Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-04-08

morning, and with q burst of emotion
quite unwonted in the staid Sue, confded
the fact that she was engaged-engaged
to 0. o., who was the loveliest, dearest
man that ever was, though Polly had
been so unkind as not to find it out-a
fact which she (Sue,) was very glad of
now-and they were to be married in six
weeks, and sail for China directly after
ward. And would her dearest Polly
! forgive, and promise to love 0. o.
all she possibly could, just for her sake?
You too p was all Polly's reply.
But she put her arms round Sues neck
with tear and sob, and all was smooth
between them. Sue, who had dreaded
! the interview, was amazed at Polly's
forbearance. A change had evidently
/ come over the spirit of her dream.
Trials, we are told, have a Christening
effect on the character Was it her
trials which were thus blessed to Polly?
! After that all was bewilderment and
confusion dire till the two weddings were
over. Eunice and John departed the
day after theirs, and lull fell upon the
weary household. Mrs. Patten went up
stairs to lie down. Polly, who sighed
/ for fresh air, departed for walk with
John Gilmore, who missed his sister so
much. poor fellow and Amy, the cadette
OF the family, prepared to celebrate their
newly recovered freedom by adjoining
and making beautiful the dining-room,
now rescued from counting purposes, and
restored again to the common use of the
household.
A busy afternoon indeed did little
Amy make for herself, but it was merry
one, and she sang as she worked.
Every vase in the room she filled with
with yiolets or wild flowers, or apple
blossoms from the just blossomed or
chard. The curtains were pulled to
exactly the ideal angle, the chairs re-
grouped, all the horrid look taken away,
Amy thought, as if the rooms were meant
only for two, and for no one else 1t
was dusk when she finished, and curling
up in the sofa corner, she awaited with
Impotence Polly's return-Polly, who
had hated the love-making as much as
she had, and would be so pleased.
Polly was the one person in the house of
whose sympathy Amy felt quite sure.
She was long in coming, but she came
at last. Amy heard her step on the
porch, and with it another step, louder,
tirmer. Surely that tiresome John Gill
more was not coming in to spoil every
thing this first pleasant night. No; he
had come to see papa. Amy heard him
tap at the door of the eden" while
Polly ran upstairs. He emerged as she
came down; there was a long confab-
bling in the entry; but at last the front
door shut with delightful emphasis,
and Amy jumped up from the sofa to en-
Joy the effect of the surprise.
"Come in-oh, do come in!" she cried.
81 want you to see if the dear old room
doesn't look lovely. I've been all the
afternoon doing it, so that it might be
nice for our first evening. Isn't it pleas
ant to have a room to sit in again. Aren't
you glad that the wedding is over, and
all the tiresome love-making, and we can
have cozy little times at home like other
people? Why, Polly, how queer you
look Don't you like it? What makes
you do so?"--for Polly, half tearfully,
was kissing and fondling the child.
"Oh, l do, Amy darling, do like it
very much, pleaded poor Polly, "but-
only-my pet, I'm afraid you'll be vrry
disappointed; but John Gilmore is COM
ing here this evening to see me- and I'm
afraid | shall have to ask you to let us
have this ROOM,
"John Gilmore! Good gracious!
Polly Patten with almost shrek
"you're not engaged to him? You
don't mean that ?"
"Y-e-e-s, "faltered Polly. "Oh, Amy
dear, don't look so distressed
81 will look distressed; l have right
to-" cried Amy, with burst of sobs.
"After all you said! A man named
John, too--three Johns in the family
Oh, Polly! And you who declared you
hated men named john Well, after
this, never, never will believe in any
body again.
"Amy, dear, l talked a great deal of
nonsense You must forget it. | didn't
know" But Polly urged in vain Amy
pushed her hand aside, and rushed away
to console herself as best she might with
hard fit of crying, and Polly, convicted,
repentant, but by no means unhappy,
was left behind
SO ended Pollys controversy with
cupid. She was vanquished, as Pollvs
are apt to be in such warfare; but there
defeats which count for more than
victories as we all know, and this may
have been one. l regret to say that she
never formally apologized for her incon-
sistency, and she took possession of the
dining-room every evening without the
least apparent perception of the selfish
ness of the proceeding. Amy was great
~ scandalized, but cui bOno' To each
his turn. Little Amy's will come some
day, and then she too, will forgive and
understand.