The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-10-04
POLLY.

i -As ~ DObUt w tfet IdNuhfUr.
POLLY.
BY NJ. C. FARLEY.
Polly was my bosom friend. To-
gether we stood behind the long coun-
ters of Sel!em, Cheetem Il Co, and
measured off dry goods to the various
customers who patronized that cele-
brated firm. Together we spent our
annual two-weeks' vacation fishing and
hunting in the wilds OF Wisconsin and,
being almost zone and inseparable," we
would both have made love to the same
girl but for the fact that l had most
ungoyernable and unconquerable hatred
for the other sex, being, in this isolated
exception, the exact opposite to Polly,
who dotted on girls, and was noted for
his gallantry. Indeed, it was his ex.
treme susceptibility to the wiles of the
fair sex that had saddled hip with
his sobriquet; for Polly, mind you,
wasn't his real name at all, no more
than it was mine. He had been duly
christened Paul, after the apostle; and
his paternal grandfather added two or
three surnames beside but, never.
theless, when he took up his place be.
hind the counter in the store, and then
and there began to lavish his smiles
with reckless profusion uPon the young
ladies, we soon shortened his name
down to "Polly"-and so Polly he wa
called.
It's Of no use to say how hc soor
monopolized all the trade from lady
customers. There he was, always at
tentive, always pol te, his cheeks a
pink as girls, and his hands as white
as the whitest. 1t seemed as ii per
rennial smile hovered round his lips
which We're parted just enough to show
his pretty teeth, and yol could ever
smell the faint-sweet perfume of hello
trope, that he scented his handkerchie
with, as he walked along behind the
counter.
But there was no end to his fiirtat;ons
He had more strings to his bow than
could shake stick at" in q week, q!
the saying is.
I gave him some good, fatherly ad
vice several times, but he only shool
back his curly-brown locks, and said h,
guessed he could stand it while vet.
But / was older than Polly, and
knew that the first thing he would d,
some time would be to get entanglee
in a foolish engagement of some sort
and, lsure enough, his time actual,
came, and sooner than / had expected
But just then was suddenly calle,
1 home hxy% %ho carso,,c .l1rn.. =
and1 in watching at her bedside, an.
occupied for some weeks after he
death in settling up her business affairs
all lesser matters were passed over
until one morning I was surprised a
getting telegram from Polly an
nonncing his marriage.
A letter came day or SO after, il
which Polly explained the reason of h.
rather hasty action.
@You see, Old Pap writes he-Polly al
ways called me Pap. though my name j
really Peter. Il ives OBJ iged 10 marry
Annie, just when l did, or else another fcl
low would So l rushed In ahead. and cam
off with the spoils The fact is, that ol
Brown-he's 90 years old il day, and he ca
count II ,0o0 for every year OF his age-ha
laid his heart, hand and Pocket book, TN
more especially the pocket book at Annie
feet And Annie spa favored Browns oifel
you see So stood no show ut al with til
old folks, and the very deuce was to pay a
around.
There was only one thing we could d
under the circumstances for Annie WASH
OF age-s0 we did it She met me one even
ing at the corner of the street. and too
her in buggy just out OF the city aricct
and we went down to Hickory Grove-m
old dad . place. you know. The cler yyma
knew me and he thought it was all righ
though he did think Annie locked yer
young, and he asked her how old she wa
She told him she .was going ON l., whic
was true You know, for she had tha. nun
Der in her shoes So If she want sgo:n
on 10 " what was she going ons Anything I
beat the old folks. But You should SC
Brown-hes tearing mad aud Annies /
actually made . face at Inc when met hil
to-day.
We are staying ut Hickory Grove nov
It'A line old place if it does be ong to m
father, AMI want you to pack your trun
and COME right away We II have fiy tim
going a-nutting. The woods are full Of 'en
30 don't stop to write, but come down
Yours in haste,
POLLY.
I was tired and sick, being wor
down with watching and care, and, as
was on the point of returning to til
city anyway, determined to run dow
first to Hickory Grove and make IN
friend Q short visit. As visions of lea
! strewn woods rose up before my ment;
vision, half-packed the big Saratoe
that usually accompanied my wande
ings. But, rehectlng that the newl,
married pair was in the first flush
their honeymoon, settled down to
modest grip, that at best would hol
only q change of linen. When IL
train rushed into the little station
H, who should I see but Poll
looking as fresh as daisy, the san
old smile parting his cherry lips, ar
= the same white hands waving WELDON
at me through the car-window.
"And 30 you're went and gone ar
@Yes; to be sure" broke in Poll
squeezing my hand affectionatel
lawfully glad to see you; where's yo'
d luggage9"
r "Oh" said !, feeling little ashamt
now Of the diminutive grip-sack tn
IS held my belongings, II didn't fet.
anything much. I did not want
make certain young married pair fe
that while two is company, thr'
makes crowd"
well, I'll be jumped up!' sa.
Polly shortly, biting off the end Of
cigar.
"I'll be jumped up" is a favorite e
preston of his, when he feels put 0
of humor the least bit.
y "Come along to the house, Old Pa
!. and I'll let Annie scold YOU, said
d presently, in his usual cheerful manne
Well, We strolled along tho wild
sssyslsa walk, w 70 tho Rig, old-tas