Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-03-02

Polly tremDleQ feSC SOIue vi tHe HOO
should fall on his immaculate blacl
clothes. -
"You are making pumpkin pies p
was his commonplace question, but i
was asked in the tones which thrilled
poor PoIly's soul like rich music.
She smiled an affirmative, and ht
went on. looking up in the fresh. swee
face: "Have you ever heard the tradi'
ton respecting pumpkin pies? 1t is
said that they are sort OF moral ther'
mometer of the temper of the individual
by whom they are prepared. Pumpkins
you know, are nourished in the sun
shine. They are gathered in the glow
ing autumn days, and brought in the
house, golden reminders of the summer
sum- If the pies are made by one of a
sunny disposition, they will be sweet,
juicy and delicious.-in short, such an
essence of sunshine, sugar and spice as
those you are making. But if one i'll
natured thought is harbored during
their preparation, they are soured and
ruined"
| Polly blushed crimson at this out-and-
out eSmpliIaent, and in her confusion
held the spice, and busted the pies free
~. hOA oiiC CaAuiy pOu1C0 Ill d hoiA'
bottle, of lemon extract, while the min
lister thought he had never seen so be-
witching q little housewife.
AS he rose to go he said, laughing:
"I believe 1 am to take my dinner
with you tomorrow so, Miss Polly, 1
shall have an opportunity to gauge your
disposition by your pumpkin pie"
Polly shook a 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 min
lister, Aunt Phoebe, bristling with indig.
nation, stalked into the kitchen.
IF you think lam going to have such
disgraceful performances in my kitchen
you are mistaken, miss! I asked the
minister in the sitting room while I
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 fiirted with him over my table and
over my pies, and under my very nose,
for was watching you behind the door
I consider it my duty to report the min
lister. Ishall have his name on every
tongue in the town. He shall be drum
N ed out of the place,-and you-leave
my house this very night. 1 have put
up with your nonsense as long as I in
tend to. You are not fit to stay in
respectable family"
80 aunt!" moaned Polly, with white
lips; but Miss Phoebe went on, though
in more argumentative tone as her
wrath cooled. -----
"No, you needn't leave to- night Ell
ther. l have so much company invited
to morrow that you shall help me. l
might as well get what can out ofyou,
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 your
self. wouldn't have turned you out
when you were little and helpless, but
I've done my duty by you now"
Polly stemmed the torrent of words.
''It is not necessary to say anything
more. aunt" she said in clear voice !;
"I will go.n
The next morning was clear and cold.
The stubble sparkled with a million
frosty diamonds when Polly crossed the
| field on her way to church some hardy
| little English sparroWs verb ohirping
thanks that the snow had not yet COW
remained for them, and Polly's heart
|
cheerily picking and finding sustenan ce
in the barren field.
"Behold the fowls of the air; for they
SOW not, neither DO they reap, nor gath
er into barns; yet your Heavenly Faith
er feedeth them. Are ye not much bet
ter than they ?'
These words of comfort coming into
her mind warmed her cold heart, and
with a light step she obeyed the sweet,
silvery invitation of the church bells. A
holy calm fell on her spirits as she en-
tered the peaceful little church, and,
walking up the dim aisle, she took her
seat where the crimson light from a
stained glass window fell athwart her
pallid face. The words "outcast, wan
derer, homeless" had been ringing in
her brain with dull, maddening repeti-
tion all night, but now, as the deep tones
of the organ rang out in glad thanks
giving to the Giver Of all good things,
Polly felt herself uplifted, for the mo-
ment, above the miserable annoyances
of her life; and when she glanced al
Melissa, looking pretty and fresh in hel
feathers and elk, she felt almost thank.
full for her, that she possessed the love OF
great and noble soul. Polly led the
choir, and when the minister's ear
caught the sweet, clear tones in which
there was no guile, he also thanked God
With the inconsistency of human
emotion, Poily's mind wandered several
times during the service to the pumpkin
pies on the shelfat home. This was be-
fore the sermon. When once she fell
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 mo-
tionless, 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
be speaks here God knows where shall
bel"
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 self-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.
1T dinner Melissa was placed next tbs
minister and Polly opposite, a small hand
wait on the table. Polly could not helI
y
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
trembling with excitement.
She did not know at what moment
her aunt would come out with some
thing about yesterdays performance
and Polly felt that before all the assem-
bied relativ es, and especially before thu
minister and his betrothed, she ooulC
not endure it. But Miss Phoebe seemed
in particularly good humor, and he
acrid face dissolved iIselfinto somethin.
approaching smile.
lOnce Melissa, smiling, at Polly, said
II have heard you were a good cook
but I had no idea you were so accom-
} plished."
"Polly didn't make anything but tn
pumpkin pies" Aunt Ehaabe answered
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