The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-27
arm? want steady hand-no finch.

barely stand, Patsy trembling, ant
Kitty had cried till she could scarcel!
see.
Here, Dot. take these things w
stairs" and Polly tosses off the spruce
hat and gloves with an irrepressibl'
sigh.
Poor Dick stood the operation like ;
man. That dreadful stretching anC
pulling, and grating together Of tht
broken bones.
Polly, like woman. exactly, held tht
quivering limb firmly and gently, helped
ing back to Dicks freckled face, and ther
gave little sigh herself, and didn't kno"
how she got up stairs to her room.
There she was hidden to lie down. com
pose herself, even take a nap. You know
some people pin their faith to taking
naps," and would advise one to "take a
nap" even though the house had just
burned down.
When they were all out, Polly takes of
the "good Clothes" her new button
boots, the new travelling dress and all
putting on her old alapaca) for tears
make ugly spots), she cries all sorts OF
tears-tears of sorrow for Dick, of vexa-
tion with him; but most of all tears OF
disappointment and pity for herself.
When she had wept out all her little
weeps," she went down. John Cary
was gone, saying he would return in the
evening.
He was a well-looking, well-to-do,
bashful man Of thirty. OF thereabouts,
and esteemed quite "catch" in the
neighborhood. Indeed, it was the talk
of the neighborhood how those bold
Dodson girls had thrown themselves at
his head.
Patsy and Kitty acknowledged in sor-
row their unsuccessful efforts to attract
more than a passing glance, and began
advising Polly. as soon as she came
down, to "try her hand and air her new
finery for his benefit"
AS Doctor Cary had left Dick feeling
quite comfortable, the Lyons family
seemed inclined to celebrate this uncom-
mon event of having an invalid in the
house with considerable energy.
The younger members of the house
hold, Tootems and Dot, crawled around
the bed in fever of curiosity to see
how Dicks arm was mended;" Kitty
and Patsy, having recovered from their
fright, wanted to amuse the patient, and
see him laugh, and Mrs. Lyons was max
ing some jelly and cake for 1.-THE poor
dear"
Oily Polly was as glum as an oyster.
She knew we'll that small imp was at
work within her, but could not make up
her mind to drive him out; so she sat
with red eyes and sulky face, gloomily
knitting. She didn't laugh q bit over the
girls jokes, and Dick didn't see any point
to them either.
"Oh, Dick, you just ought to have
been looking when Polly tainted. Doc
tor John didn't even stop to look at her.
Why, ii it hadn't been for Patsy and me,
she'd lave tumbled on the floor. He
only said, Sprinkle her face and went
on punching you about the ribs"
Hes slow old coach" chimed in
Patsy. "Polly hasn't made much of a
start yet; shouldn't wonder if a Dod-
son gets him yet. They are so persever-
ing"
"Oh, I'm dying of love for him." says
Polly, sarcastically; land, of course, /
shall cry my eyes out for him."
Dick was doing, but these words of
Polly's caught his ear, and he kept re-
peating them to himself. He could see
her eyes were very red, and that she
seemed very sad.
Doctor Cary shook his head when he
found the family party assembled round
Dicks bed and the boy with a high
fever.
"Too many nurses entirely. Who
will take the responsibility Of keeping
him quiet? Miss Polly, will you attend
to the prescriptions?"
OF course Polly would, and she did
her duty so well that Dick rapidly i'm
proved. He could soon enjoy reading
aloud, and delighted in having Doctor
Cary sit with him and tell him the gal
liant exploits of the Homeric heroes.
He brought him Tennyson's" "Idylls of
the King" and read aloud to him many Il
quie. evening, while Polly sat near, So
berly working and listening.
"Geraint was one of his favorites,
who thrashed robbers in armor by the
half dozen, as a boy would walnut
tree; and brave "Sir Launcelot." who
tumbled knights over like so many ten
pins.
They had been reading Elaine" the
sad tale of the "Lily-maid of Astolat, :"
who loved so well and loved in vain,
1t is often these rattling, rollicking
boys who have the tenderest feelings.
and ut the conclusion Dick was quietly
snuffling and bowling the tears out Of
his eyes with his knuckles. Polly had
slipped out to hide her own.
doctor. says Dick, brokenly, "would
you let q girl die because she WAS loving
you SOP"
"Never, Dick. never! But am not
the slashing kind of fellow girls die
over" says Doctor Cary, laughing rather
sadly.
doctor" said Dick, in a hoarse whis-
! per, lone of ems doing it. She cries,
and droops over her work just like the
Lilly Maid did; and she's loving you.
heard her say So"
"Oh, no, Dick, you are mistakenn'
cries the doctor, blushing furiously.
mot a bit. I'll tell you who she is.
It's my favorite one of 'em. It's Polly,
that's who it is; and she can skate as
we'll rs boy. and make good traps, and
such taffy! Doctor, would it hurt me to
eat taffy now?"
AS / have said, the doctor took in new
ideas slowly. but when they once made
an entrance into his head, they came to
stay.
For the first time in his recollection
sleep failed to visit him at his usual hour,
He lay tossing and tumbling, thinking.
Polly's pale tace IN wistful eyes haunt
cd him, and Dicks fearful words: Zone
of ems doing it, she loves you So"
1t may have been that he loved Polly g
long time unconsciously. At any rate, il
seemed to him now that he had loved hel
very long time.
He could stand it no longer. The beau
tiful girl pining away for him. HI
sprang up and wrote her an offer O.
marriage in the dead of night. He handed
this letter to Polly himself as he bade hel
"Good-bye" after his next visit, pre-
tendedly to Dick.
Polly took it quietly without openin!
it, thinking it to be new prescription
for Dick, who, with his arm in sling
now roamed st large.
She sauntcred into the sitting-roon
where they all were.
docs Doctor John always direc
them to you, Polly?" asked Kitty, open
ing it. The next moment she screame'
outright, "Patsy. come here! Dick
what do you think? Doctor John want
to marry our Polly. Did you ever il
your born days?"
The excitement was intense.
$50 there's to be a wedding in tn
Lyons family at last?" cries Patsy
"Mercy! the Dodsons will turn gree
| with hoco onuu Whot lucli Toll u