Daily Republican., 1883-11-24

| uASo VuOsA Az vhO ssoAs~s~NS s""AOol
when knock sOunded at the door. an
on opening 1t she beheld DR.. Moore
Office boy, q mischievous urchin 0
African descent, who made a profount
bow, rolled up his eyes until only tn
whites were visible, and handing her ;
q note, scampered off down the gardel
f walk.
Polly took the pink scented missive
F.. and frown darkened her smooth fore
head as she read. Then crambing the
note in her shapely hand she flung i,
from her and exclaimed
9 Was ever anything SO provoking
t He has actually been compelled to trav-
el 20 miles to visit his mother. Why
couldn' t She" half laughing at her
! own petulance- find some more con.
venient time to have adangerous at
, tack of pleurisy." Well, won't stay
at home and miss the finn, just on DR..
MOore's account-no indeed I'll go
by myself" and having delivered thi,
resolve, uDalterable as the DEGREES of
the Meles and Persians, Miss Polly sat
down and quietly proceeded to enjoy
her supper.
Two hours later, and the mirror in
Polly's neat little room reflected a
|, vision that must have stirred the most
: sluggish soul to admiration.
II From cedar chest Of old treasures,
stored away in the attic, she had oh
tanned dress fashioned after the styl
"a court beauty of the time of Mary
Stuart, and which had been worn by an
ancestress at fancy ball many years be-
fore. This, with few slight alterations
made by Polly's deft fingers, now fitted
her well rounded form to perfection,
the long train of blue and silver brocade
falling in glistening folds behind her.
Rare, old lace, a priceless heir loom,
lay around her snowy throat like sea
foam. Her hair, with its wonderful
ripples and bronze CLEANS, was massed
high on her head in picturesque putfs.
Her eyes, dark as midnight with ex.
citement, were shining like stars, and
her lips AMI cheeks had the vivil bloom
of carmine. She looked like some
charming portrait of "ye olden days"
suddenly endowed with life.
Poor Poll pretty Poll" said the
girl, with mocking little laugh and
bewitching move at her reflection in
the mirror. "You are pretty,
and where. is thu use Of
denying It to yourself, I'd like to
know" putting two dimpled han Is
together and leaning her chin on them
ut would never do to parade your
knowledge of it, but honestly ] must
confess am very we'll satisfied with
YOU"
She gave another cursory glance at
her own lOveliness, then taking up a
long cloak she adjusted the hood and
Catching up her train and mask in on.
hand, started forth.
| 1t was brilliantly beautiful night,
"the moon was at her full and riding
high, flooding the calm fields with
light" the October air, cool and keen,
had In it touch of frost, and made
Polly shiver slightly and draw her
cloak more closely around her as she
sped lightly on her way.
1t was but a shorv distance to the
house Of her friend, but between her
and it lay the home Of the Ariingtons.
a substantial structure of brick, with
wings and numerous balconies project
ing here and there. A large lawn, stud
ded with bushes and plants and stately
oaks, and having II winding carriage
drive, extended for considerable dis.
tance from the hous TO the road.
In passing by the barn, the moon
light fell with PEE ullar play of light |
and shadow on the trees and grass
plots ; the effect was almost weired in 1
its enchantmeet, and Polly, who had a
keen taste for the beautiful in all things
and especially in Nature, paused be-
side the light, painted railings, en-
tranced by the beauty of the night and
the scene.
'Tf only the little people in gre n
had not been proven myths, In this
enlightened nineteenth century, and l
had as strong faith in them az my an.
cestors doubtless had, should certain.
ly look for them to suddenly circle on
the green sward there and dance to the
music of their songs" thought Polly.
"What pity there are none nowadays
to bestow favors upon luckless mortals,
and that can never be enriched by
magical fairy gold" Then her
thoughts wandered off to where an
immense bed of chrysanthemum ums
cleaned whitley in the moonlight,
their long stalks bending under the
weight of their snowy heads.
These attracted Polly's attention al
once.
Poor Carisford, she murmu ed, will:
a remorseful tinge Of conscience, che
wished me to wear some of those to-
night, and if only had them believe
l should. 1t would he showing the
white flag disgracefully soon, but then
fear was unnecessarily rude this
evening, and really am growing tired
of being at odds with CarisfDrd.
Yes, will have some of those to wear
for a corsage bouquet.
She tried the fastening of the iron
gate, and to her dismay found il
locked.
Now, how shall get at them, was
her puzzled self-query, as she rested her
hand on the gate and cast about in her
her IN nd for ways and means" to
secure the coveted prize-coveted all
the mora that it was just beyond her I
reach
Polly's mind, ever fertile in expe
dents, soon resolved a way. "I'll
climb the fence" she declared "it's
low, I'm certain can do it," Uni
fastening her heavy cloak, and letting Z
It slip from around her that she might
have no impedinent in her attempt, she .
was soon safely on the opposite side
the coveted dchrysantIemums,
on whose pure Wilderness the finger ofl
Jack Frost had left just tinge of pink.
" 1t would never do to be seen here
plundering flowers" thought Polly as
she hastily fastened the cluster on the
bosom of her dress and prepared to re.
climb the fence. But fortune, which Z
thus ia had favored her, now turned
aside and deserted her. In preparing
for clean spring from the top Of the
fence to the ground, her long train be.
came entangled in rose bush growing
near, and in stopping to release herseli
she placed her foot between the panels
in such a way as to prevent her from
freeing it again. To crown all there
came the sound Of rapidly approaching