The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-12-04
Polly Pembroke's Baby.

IOllt L6MuIUkb DdUls
"Dear mer' said Polly Pembroke, /
"what a noise and confusion / am /
sure l should go crazy if l lived in the /
city"
Polly Pembroke was a farmers daugh- /
ter, who had come down to New York /
TO buy the material for the first silk /
dress she had ever owned-a real deep /
blue to be trimmed with velvet of q /
darker shade. And Polly's golden head |
was dizzy with the thunder OF omnibus /
wheels and the rattle and rush Of ele- /
waited railways aud the succession OF
brilliant things in the shop windows
and Polly sat holding on to her parcels |
in the great, echoing depot, and won
dering why everybody was in such q
hurry.
For the express train was just going
out, and Polly and Miss Jarvis, the viii
lage dressmaker, who had come with
her to help select the important dress,
were obliged to wait fifteen minutes for
the way train, which condescended to
stop at "Whip-pOor-will Glen" where
Polly lived.
She was a pretty little primrose Of
maiden, with large, wistful eyes, lovely
yellow hair, and cheeks as pink as a
daisy, while Miss Jarvis, who sat beside
her, was straight and stiff aud upright
and wrinkled, as became single wom-
an Of sixty.
And just as Polly was wondering II
there was no end TO the stream OF hu-
manity flowing through the wide-open
depot gate, tr u, handsome gentleman,
with dark complexion and deep Span
ish eyes, came in with little babe in
his arms.
''Stewardess," j" said he TO a respectable
ina rrrff 1aF al
handkerchief twisted picturesquely
around her head, who was busting the
windOw-sash, 81 am going out in the
Chicago express, and l have forgotten
message which must be telegraphed to
my place Of business at once. Will you
be good enough to take the child few
minutes until"
But the stewardess hastily drew back.
mo, sab, ef you please" said she. 81
heard O. many cases where spectacle
women was left wild strange children on
their hands just dis way :"
Instinctively, pretty Polly Pembroke
held out her arms.
"Let me take the baby, sir" said she,
coloring all over with pretty eagerness.
"Pll hold it for you. Children are al
ways good with me-"
The dark-eyed stranger doffed his hat
courteOusly.
81 am Infinitely obliged 20 you," he
said, "and / will trouble you no longer
than can help.n
polly! Polly are you going mad ?''
whispered Miss Jarvis, pulling the
sleeve of the girls dress euergetically.
But Polly paid no heed to her.
suppose that gentleman shouldn't
come back ?" cried Miss Jarvis, elevat-
ing both her hands.
atHa will - said pol1y rranfIxy roek IN
the little mite on her knee. ooh. look,
Miss Jarvis! Isn't it pretty? 1 declare,
it's laughingw
"Pretiyw groaned Miss Jarvis, roll
ing her white-blue eyes skyward.
Polly Pembroke, I do believe you've
taken leave OF your senses! There's the
bell. The gates are closed"
"What OF it ?" said Polly.
The Chicago express has gOner
well" said Polly, "what Of that ?"
"Child, don't you comprehend? Your
nne gentleman was going in the Chi
csgO express" cried Miss Jarvis.
"I suppose he has missed the train, -
said Polly, quietly.
mot her snified Miss Jarvis. "He
has skunk quietly in by another way,
and is laughing in his sleeve at you and
your folly this very minute"
Nonsense :" said Polly.
But she looked little disturbed, new
ertheless, and glanced rather anxiously
st the door through which the tall gem
tleman with the Spanish eyes had dis
appeared.
Gomez said Miss Jarvis, jumping
up briskly, and gathering her parcels
in her hand. There's the bell for our
train.n
but I can't go and leave the child, /"
said Polly
"Humph % snorted Miss Jarvis; 'iare
you going to stay here all night with it?'
But what shall I do?T said Polly,
eeg,nhihg to be little bewildered and
- ne..- 'e.eu- feihaps, Miss Jarvis, we
naG oeSIer walt until the next train.u
and not get home until nina o,oiooI,
at niRhtW croaked Miss Lar. S'O0
81 don't see what else we can ,lon
But the trains came ami 49,
- stu no one came to claim the baL,
Miss Jarvis grew desperate.
''POlly Pembroke" said she s,T,,,. -
patience with you for getting ns -,
this scrape. What do YOU sup6osa = :,
be the end OF il all ?" y
Polly rose quietly.
81 shall take the child home with us
said Polly.
"Polly %
'I shall" reiterated the girl. 'Poo
little helpless innocentl What else ca
we do ?"
i'Let it be sent to the House Of Refup
or 10 the pOor-house, or some sue
place." screamed the antiquated maiC
with those eyes ?" said Polly, loOl
ing down into the tender, pleading orb
"Neverl II will be all right, 1 al