The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-01-19

Tue bureau anu Ra6ed at tho reflection OF
herself while she toyed fondly with the blue
cross as it lay on her bosom.
''Dot vas shust made for you" said the
peddler. 81 vas so glad drinks me of it."
but can't take it." said Polly, signing
have no money"
IVY, here is money" replied the peddlcr,
holding up the bill Polly had given him.
e For dis und five more t would sell you dot
necklace, ind it cost me fcefteen tollars,
upon my word it did. You would be crazy
not to take it,
Polly shook her head, still holding out
| the necklace
LET me tell you someding, mees," said
tho peddler, persuasively. "You dond
know dot you could sell dot bit of shewelry
for twcndy tollars in the city, Ell. veil, you
can; any sheweller would slump at de
shance. l would sell it myself, but vas
not going TO the city for dis long, long vile,
und needs the money. Ten tollars vss
CITING dot necklace away"
Polly had been thinking Of many things
as the peddler spoke. Ono OF them was of
a party she was to attend at the village
hotel that night; a party that was to be the
grandest affair Of her life. Then she was
going to the city next day to spend week
with young girl who had recently spent q
month with Polly. Last of oil, she thought
of crisp ten-dollar bill upstairs in her own
little purse.
Her grandmother had given her tbs bill
on her sixteenth birthday, only week be-
! fore. She was frcs to do as she liked
with this money, but she had not thought OF
spending it without the appreciation Of her
parents. She had, in fact, said that it
should be the nucleus Of fund with which
she intended going away to school for six
months during the coming wear.
"Arc you sure could sell it for twenty
or even fifteen dollars in tho city," she
asked slowly and thoughtfuly.
Il vas shust so sure as DOT vas alive"
Even ii had worn it u little?"
"Dot would mex no tif' renee"
| The end OF it all was that when the ped
dlcr went away ho had Polly's tcn-dollar
bill in his wallet, and she had tho necklace
| hidden away, and was going about her work;
| but she was not singing now.
We'll did you get the ribbonl" asked
| Mrs. Pringle, when she came into the
! kitchen while Polly was laying tho cloth for
dinner
Yes" replied Polly.
Didn't Sc: any thing elsa but that and
| my thread, did youN
Polly had suddenly found something to
do in the pantry, and affected to be 50 busy
there that she had not timo to answer her
mothers question.
Mrs. Pringle was not to be put OF, how
ever. She stepped to the pantry door and
said:
Didn't get any thing else, did youl That
peddler stayed in the house 80 long as l
was afeerd he'd coax you into buying some
thing else, and l dunno rs you'd really
ought to have bought that ribbon, monev's
SO skcerce. Did he try to wheedle you into
buying some of his other Gewgaws"
"No-o-o," said Polly slowly as she bent
over the bread-tray with crimson face.
Polly was good girl and hated false
hood. She had told au untruth before she
realized what she was saying, and now she
began trying to excuse herself, and 10 per
suade herself that she had not really told 0
falsehood.
"Itisn't as though had really eough, the
necklace to Keep" she reasoned with herself:
Pm only going to wear it tonight and a
fcw times may be when 20 to the city TO
visit Hattie, and then shall take it TO a
Jeweler and sell It before como home and
get twice as much as gave for it. Then
III tell mother ell about it, and she'll be
not to tell that have it now.''
But this reasoning did not relieve Polly's
conscience. She was strangely silent at
dinner, and did not resume her old cheer
fuluess even when the subject of the com
ing party at the hotel had been brought up
by her purepts. Heretofore she had been
all animation whenever the party was men
toned.
''Aint you feeling we'll, Polly" asked her
mother, noticing the change in her manner
Better take little nap when you get the
dishes washed, and kind o. rest up for to-
night"
II guess ] will" replied Polly, and she
went up TO her room AN hour or two later
Her new white muslin dress was lying on
the bed, its tlounccs crisp and fresh, and
tho ribbon she had brought of the peddler
knottcd into n graceful bow. with long
ends, and pinned to the waist Poly's
spirits revived when she looked Mt her first
party dress, and, instead of lying down, she
slipped off her dark calico dress, and arrayed
herself in the muslin. Then the new neck.
lace was ciaSpcd around hcI slender neck.
Ii was easier now to make herself think
that she had done nothing wrong, and she
stood before her little mirror for long
time. viewing herself in this light and in
that, with satisfied smile on her face.
Her mother helped her to dress for the
party.
81 guess you'll look about rs well as the
best of 'em," she said, with motherly pride,
when Polly was ready TO start. THAT rib
bon is the tinishiu' teen. I'm real glad YOU
got it, after all. o. how would you like to
wear my gold chain and pencil your pa gave
me Wacn we was married! You can, if you
want TO. It's to be yours some day, any
how"
. The day before Polly would have thought
this u great privilege, and would eagerly
have accepted the offer; but now she STAN
mered US she said:
'T-I-don't know, mother. Mary Hazel
has some lovely pink roses out, and she said
she'd bring some to the hotel for me to
wear"
20, that'll be better than the chain" said
Mrs. Pringle. 1.-THE chain qcouId be good
deal for girl of your age to wear. To my
way of thinkin', there amt nothin' so nice
for girls to wear as natchrel flowers. It's
purticr'n all the jewl'ry they can pile on"
The necklace iu Polly's dress pocket
seemed TO burn her fingers, as she touched
it at that moment. She intended putting it
on afte: she reached the hotel, and she did
so with feeling OF pride thatrose above all
her sonsc Of deceit and shame for the false
hoods she had told and acted
She noted with secret satisfaction that the
Girls af her inf 1Onlra1 cd ri vl,