpence."
Dick took the letter, touching his rag
gcd curls to the sweet eyes and shining
face then he closed his hand on tre mon
ey, and darted across the road to drop the
letter into The box.
The lady turned and called out,
"rhanK you, as she passed him, canter-
ing out of the Square, and smiled again,
leaving Dick gazing after her entranced.
What beautiful lady," he SAID, go
ing back to Polly's side, with a sigh.
yes, very pretty said Polly; "and,
my what a horSe."
''She had such Il low voice." said Dick.
Yes, precious low" said Polly; II
couldn't hear a word she said. My how
could she come n walking into the Square
like that wouldn't | have been a-cant-
cring, JUST :
Hadn't we better go homer ventured
Dick. presently; there's no use standing
here all day"
How much did she give you?" said
practical Polly stretching out her hand to
touch tue OtC lAlhl tONCANNA lAS clAPOhSSO
.Sixpence," said Dick opening his fin
gers; but there was a mistake some
where, for in the middle OF his hot littl-
palm lay shining sovereign, and all the
glory OF the sinking sun seemed to flicker
in little shafts of light on the piece OF
gold,
shut your hand tight said Polly, in
breathlcss whisper-''the gardener, you
know and vel go home"
But mayn't we spend the siXpencel'
sail Dick. .aggrieved, while his lips quiv-
cred lust for dinner, PollysH
''Of course" said Polly, sharply; "well
change it and have dinner, and keep the
change only don't cry, Dickie, and if
you'll take baby, III carry the box"
They sauntered along, in little pro-
session of three, all down Green Street
and into dirtier, drearier, part of the
town -uived down side streets and alleys
to Il little dinner shop that Polly knew,
where the procession stopped.
Two slices OF bread and two bacons,
said Polly, to whom the possession of the
sovereign impaired a novel dignity, land
ha'porth of milk, and this to change,
Mrs Nixon
Mrs. Nixon rung the coin down on the
counter in a business-like way, and then
ookcd sharply at Polly for a minute, and
said You're rich. aren't you. my dear
and where did it come fromln
'Oh, we've got it TO change" said Polly
sand we are to keep the sixpence.
"Well. you're honest children" said
Mrs. Nixon, kindly, land takes after your
mother; so there's your dinners, and
there's the change-nineteen blessed
shillings and sixpence."
They took the slices of bread and bacon
out into the sunshine, and ate it sitting on
the pavement land they fed baby by tuEas
while Polly kept the money tight in hel
hand: then, when the feast was over, they