Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-01
Polly's Pumpkin Pies.

Great golden pumpkins, yellow enough
to be apples of the Hesperides, were
lying about the kitchen floor, and Polly
at the kitchen table was making pump
kin pies.
Her thoughts ran in this wise, as she
measured out the ingredients: Zone
and one-half pounds of loaf sugar, one
half pound of butter. two quarts of
cream-no, one quart. So Melissa's
really engaged u the minister. Dear
me, some people have everything in this
world. wonder il they are so lucky in
the nextp How gravely he would look
at me If he were to hear me express such
a frivolous thought. He has q stern
face; but how kindly lIe can look out of
his blue eyes. The other night when |
burned my arm at the candy-pulling, he
dressed it rs carefully as a woman. and
looked so kind and sorry that what with
his sympathy and the hurt, | could
hardly keep back the tears. He said /
had already learned one of life's hardest
lessons patience under affiiction.'
DO you call this affiiction? I said,
laughing. Il will be happy. indeed, IL
l never have any greater affiiction than
this And he answered so gravely that
it silenced me: L pray you may be
happy, dear child.'" Here Polly broke
out in n warbling little melody that
started the canary in the sitting-room to
singing with all his might, and caused
Aunt Phoebe to exclaim in tones sharp
enough to sour the incipient pies:
Cant you stop that noise. Pollyi
You and this abominable bird will run
me crazy yet; every nerve in my body
is just tingling now" Then she added
in tones not too low to reach Polly's
ear: 81 will get rid of you both some
day, and then may be l will have some
peace OF my life."
There was silence in the house after
this. Polly turned aside her head that
her tears might not fall in the pastry
she was working. and the sympathetic
bird hushed its song and dropped its
head.
Polly's reddish-brOwn curls were
caught UP high on her head and fas-
tened with an old-fashioned shell comb
Of her mothers; she had on a fresh,
dark calico, and her rolled-up sleeves
showed white arms, made whittier by the
flour busted over them. She was a
pretty picture as she rolled out her pas
try and cut IL in delicate, curling strips,
but she was so engaged in repressing the
ugly angry feelings that flushed her
cheek and heaved her breast but found
no ou.let at her lips, that she was un.
conCious of n spectator until, hearing n
movement, she raised her eyes and met
the minister's.
He was standing in the doorway be-
tween the sitting-room and kitchen, and
Polly's first thought was that her aunt
had maliciously sent him to seek her.
thinking nus to embsTrass her. This
thought came to her assistance. and
smiling and dimpling in spite of her
annoyance as she met the sunny gaze of
his blue eyes, she motioned him to
chair with the air Of princess and
went on with her work.
He brought the chair and set 1t as
close Ms possible TO the table, so close
that Polly trembled lcst some of the
-four soould fall on his immaculate black
clothes.
"You are mixing pumpkin pies2"
was his commonplace question, but IL
was asked in the tones which thrilled
poor Polly's soul like rich music.
Shesmiled an affirmative, and he went
on, looking up in the fresh. sweet face
Have you ever heard the tradition
respecting pumpkin piesf It Is said they
are sort of moral thermometer OF the
temper of the individual By whom they
are prepared. Pumpkins, you know,
are nourisl ed in the sunshine. They are
gathered In the glowing autumn days.
and brought In the house. golden re-
minders OF the summer sun. If the pies
are made by one Of n sunny disposition,
they will be sweet, juicy and delicious
in short, such nm essence of sunshine.
sugar and spice as those you IRE making.
But II one ili-natured thought Is har-
soured and ruined"
Polly blushed crimson at this out-and-
out compliment, and In her confusion