Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-24

olutely away, put her share by into the
cupboard, and creep cold and hungry be
tween the blankets. So, as the days slid
into weeks, and the autumn weather set
in, Dick grew stronger and healthier, and
the baby fourished; but the folks in
Groves Alley shook their heads over Pol
ly's thin face with its hectic flush, and
said aside to one another that she was GO
ing the way her father did, and no won
der. poor lamb!
But Polly was very happy; her life
was such busy one, and the boys SO
GOOD, that the void in her heart was be-
ing gradually filled up; and even when
the day came that she had to stand on
hptoe and take down the peacock's feath-
ers and the pictures and the china orna
ments as a last offering to the pawn
shops, she found that she had not time to
be so very miserable, after all.
She sat on one of the stools with the
pictures in her lap, and made the boys
kiss them, and, just for a minute, tears
came to her eyes when Dickie, kissing
the black head obediently, looked up to
ask, "But who is it, Polly?"
"Why, it's father" said Polly. "and
dear mother, and you, Dickie, when you
were wee thing like our baby, and
Wlllie-our soldier, Dick, that died."
And Dick said, "Oh yes; member"
and turned away to play horses
with baby round the empty room,
while Polly sat on, with all her household
goods in her lap, and tears in her frank
blue eyes.
~ thought Dick would have remem-
bered," she said to herself once; and then
she gathered up the pictures and took
them away to the shop, locking the door
behind her.
Aud all the time that the funds were
getting lower, and the winter weather
was setting in, and pennies were getting
scarcer, the nineteen sh1llings and six
pence lay in the zig box by night and
in Polly's pocket by day; only, one even
ing, when the landlord had taken away
the box as part payment of the rent, and
things were looking so serious that the
neighbors began talking Of the House,"
Polly took the money, and, having no
where else to put it, laid it out in little
heaps upon the mantel-sllelf, and she and
Dick sat down and looked at it.
Baby was fast asleep in bed, the church
clock outside had just doomed out ten on
the frosty November air, and most of the
dodgers were quiet--for the Groves
Alley folks went to bed early; Polly sat
with her thin check resting on her hand,
and Dick was lying on the ground at her
feet, when suddenly the boy said, "Let's
count it, Polly"
She must have known instin1tively to
what he was abiding, for, though she
started, she rose without word, and,
with steady fingers, laid the shillings
side by side along the mantel-shelf.
(" Nineteen shillings," she said, slowly,
" and the sixpence."
1tseems hardly worth while to leave
the sixpence there" said Dick, in hur-
ried whisper, ''does it, Polly? If it were
ours"
eff it were ours" said Polly, with
frightening eyes, "we'd have good din
ner tomorrow, Dick and not cheap bread,
and we'd give baby milk without water
in it,
"And if it were all ours?" said Dick,
still speaking softly.
eff it were all CURSE" INTERRUPTED Polly
with a strange look darkening over her
face, "We would be happy, Dickie,
wouldn't we? Something to eat for
whole month-till Christmas-and some
thing over"
ooh, every thing" said Dick. 'Pollyn
and he dropped his voice until she had
to stoop to listen-"couldnt we just
borrow it, you know, for month or 500
IT it were ours" And his little child
ish hand stole out and touched the first
shilling on the shelf.
Polly had been sitting as one in
dream, but at the touch she seemed to
awaken. The new dark look that had
been creeping over her face changed and
frightened as she jumped up and put
Dicks hand somewhat roughly aside.
IF it were ours, we'd spend it, Dick"
she said; ''but as it is, we'll just keep it
safe till we see her.
"But if we never see her?'' said Dick,
whimpering and half frightened.
"Never mind that" said Polly, decid-
eddy; sif the worst comes, Dick, and we
have nothing, there's always the
House,"
"But work house." objected Dick.
swell, we have to work anyway" said
Polly, with practical common sense, land
we may as we'll work in house as not
that's my joke, Dick"
Dick laughed, as he always felt bound
in honor to do at Polly's jokes; and, half
an hour afterward, he was laying fast
asleep, with long lashes shading his visit
full 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 added to her care
full life.
But they did not come to the g House,
after all, for, when the children had gone
to bed that night, Mrs. Q 'Flannighan held
a council of two in her room, and decid-
ed that she colld work with an easier
mind by day if Polly were there to tend
Billy bit, and give him what he needed.
$50 I'll pay the rent of the room,'
Mrs. O'Flannighan said, "and | don't
doubt they'll pick up enough to get along
for the winter for Mrs. O'Flannighan
was looked upon as moneyed woman in
Groves Alley.
So 1t CHANGED that morning after morn
ing, when Dick had gone ont with his