Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-03-18

only could be allowed to Judge for
themselves, that the long-suffering
martyr consented, and promised to let
them have their way. Now promise
| in the Fuller family was as good as a
| bond-better, for have heard many a
man besides St. Paul declare himself
happy, especially after a panic in the
street, except these bonds.
But the difficulty about the allowance
| was this: The day these girls got their
| money they felt SO enormously rich
that they could not contain themselves
and it. They forgot it must last six
months, and represented boots, gloves,
gowns, bonnets-a thousand neces-
saries. They forgot the waste the lack
of parasol makes in the life of the
American girl; they only saw the beau.
tiful S-(no. will not hold them up
to ridicule), and they ionged to spend
it, and it burned in their pockets, till,
alas! sometimes they lived like prod
igals for three weeks. and starved and
were almost Laked the rest Of the twenty
six.
On this particular morning the whole
family were assembled in the sitting
room. 1t was a June day, dewy,
rosy, dimpled day, and ''all the trees
on all the hills had opened their thou
sand leaves the air itself was as fresh
and sweet as the first day that ever
broke in paradise. Even the orphan
school children had come out the Sum
day before in little pink-sprigged cali
Goes. All the Fullers but one had gone
to church also in their neat spring
suits, looking so stylish and jaunty, so
sweet and violct-eycd, that the arch
deaconess failed in her responses, and
scanned each figure as it went up the
aisle with a glance that Julie declared
amounted to an indictment for larceny.
Yes, all the Fullers but one. One
wretched, forlorn, spendthrift of 4
Fuller staid at home. She had neither
spring gown, nor spring hat, nor boots,
nor parasol; she had spent her allow
ance long ago on concert tickets, and
candy, and a set of silver jewelry.
SO she spent the day in disreputa-
bic bingham, and hat that deserves
a chapter to itself, swinging in the big
apple-tree, and wishing she had her
money back. And this unfortunate
was named Polly. and she was nine
teen years old-old enough and pretty
enough to know better
If we had only known how much
of hole you were in, Polly" said Jen,
WED have dubbed in and helped you
buy your spring things"
mo, my dears," said papa, from
what was by courtesy called .'the
study" though in reality it was the
china closet and canned fruit room
(the Fullers ate a good deal of canned
things; their preserves weren't gener-
ally successfully. 1T is not so recorded
in the bond. You know you bargained
each to make the most of her allow
ance. and bear the consequences of her
good or evil judgment. If Polly has
spent her money she must do with
out
Alas! each remembered; it acas so
written in the bond
What have you got toward spring
things, Polly dear?" asked mamma,
looking up from Herbert Spencer's
Sociology in dazed way, and en-
deavoring to set her cap at right angles.
which, if the truth be told, was not
quite as straight as plumb-line.
Il have my black satteen. mamma
Ito be sure, the front is stained with
lemonade, but don't care), and my
boots are pretty good, and | have one
long. nice, cream-colored CANT de Suede
that luckily is for my right hand, and
my turquoise ring is on my left. so it
doesn't matter about the Others being
lost, and my white muslin and my
white null Ito be sure, it has shrunken
up to my knees, butt can let it DOWN."
she said, eagerly; then, seeing amuse-
mcnt in her sisters eyes, she burst into
tears and rushed out, calling in loud
voice: IL do not care if l never have
another rag to my back so long as |
live. l am going to bed, and will STAY
there till l die for want of exercise, and
then You will all be sorry. and not
laugh at me and taunt me because
am not mean, miserable, niggardly
things like yourselves"
g Come back, Polly love-" cried all
the five unoffending sisters, deeply
grieved, but not at all hurt at Polly's
outburst. "Tell lis about your hats,
and how much money have you?"
% have no hat but this said
Polly, sobbing bitterly; land fifteen
dollars"
Tears of sympathy stood in man.
mas eyes; Sociology slipped off her
lap and fell to the ground. Papa
tapped his finger rehectively on the
pane. For the first time he half
wished he had not given the bishop so
positive reply about the doctrine of
sin. One might be mistaken,
and-this was Polly's hat.
AS remarked, it was her only one.
and deserved a chapter of itself. 1t
was little round bonnet, originally of
white straw, which was now sun
burned to dirty yellow, a faded red
rose adorned one side; the crown was
mashed in; a limp, draggled feather
stood up in front. Nothing could
have been more hopeless, more dis
reputable.
Poor dearr'
But Polly had flown; the subject was
too tender to be discussed.
just then the bell rang. "a note
for Miss Polly; from Mr.. Jerry Nevins.
@ Al