Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-01-28

|
ing little housewife.
AS he rose to go he said, laughing:
CT believe L am to take my dinner
with you tomorrow; SO, Miss Polly, I
shall have an opportunity to gauge your
disposition by your pies"
Polly shook spoon at him, and an
swered confidently that if that was to be
the only test, she was not afraid.
As the front door closed on the minis
ter, Aunt Phoebe, bristling with indigna-
ton, stalked into the kitchen.
eff you think I am going to have
such disgraceful performances in my
kitchen you are mistaken, miss! Iasked
the minister in the sitting-room while 1
went TO put on my other cap, and he
walked deliberately out here, and here
he staid. You enticed him out; you
know you did, you ungrateful mink!
And you hirted with him over my table
and over my pies, and under my very
nose, for was Watching you behind the
door. consider it my duty to report
the minister. I shall have his name on
every tongue in the town. He shall be
drummed out of the place-and you-
leave my house this night. I have put
up with your nonsense as long as / in
tend to. You are not fit to stay in a re-
spectacle family"
"Oh, auntr' moaned Polly, with white
lips; but Miss Phoebe went on, though
In a more argumentative tone as her
wrath cooled.
emo, you needn't leave tonight,
neither. / have so much company in
vited tomorrow that you shall help me.
[ might rs well get what I 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 and strong enough to work
for yourself. I 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.
cit is not necessary to say anything
more, aunt" she said in clear voice;
CT will 60"
The next morning was clear and cold.
The stubble sparkled with a million
frosty diamonds when Polly crossed the
fields on her way to church; some hardy
little English sparrows were chirping
thanks that the snow had not yet covered
the bits of scattered grain which remain
ed for them, and Pollys heavy heart
grew lighter as she watched them cheeri-
~ picking and finding sustenance in the
barren field.
"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 We 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 spirits as she enter
ed the peaceful little church, and walk
ing up the dim aisle she took her seat
where the crimson light from O stained
glass window fell athwart her pallid face.
The words " outcast, orphan, homeless"
had been ringing in her brain with a
dull, maddening repetition all night, but
now, as the deep tones of the organ rang
out in glad thanksgiving to the Giver of
all good things, Polly felt herself up
lifted, for the moment. above the misera
BILE annoyances of her life; and when she
glanced at Melissa, looking pretty and
fresh III her feathers and silk, she felt al
most thankful for her, that she possessed
the love of q great and noble soul. Polly
.
ear caught the sweet, clear tones, in
which there was no guile, he also thank
ed God.
With the inconsistency of human
emotions Polly's mind wandered several
times during the service to the pumpkin
pies on the shelf at home. This was be-
fore 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
sion of the wild brown eyes, and there
was such misery in them that for mo-
ment he lost his elf-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 las placed next the
minister and Polly opposite, small
handmade being behind for the occasion
to wait on the 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
! trnmblod with aypitamaDt
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
particular good humor, and her acrid
face dissolved itself into something ap-
preaching a smile.
Once Melissa, smiling at Polly, said: