The Southern herald., 1886-01-23

HeF lOr mOunefF
"Who aCouldyou likeP" retorted jamie,
scornfully.
80, don't know!" answered Robbie.
''Not her, anyhow! She scowled at me
one day when stepped on the train OF
her dress. And heard her say, Clumsy
boyr to her sister"
"And she was very right, " didactically
observed jamie. "You are clumsy
boy, Rob-
Perhaps" said John, ''it's Mrs
Bricknor. There's a sumner for you
Amt she always dressed like the Queen
of ShebaP"
II can't bear Mrs Bricknor," said
Bell. She laughs too loud, and her
false teeth don't fit, and l don't think
she likes little boys and girls. She
looked real cross at the Thanksgiving
party when we had them funny games,
and told Mrs. Fenwick that she didn't
think children ought to be allowed to
make 50 much noise.
'1'll tell you who does love children,
thought suddenly exclaimed jamie.
"And l love her, too, and ] wish papa
would marry her. Miss Polly Pritch-
ardr'
"What, that Miss Polly that has the
blue Maltese cat, and the red cardinal
birdP" said Robbie "Well, it amt
bad idea, She gave me some bread and
jam, the night got lost, blackberrying,
on the hills, and told me such nice
story about Fortunatus and his Purse,
when was resting on her sofa"
Eyes, and what do you think?"
eagerly struck in jamie. "She's dress
ing eighteen dolls, now, for the poor
little orphan girls in the asylum, and
she has bought eleven jack-knives for
the boys; because she says all children
ought to have q Christmas.
"Shc's trumpr' declared Robbie,
pounding both hands down upon the
table. Il declare, I've most mind to
marry her myself! But look here, jamie,
amt you going to help fellow with
these long-division sums, before papa
calls us in to rcciteP"
And then the noise of all four talking
together drowned the sense of what
thev said, and Mr.. Mellen, smiling to
himself, pushed back his pen and ser.
mon paper.
''Out of the mouths of babes and suck.
lings," he said, mildly. "Who knows
but that these little ones voices have
been sent to guide my footsteps arightl
1t was sweet and gracious idea, that OF
preparing a Christmas for the little
homeless ones who have no parents tc
take tender thought for them. think
/ will 90 out and quiet my troubled
meditations with walk!''
And his walk led him to the little rec
farmhouse in whose wing Miss Polly
Pritchard sat diligently at work over thu
} eighteen dolls.
The parson was sensible, straight
forward man, who comprehended nom
of the sinuous wiles of society. HI
knocked at the door and walked in.
All looked cozy and comfortable
there, from the big geranium in tn
window and the Maltese cat on the ruI
to the shaded lamp and the work-baske
beside the prim little spinster. AM
, Miss Polly herself, with her thick brow
l hair coiled in knot at the back OF. he
1 head, and faint, carnation-like bloor
$ on her cheek, was not the least attract
i've element of the scene.
a $50 these are the dolls for the littl
waits and strays of humanity, chP" sal
G the parson, looking kindly at the maide
lady.
: YES" said Miss Polly "But Idon
G know how you heard anything about i
Mr.. Mellen. 1t was to be a profoun
u secret"
II will keep it most profoundly, sal
+ the Parson. :, =, ,,,,
IL Polly, 81 am fond of children, and it
a real pleasure to do anything for IL
Z little things. I've often thought shoul
- like to adopt chile"
. miss Polly" said the parson, blunt.
'S ''that is the very business have con
to you about. What do you say
adopting toWr?"
T. "FourP' repeated Miss Polly.
EYES," said the parson. "Mine! Ar
their father thrown into the bargain
a What do you say, Miss Polly? Wi
- you marry meg
d 'I-rm afraid / am not goo
Is enough, said Miss Polly, with lit
y gasp, as if the tide of unexpected ha
u piness was surging up into her We
throat.
ie IF ever there was good Christian
Polly, YOU are one," said the parse
10 "Or else,n putting his hand lightly up'
the tiny heap of dolls, 'you nev
n would have taken all this pains +
u Christ's orphan little ones. Only S
81 Yes, Polly. That isall want"
NJ u. And Polly said; "Yes."
~ Mrs Gribbage was quite incredible
~ when she came home and heard
news.
or II thought it was to be Georgicl
y ~ Fullerton, sure enough, said 81
Il w. "But how ever came Mr.. Mellen
" think of you2"
y, 81 am sure don't know" said M
'o- .,- Polly, with humility.
'to 20 So, like the old-time fairy stories, o
W :" tale ends. "And they lived happ
''o ,e ever after" For Mrs. Mellen was
,Irt I model step-mother, and the four you
'J' ID rebels at the parsonage loved her heo
" lily.
IA This was Miss Polly Pritchard's ]
ht NV Christmas in loveless solitude. 1
~ ~ when the next Christmas came she v
,re o the happy little mistress of the pars
az age.-M T. Ledger.
lid --"'-
ng "A half-breed Indian in the D