Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1889-12-03
MISCELLANEOUS.
Polly, the Bound Girl.


Polly, 1 do wish you'd stop that clatter ~
said Mrs. Nye.
Mrs. Nye was counting the stitches in the
heel of her blue worsted stocking. pair of
huge epeciacles astrfde her nose, and a porten-
tous frown on her brow. Polly, the bound girl,
was in the kitchen washing dishes and singing
like black-bird.
please, ma'am. said Polly, can't help it. !"
Then yon must be fool" snapped the old
lady.
4 think it's very likely. maam," assented
Polly innocently.
After all Mrs. Nye's assertion was sclf-evi-
dent. Polly Smith was an orphan. without
friend or e penny in the world, with no pros
poets in particular. and with an appetite that
was appalling. And for Polly to sing was lu-
macy indeed.
She was pretty, too, in her milkmaid fash
ion, with cheeks like cherries, bright blue eyes
AID Il thiGlf hiGlf bEoWp hair that hung in two plaits
Mrs. Nye objected to this-she would have
preferred plain girl; but the only other eligi-
bic handmade in the Burns County Poor-house
at the slime was lame, and so Mrs Nye was
compelled perforce to take Polly Smith.
Mrs. Nye had just settled her stocking heel
to her satisfaction, and Polly was securing the
dish-Pau. when footsteP rang on the thresh-
hold aud tattered woman bearing heavy
basket came courtesying in.
Polly and Mrs. Nyelooked up simultaneously
"Shoe-strings. miss ?" spoke up the woman
obscquiously. 'BWtons, maam stove-black-
ing, tapers, pins and needles-any little tribe
in my way ?"
"Dou't want anything !" said Mrs Nye,
stoutly.
Would We kindly give me a bit to eat and
drink, then p said tile Woman. resting the end
of her basket on the window ledge and wiping
the Precipitation from her brow.
"Thcre's well of water down by the stone
wall" said Mrs. Nye land as for eatin', we
don't keep free tavern"
"Im very hungry !" said she piteously.
Cant help that said Mrs. Nye. Come,
clear out, we don't harbor tramps."
The woman turned slowly on her heel and
went out.
Polly looked after her.
''Missis." she burst out, there's half loaf
of last weeks bread in the jar"
Whats that to you p snarled the old wo-
man. ''Just you mind your own business
Thatn make good chicken feed," and Mrs.
Nye went out to the front yard to see If the
meat peddler's wagon was in sight
Polly cast furtive glance at the retreatinp
skirts of her MISTRESS black calico dress, and
catching the half loaf of bread out of the wide
mouthed stone jar, flew across the back gar
den. climbed the vine-garlanded wall. and stood
breathless and painting, where the woman mus
presently emerge from bend in the road.
Here" said the painting Polly-''hcrc. yor
poor. tired-out creatur! 1t amt much. half c
loaf of bread. but it's better than nothing
a. God bless you!" sobbed out the poor tramp
q If youI1 believe me. nobody's give me bf
or sup since daylight. And If it wasn't for thr
berries in the hedges"
:. Hush !" said Polly apprehensively. ''she'
: cumiugt"
: and Polly crept back through the cabbage
only to meet the blazing eyes and wrath-crim
soned face of her mistress half way down til,
path.
where's that half loaf of bread ?" demand
ed Mrs. Nye.
Il gave It to her. confessed Polly.
"You did. eh Pr said Mrs. Nye, between be
set teeth. Then I'll give it to yonl"
And she dealtthe girl box ON the ear tina
: sent her reeling against the wall.
e Gently. Mis- Nye--gcntIy spoke up tn
voice of Elnathan Grove, the meat peddle
= from the other side of the hall. '.Hadn
oughter knock human creeturs about like the
was dumb beasts. I guess Polly hain't don
, nothin' so very bad. has she5H
"Thats my business, not yours" said til
. old lady.
While Polly, with face deathly pale and ey,
glittering strangely. cried ont:
'she has struck me-yes, struck mean
: III be revengedt'
;, 'shoe-laces, buttons, pins and needles! ANY
b thing in my line today"
I The wan-faced itiuerant rested her bask,
on the rail of the porch and looked wistfull
at the groop around Elnathan Groves supp,
table
'.No," said Mrs. Grove, 1--WE don't wal
n nothing But you just sit down on the steI
; and III send Bessie ont with bowl of tea ar
. Z a bite of bread and meat
Il The woman sat down and began to eatHl
k a furnished wild animal, while the momentari
3 interrupted conversation around the supp
table went on.
"oh. yea" said Mrs. Grove. "Aud 81