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

in for minute TO her eyes, then, without
g, word, she went over to the bed. and s
le ting down drew the uneasy head on to h
I'd shoulder and let it rest there; and DO
lie Polly. seeing something familiar in d
}" face bending over her, cried out, WI
D. mother! in a sudden pleading way. Wi
le that her voice broke into sobs, and 81
d cried as she never had time to cry sin,
her mother died.
b What has she had to eat TODAY? Mr.
n O'Flannighan asked of the children, wi
e had crept closer to her when Polly bega
y to cry.
h Why. nothing, said Dickey, only som
d cold tea. She wasn't hungry in the morr
!. ing, she said. and this afternoon she's bee
It queer-kind of laughing and CRYING like
SO we just played about, baby and me, IN
0 didn't heed her.
e Poor little girl! Mrs. o Flannighan sal
h softly; no wonder the fever's got into he
? head, with nothing to eat. Well go dow
4 now. Dickie, and leave the baby in m
room. and bring up Billy's beef tea, an
then run round to DR.. Stanley, 5 Greenacr
and ask him to come down tonight.
Dick scared and Mortified at the idea c
: a doctor being needed for Polly, hurrie
: oil In the gathering darkness to Dr.. Stan
ley's house. lie rang twice before the bel
was answered. and then the maid jus
opened the door crack, and. to his timi
question, answered, Not at home," ant
smut 1t again with bang So Dickie
miserable and shivering, sat down in tn
light of the surgery Ian ps and cried,
) lie fancled he had been sitting there fo
hOtlrS Whnn a nurriaOa ctnnnnH uuita oil
to him, and a gentleman jumped out ant
run up the steps. DICK skunk away and
crouched up in corner, but not before the
gentleman had seen him, and stopped to
touch his shoulder.
what IS it, my boy? he said; do you
want TO see Or. Stanley!
AT the voice and touch, all Dicks trou
oles broke loose and overwhelmed him
On, yes, l. do. he said, drying his eyes
and please sir, he's not ut homeland
Pollys raging in fever-and | can put
baby to bed, and Mrs. O'Flannighan will
nave TO go 10 Billy; please, sir, if you're a
doctor, couldn't you come and help usP
What dreadful state of affairs! said
Cne gentleman, IN pleasant, CHEEKY voice
fes. am doctor, and l can spare ten
minutes to come and see Miss Polly. if you
IKE. Here! jump into the carriage, ana
tell me where to drive 20.
Number 10 Groves Alley, said Dick
briskly, up two flights, in the garret; and
so he drove away side by side with one of
the best men and one of the cIeverest
doctors in London, 10 the dingy room in
Groves Alley. where Polly. with the light
of reason shining in her eyes again, was
wi toI x,y;tb ho, -. lol T. 4
on Mrs. O'Flannighan shoulder.
The docter's first thought, as he came
into the room, was shuddering horror of
the dinginess and gloom and emptiness of
this unhomelike home; the next when they
turned into the corner with the bed where
the one dip guttering on chair threw a
fitful light on Pollys flushed face, was to
recognize as by instinct that here, in this
dreary room and on this childish face was
concentrated all the careful love and tender
patience that can make "A home anywhere.
For Polly raised her head painfully
with a CHEEKY, patient smile, and tried to
speak; and Mrs. OFlanniphan rose hasti-
ly. and dropped long forgotten courtesy
to the DOCTOR for she was not as ignorant
AS Dick, and she knew the great man by
sight.
He nodded to her kindly, and took the
place she had left vacant by the bed, feel
ing the hickering pulse gravely, while he
asked her many questions about Polly,
which she answered with tears in her
eyes.
Then the doctor laid her wasted hand
down tenderly and said. Rest and quiet
and patience. Miss Polly, and you'll do.
pnt ba nh;lIrapp c,lt Dol,,
Oh, never mind the children, said the
doctor; we'll look after them, and you're
to think of no one but yourself. And
while you can't earn money. Miss Polly,
he added, In his gentle way, rs if he were
telling her the most natural thing in the
world, I'll take care of the household ex-
penses for you. and Mrs O'Flannighan
here shall be your nurse, if she will.
Thank you, said Polly, accepting the
goodness rs quietly as he offered it.
was wondering about the children; but
Dickie earns bit with his backing, and
baby's getting deal less trouble with his
teeth.
Those were strange days to Polly, and
dark times came among them-times of
racking pain and feverish thirst, of delirum
and misery and hcrrid dreams-out of
which she wakened one February morn
ing into life of stiffness, of utter weari-
ness, and utter content; when her sight
gre" oim' anu sile mum OF ne IN the alley
came rs aiar OH 10 her feeble ears; ana
She couid not speak 10 D'ck "hen ne came
anu sat on .lie oeu oeslae ner ana to'o her
now wv peau1liul IL was out-oi-doors, ,,I
Inc doc.or stala win her whoie nal
hour that uay, ana gave her peer tea ana
orandy every liltie wh,le' ana spoke gent
y TO her' anu reau to her out OF the Torn
blole aoont tne slreets OF gold ana the
water OF the hlvef OF Lille; ana ne Kissed
her ~heh ne Went away ana salo; uo't
1less YOU rolly; lof he tnoush' himsell
lhat oy the next morning sne wouln Know
more ABOUT lne cny ol uou lhah Tile he'e-
latlon could teach her. ~,
But f"lly surprised them all. Inc
crisls I.r passed safely over, ana the wave ol
lie that had eooed away; had ieit only ihe
smepa S,o"T H." 'I"u I,",ar ~ n hn, au iGy S
Mas Ia m ,ha o had d v",' ,el IG or0 ho
',, I'm ' ny .Io , Joy, rn" s s,iloo. ,ho DoH
sne I SoiI p, lo d 'o'Hs Thn ,,ol'' Inc 0nt,o i.S
'nu erHo, o e', ,, ~, ana ma"n you, hnvs oud
"on w ~ ,o al "e o"1 So".'.I ~, D"y' ''.u