The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-14
POLLY, THE BOUND GIRL.

Polly, do wish you'd stop that clat-
teri" said Mrs. Nye.
Mrs. Nye was counting the stitches in
the heel Of her blue worsted stocking, a
pair OF huge spectacle astride her nose,
and portentous irown on her brow.
Polly the bound girl, was in the kitchen,
washing dishes and singing like a black
bird.
"Please, ma'am," said Polly, 81 can't
help it"
"rhen you must be fool" snapped
the old lady.
~ think it's very likely, ma'am," as
scented Polly, innocently.
After all, Mrs. Nye's assertion was
self-evident. Polly Smith was an or
phan, without friend or penny in
the world, with no prospects in partic-
ular, and with an appetite that was SIM
ply appalling. And for Polly to sing
was lunacy indeed.
She was pretty, too, in her milkmaid
fashion, with cheeks like cherries, bright
blue eyes and thick brown hair, that
hung in two plaits down her back.
Mrs. Nye objected to this-she would
have preferred plain girl; but the
only other eligible handmade in the
Burns County Poorhouse at the time
was lame, and SO Mrs. Eye was COM
PEELED perforce to take Polly Smith.
Mrs. Nye had just settled her stock
ing-heel TO her satisfaction, and Polly
was scouringt the dishpan, when a foot
step rang on the threshold, and tat
tered woman, bearing heavy basket
came courtesying in.
Polly and Mrs. Nye locked up stimuli
taneously.
"Shoe:strings, miss?" spoke up the
woman, obsequiously. Buttons,
ma'am? Stove-blacking, tapers, pins
and needles-any little trito in my
Don't want anything" said Mrs.
Nye, stoutly.
"Would ye kindly give mo bit to eat
and drink, them" said the woman, rest
ing the end Of her basket on the window
ledge and wiping the perspiration from
her brow.
"Thero's well Of water down by the
stone wall" said Mrs. Nye; land as for
eatin', we don't keep free tavern"
"I'm very hungryW said she, pite-
ously.
Come, clear out, we don't harbor
tramps."
and went out.
Polly looked after her.
"Niissis," she burst out, there's half
loaf OF last weeks bread in the jar"
"What's that to your" snarled the old
woman. Gust you mind your own bus:
mess. That'llmake good chicken feed, "
and Mrs. Nye went out TO the front yard
to see II the meat peddler's wagon was
in sight.
Polly cast furtive glance at the re-
treating skirts OF her mistress,s black
calico dress, and, catching the half loaf
OF bread out Of the wide-mouthed stone
jar, flew across the back garden, climbed
the vine-garlanded wall, and stood,
breathless and painting, where the " oman
must presently emerge from bend in
"Here, said the painting Polly-''here,
you poor tired.out creaturl 1t amt
much, half aloIf OF bread, but itsbetter
than nothing"
"God bless you !" sobbed out the poor
tramp. 'If youth believe me, nobody
give me bit or supsince daylight. And
liz it wasn't for the berries in the
hedgesn'-
"Hushw said Polly, apprchensively.
"She's coming"
And Polly crept back through the
cabbages, only to meet the blazing eyes
and wrath.crimsoned face Of her mis-
tress half way down the path.
where's that half LOAF OF bread 2" de-
manded Mrs. Nye.
81 give it to her." confessed Polly.
"You did, eh2" said Mrs. Nye, be.
tween her set teeth. "Then III give il
to youp
And she dealt the girl box on the
ear that sent her Keeling against the
wall.
"Gently, Mis- Nye-gentlyp spoke
meat peddler, from the other side OF the
hall. "Hadn't oughter knock human
creeturs about like they was dumb
beasts. IGuess Polly hain't done moth
in so very bad, has she7" >.
"That's my business, not yours, sale
the old lady,
While Polly, with face deathly pail
and eyes glittering strangely, cried out
"she has struck me-yes, struck me-
and I'll be revenged".
"Shoe-laces, buttons, pins and needles
ANYTHING in my line to.dayi"
The wan.faced itinerant rested he
basket on the rail Of the porch and look
ed wistfully at the group around Elna
than Groves supper table.
mo" said Mrs. Grove, I've don
want nothing. But you just set dow
. on the steps, and III send Bessy gu
with a bowl OF tea and q bite Of brea'
, and meat
: The woman sat down and began =
t eat like a iamished wild animal, Will
the momentarily interrupted converts
ton around the supper table went on.
: "oh, yesI" said Mrs. Grove. can