The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-05-03
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POLLY PEMBROKE'S BABY.

POLLY PEMBR0KE'S BABY.
"Dear me, said Polly Pembroke, awhat
noise and confusion | am sure |
should 20 crazy if | lived in this 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 darker shade.
And Polly's golden head was dizzy with
the thunder Of omnibus wheels, and the
rattle and rush of elevated railways, and
the succession Of brilliant things in the
shop windows-and Polly sat holding on
to her parcels in the great cchoiDg depot,
and wondering why everybody was in such
a hurry.
For the express train was just going out,
and Polly and Miss Jones, the village
dressmaker, who had come with her to
help select the important dress, were
obliged to wait fifteen minutes for the way
train, which eondescended to stop at
"Whip poor VIII Glen, !" where Polly lived.
She was a pretty little primrose of a
maiden, with large, wistiul eyes, lovely
yellow hair, and checks as pink as daisy,
while Miss Jones who sat beside her. was
straight and stiff and upright and wrinklcd
as became a single woman of sixty.
And just as Polly was wondering if
there was no end to the stream of human
ity flowing through the wide open depot
gate, tall, handsome gentleman, with
dark complexion aud deep Spanish eyes,
came in with little babe in his arms.
"Stewardess," said he to respectable.
looking quadroon, with scarlet silk hand.
kerchief twisted around her head, who
was dusting the window sash, ~ anu going
out in the Chicago express, and | have
forgotten message that must be tele-
Eraphed to my place of business at once
will you be good enough to take this child
minute, until"
But the stewardess hastily drew back.
"No, sab, eff you please, said she, 81
heard o many cases where spectacle wo-
men was left wild strange children on their
hands jist dis.a-way !"
Instinctively, Polly Pembroke held out
her arms.
"Let me take the baby, sir, said she,
coloring all over with pretty eagerness.
"I'll hold it for you. Children are always
good with me"
The stranger doffed his hat courteously
II am infinitely obliged to you, he said,
'and I'll trouble you no longer that eau
help
"Polly Polly are you going mad ?"
whispered Miss Jones, pulling the sleeve
of the girls dress.
But Polly paid no attention to her
Suppose that gentleman shouldn't come
back?' cried Miss Jones, elevating both
hands.
"He will" said Polly, gently rocking
the little mite on her knee. "Oh, look,
Miss Jones Isn't it pretty declare
it's laughing r.
"Pretty !" groaned Miss Jones, rolling
her whitey-blue eyes skyward. "Polly
Pembroke, do believe you ve taken leave
Of your senses There is the bell the
gates are closed r.
"What of it +? said Polly
"The Chicago express has gone |"
"Well, said Polly, "what of that p
"Child don't you comprehend? Your
fine gentleman was going in the Chicago
express cried Miss Jones.
81 suppose he has missed the train, " said
Pc''y, quietly.
"Not he !" shifted Miss Jones. "He
has slunk quietly in by another way, and
is laughing in his sleeve at you and your
folly this very moment
"Nonsense !" said Polly.
But she looked little disturbed, never
theless, and glanced rather anxiously at
tho door through which the tall gentle.
man with the Spanish eyes had disap-
peared.
"Come, said Miss Jones, jumping up
briskly, and gathering her parcels in her
hand. There's the bell for our traiu."
But | cant go and leave the child, "
cried polly.
"Humph" !" snorted Miss Jones, "Are
you going to stay here all night with it ?"
"But what shall do2" said Polly, be-
ginning to be little bewildered and
frightened. perhaps Miss Jones, we had
bSNNti hatN uutl tuc utAt tiulu.
"Aud not get home until 8 o'clock at
night y croaked Miss Jones'
81 don't see what else VIC can do"
But the trains came and went, aud still
no one appeared to claim the baby.
Miss Jones grew desperate.
"Polly Pembroke said she, "l'yc no
patience with you for getting US Into this
scrape. What do you suppose is to be the
end Of it all 2"
Polly rose quietly.
IL am going to take the child home with
us, said Polly
"Polly!p
81 am" reiterated the girl. "Poor
little helpless innocent what else can we
du?"
'Let it be sent to the House Of Refuge
or to the poor-house, or some other placer'
screamed Miss Jones.
"With those eyes 2'' said Polly, looking
down into the tender, pleading orbs.
"Never 1t will be all right, | am quito
sure, Miss Jones' All this is only a mis-.
take. Stewardess,' to the suspicious
quadroon, who had taken care to keep at
safe distance all the while, "here is my
address. Give il to the gentleman when
be comes back"
eyes, said the woman pursuing up her
lips. "But it's my private pinion as no
body won't see hide nor hair Of him
again
SO Polly Pembroke brought home, not
only blue silk dress, but dark eyed
baby into the bargain.
"Child," said Deacon Pembroke, ''l
can't blame you for doing charitable ae-
tion, but | am afraid you've taken terri
bic charge upon yourself"
Don't fret, father--don't fret" said
Mrs. Pembroke, who was cherry little
body with an invincible habit of looking
on the sunny side Of everything. at
seems nice, healthy child enough, and
dare say il will soon be called for Be-
sides don't the Good Book say that swho-
ever gives one Of the Lords little ones
even cup Of cold water, in His name,
shall not be without reward?"
And SO the days passed by, and the