Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-01

II
freely. Then she calmly poured In half
bottle of lemon extract, while the min
lister thought he had never seen 80 be-
witching a little housewife:
AS he rose to 20 he said, laughing:
"I believe / am TO take my dinner
with YOU tomorrow; 40, Miss Polly |
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
che only test. she was not afraid.
AS the frontdoor closed on the minis
ter, Aunt Phoebe, bristling with indig'
nation, stalked into the kitchen
eff you think l am going to have
kitchen YOU are mistaken, miss! l
asked the minister in the sitting-room
while 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
minxl And you fliited 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 l 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. l have put
up with your nonsense ~ long as l in
tend to. You are not fit 70 stay in re-
spectacle family"
"Oh, auntw moaned Polly, with
white lips; but Miss Phoebe went on,
| though in more argumentative tone as
her wrath cooled.
mo, you needn't leave tonight,
either. have so much company in
vited tomorrow that you shall help me.
/ might as well get what l can out of
you, though il you were to work
your fingers 10 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. l 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 n clear voice;
81 will GO"
The next morning was clear and cold.
| The stubble sparkled with n million
frosty diamonds when Polly crossed the
fields on her way to church; some
hardy little English sparrows We're
chirping thanks that the snow had not
yet covered the bits of scattered grain
which remained for them, and Polly's
heavy heart grew lighter as she watched
them cheerily picking and finding sus-
tenance 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 ye not much
better than they2"
These words of comfort coming into
her mind warmed her cold heart. and
with light step she obeyed the sweet,
all sVRx- NAt, IF ,t Ixnll
| A holy calm fell on her spirits as she
entered 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, or
phan, homeless" had been ringing in
her brain with dull, maddening repeti-
| ton all night, but now, as tn deep tones
of the organ rang out in glad thanksgiv-
ing 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 mt
Melissa. looking pretty and fresh in her
feathers and silk, 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 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 il 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: 1.-THE last
time! The last time! When next he
speaks here God knows where I 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.
At dinner Melissa was placed next
the minister and Polly opposite. n small
handmade being behind for the occasion
to wait on the table. Polly could not
help thinking what handsome couple
they would make, rs 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 tremb bled 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 as
sembled relatives, and especially before
The minister and his betrothed. she could
not endure it. But Miss Phoebe seemed
in particularly good humor, and her
acrid fate dissolved itself into some
thing approaching a smile.
Once Melissa. smiling Mt Polly, said
IL have heard you were good cook,
but had no idea you were 30 accom-
plisned."
Polly didn't make anything but the
z n.