Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-04-06

valked up the street. "After ALL" sh
tho,o... to herself, ''if Polly can't lik
him him and doesn II want him, why not?
Why not, indeed? It was unanswer
able ,
Another fortnight passed. Cousir
Fanny and her fdnce went away, bu
10. o. still fingered. Polly gave an ex
clamation of despairing disgust wher
she learned his intention but, after all
he did not prove the nuisance she haC
feared. He had other friends In towr
bv this time, other engagements, and die
not haunt the Pattens' house every day
and all day long. as at first. Polly hearC
| of him often at the GilmOre's. She saw
| little of Sue in those days; Sue was oc
cupied with her brother, just returned
after his long absence. Mindful OF Pol
ly's interdict, perhaps, she was In nc
haste to present him to her friends
fact which Polly was disposed to resent
when, full week after his arrival, she
was at last brought face to face with
him. She liked John Gilmore at once.
He was quite different from the other
Johns. and not at all formidable, Polly
thought-tall and spare, Quiet tn speech
and shy in manner, wearing spectacles,
too, but altogether very mice, What
a myriad of diverse; meanings may be
included in that word, beloved of girls.
'snice!"
In John Gilmore's case it meant that
he did not talk nonsense to Polly, and
yet that he seemed to like the nonsense
she talked; at least he frightened under
1t always, and 1t made him laugh. He
never bored her with sense and long ex
plantations, but she was never in his
company without finding herself after
ward thinking about things which he
had said, and looking up little points of
information suggested by his talk. He
was so kind hearted, tOo-always SO
kind! He didn't sneer at her diatribes
against love and lovers and he seemed
to understand and be a little sorry for
her, left out in the cold, solitary in the
midst of the sisterly circle once SO one
interest and so closely united Here
was genuine friend at last, she reflect
ed-a friend of her own /; and comforted
thereby for her losses. she grew little
more tolerant of the happiness of other
people; and even when, little later,
great wave of surprises and sudden
changes broke over the home and all in
it, still the tolerance continued.
For, first, John Norman had q part
nership offered him in South America.
and he and Eunice had to be got ready
at two months notice to sail to their
new home. And while Polly was toll
ing over the hurried preparation which
was all that time made possible, Susan
Gilmore her one special friend, called
one morning, and with burst of emo
ton quite unwonted in the staid Sue.
conffded the fact that she was engaged
engaged to o. o., who was the loveliest,
dearest man that ever was, though Poll
~ had been so unkind as not to find it
out-a fact she (Sue) was very glad of
now-and they were to be married in
six weeks, and sail for China directly
afterward., And would her dearest Pol
ly forgive her, and promise to love o o.
all she possibly could, just for her sake ?
"You too?" was all Polly's reply. But
she put her arms around Sues neck with
a tear and sob, and all was smooth be-
tween them. Sue, who had dreaded the
interview, was amazed at Polly's for
bearaDce. A change had evidently come
over the spirit of her dream. Trials, we
are told, have Christening effect on the
character. Was it her trials which were
thus blessed to Polly?
After that all was bewilderment and
were over. Ennice and John departed
the day after theirs, and a lull fell upon
the weary household. Mrs Patten went
upstairs 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 ca
dette of the family, prepared to celebrate
their newly recovered freedom by adorn-
ing and making beautiful the dining
room, now rescued from courting pur-
poses. and restored again to the common
use of the household.
A busy afternoon indeed did little
Amy make for herself, but it was mer-
nv one, and she sang as she worked
Every vase in the room she filled with
violets and wild flowers, or apple blooms
from the Just blossomed orchard. The
curtains were pulled to exactly the ideal
angle, the chairs regroppsd, ali the hor-
rid look taken away, Amy thought, as
if the room 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 sym
pathy 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,
firmer. Surely that tiresome John Gill
more was not coming in to spoil every
thing this Grst pleasant night. No: he
had come to see papa. Amy heard him
tap at the door of the "den,'' while Pol
lv ran upstairs. He emerged as she came
down then there was long confabbing
in the entry but at last the front doo-
shut with q delightful emphasis, and
Amy jumped up from the sofa to enjoy
the effect of her surprisa.
"Come in-oh, do come in !" she cried.
II want you 10 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 room to sit in again p
| Aren't you glad that the wedding is
over, and all the tiresome love- making
and we can have cosy little times ct
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 fondline
| the child.
"Ch, l do, Amy darling. do like II
very mucD, pleaded poor Polly. But
only-my pet, I'm afraid you'll be very
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 Pol
ly Patten"-with almost shriek-''yor
are not engaged to him? You dom
mean that ?'
"Y-e>e.s," faltered Polly. "Oh, Amy
dear, don't look so distressed!u
II will look distressed; have righ
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 yol
hated men named John! Well, afte
this. never, never will believe in any
body again."
Amy, dear. I talked great deal 0
nonsense. You must forget it, didn'
know" But Polly urged in vain. Am!
pushed her hand aside, and rushed ava.
to console herself as best she might will
hard fit of crying, and Polly, convict
ed. .repentant, but by no means unhappy
was left behind.
i So ended Polly's controversy will
cupid. She was vanquished, as Polly
Ier 0v,t f0 ho IN,