The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-12-04

wrath cooled.
"No, you needn't leave tonight, either.
1 have 80 much company invited to-mor-
row that you shall help me. I might as
well get what can out of you. Though
if you were to work your fingers to the
bone you couldn't repay me. You
haven't any claims on me now; you are
big enough and strong enough TO work
for yourself. / wouldn't have turned
you out when you were little and help
less, but I've done my duty by you now. "
Polly stemmed the torrent of words.
'It is not necessary to say anything
more, aunt" she said in a clear voice.
'I will go.'
Thanksgiving morning was clear and
cold. The stubble sparkled with mill
ion frosty diamonds when Polly crossed
the fields on her way to church; some
hardy little English sparrows were chirp-
ing thanks that the snow had not yet
covered the bits of scattered grain which
remained for them, and Polly's heavy
heart grew lighter as she watched them
cheerily picking and finding sustenance
in the barren fields.
"Behold the fowls of the air; for they
SOW not, neither do they reap, nor gather
into barns; yet your Heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are ye not much better
than they!"
These words of comfort coming into
her mind warmed her cold heart, and,
with light step, she obeyed the sweet,
| silvery invitation of the church bells. A
| holy calm fell on her spirit as she entered
the peaceful little church, and walking
| up the dim aisle took her seat where the
crimson light from stained glass win
dow fell athwart her pallid face. The
words "outcast, orphan, homeless" had
been ringing in her brain with dull,
maddening repetition all night, but now,
as the deep tones of the organ rang out
in glad thanksgiving to the giver of good
things, Polly felt herself uplifted, for the
moment, above the miserable annoyances
of her life; and when she glanced at
Melissa, looking pretty and fresh in her
feathers and silk, she felt almost thank
full for her, that she possessed the love of
a great and noble soul. Polly led the
choir, and when the minister's ear caught
the sweet, clear tones, in which there
was no guile, he also thanked God.
With the inconsistency of human emo
| ton Polly's mind wandered several times
during the service to the pumpkin pies
on the shelf at home This was before
the sermon. When once she felt the
magnetism of his voice she listened spell
bound until it ceased. She never wept,
as those around her sometimes did at
some touching recital. She sat motion
less, with dilated eyes, and almost held
her breath until he had finished. To-day
she kept saying to herself: ''The last
time! The last time! When next he
speaks here God knows where I shall
be!'
Once the minister caught the express
ion of the wild brown eyes, and there
was such misery in them that for mo-
ment he lost his self-possession.
After church Polly hurried home to
set the table, and the minister followed
with Melissa, whom, for reasons of her
own, Miss Phoebe had also invited to
dinner.
At dinner Melissa was placed next the
minister and Polly opposite, small
handmaid being hehind for the occasion
to wait on table. Polly could not help
thinking what handsome couple they
would make, as she glanced from his
strong, dark head, and brilliant, blue
eyes, to Melissa's cold, clear cut face and
graceful figure, draped in rich black silk.
Polly's face was flushed from bending
over the stove, and her hands trembled
with excitement.
She did not know at what moment her
aunt would come out with something
about yesterdays performance" and
Polly felt that before all the assembled
relatives. and especially before the min
lister and his betrothed, she could not
endure it. But Miss Phoebe seemed in
a particularly good humor, and her acrid
face dissolved itself into something ap.
preaching smile.
Once Melissa, smiling at Polly, said:
81 have heard that you were a good
cook, but I had no idea you were so ac-
complished."
"Polly didn't make anything but the
pumpkin pies" aunt Phoebe answered,
smiling grimly, and she ordered the
maid to bring them on.
81 can testify that they are everything
that pumpkin pies should be-" said the
minister, with laughing glance which
caused PoIly's face to blaze, causing
Melissa to give her a cold, suspicious
look, and made Aunt Phoebe draw down
the corners of her mouth in very signi-
ficant way.
In the hurry of the morning Polly had
neglected tasting her pies, and. with
some anxiety, she watched her neighbor,
a rough farmer cousin, cut his piece.
He took one enormous mouthful of the
yellow, luscious looking stuff, then seized
his glass of milk and gulped it down.
He set his glass down with an exclama-
ton and very wry faoe-to her dismay
Polly saw every one down the table do
the same thing. Crimsoning, she CLAN
ced furtiyely over at the minister-he
and Melissa were talking and toying with
their forks, but neither of them was eat
ing
Aunt Phoebe waited till there was
fri I'll IL Al