Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-11-19
alonih'a Giolna,n,
PoLIY PEAcoCK's PARTY.

my elegant tram uCoe. SAM MISS
Polly to an intimate friend, land |
think / will give grand garden-par-
~; but mean to be very exclusive
In my invitations and have only those
who can dress handsomely. As for
the Turkey girls" she ratified on, Il
cannot reasonably invite them, as
they have worn only those dingy
brown dresses and horrid red bon
nets everywhere since / can remem-
Der; and Of all the dancers l ever
saw they are the most awkward.
'sBut very kind hearted and amia-
BILE, are they not?" asked the friend.
ssOh, nonsense ~ replied Polly,
''real worth goes for very little with
me, when compared with fashion and
style. Neither shall l invite the
chicken sisters, clever though they
may be, for they have nothing in the
world to wear but those everlasting
speckled suits and everyday shoes
which are altogether too common for
my party" And Polly tossed her
head haughtily.
ssLet me see, what shall have for
refreshments" she went on. ''Crisp
green lettuce. with tiny scarlet pep
pers; sweet clover heads, red and
white; and heaps of lucious wild
strawberries, and other dainty things
By the way, that Tillie Turkey is
such soft-hearted little thing that
she will help me gather the berries,
I'm sure, thinking she is to be invit-
ed. Isn't that a jolly joker and
Polly laughed maliciously.
At last the eventful day came. In
the cool shade of an old apple
orchard, close by the clear running
brook under the bending alders, Miss
Polly met her friends. She was
dressed exquisitely in an embroider-
ed robe of emerald green and golden
bronze, with an immense sweeping
train, but in spite of it all she was
very unattractive by reason of her
proud, imperious ways. Now, it so
happened that little Tillie, the young
est of the Turkey girls, had never
been to party, and her tender heart
was sorely grieved at the slight she
had received. Tillie crept softly I'M
der some currant bushes, and eager
ly watched the merry guests as they
thronged to the party. After awhile
old Uncle Julius, the honest house
cat, found her there with tears in her
pretty eyes,.
sob, don't take on so dear!" he
said kindly. "You and 1 are poor
and plain, and in most places our
room is better than our company
but we can depend upon the few
friends we do have, while handsome
Polly over yonder cannot count upon
one of all that company, if, to-day,
she were in trouble or distress"
Soon Titles tears were followed
by smiles, and the two friends laugh.
ed merily over the gay doings in
the old orchard. Among the
guests were the two Misses Crow
who were in deep mourning and. sell
dom went into society. Miss Pea
cock, who had no knowledge of mu
sic, very unwisely invited them t.
sing duet; but their poor and pain
full efforts to do so agreeably wer
most distressing to the company
Uncle Julius, who had very superi
or musical education, heard it all
and tumbled over the grass, convulse'
with laughter. Miss Patty Parrot,
city belle, very charming in gra
with scarlet trimmings, then deter
mined to show what she could do
not thinking that any one in th
country could be at all critical. Al
ter attempting some difficult operati
airs in shrill, rasping voice, she dis
covered the great mistake she ha
made when shy little Tawny Thrus
warbled one of her own melodies
pure and fresh as the dawn of Jun
morning.
The refreshments had been served
and dancing was about to commence
when, suddenly, the dazzling sun
mer sunshine faded, the white, drift
ing clouds grew gray and threaten
ing. Polly was the first to note tt
change. "I'll take good care of m,
self" she thought, "and slip avs
under safe shelter before / g
wet;" and without even warnir
word to her guests, Polly caught |
her long train and hurried to bal
near by. AS she entered it her TO
tripped, and just then violent gu
OF wind blew the big barn doors t
gether with crash, and caught h
beautiful train, tearing it to shred
and fatally injuring Polly. BY til
time the neglected guests crowd'
around with offers of help and syl
pathy, but they soon made very slig
excuses to be gone, and Polly W
left to her own forlorn compan
Poor little Tillie, still crouching IL
der the bushes, had seen it all, al
ran swiftly to the barn and yentur
timidly in.
II did want to come to the par
more than tongue can tell" she sal
with stif1ed sob; s.but now IL
you are all alone, and in dstre:
perhaps you will not refuse to let