The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-11-23
PRETTY POLLY PIPER.

y
to help hang out the CLOTHES, and tho TO-
matoes waiting to be made into catsup,
and the peach short cake to be baked,
and you here, dawdling away your time
like fine ladyi"
Polly Piper jumped quickly up, hiding
her dogs'-eared paper covered novel, as
she did so, under the sofa cushion.
~ wish l were fine lady" said she.
"Td be praoticing sonatas on the piano,
or sketching Yellow mountain, or hem
ming ruffles, instead Of working like
slave"
Mrs. Piper looked keenly at her daugh-
ter.
"Polly," said she, "you know very
well you needn't work unless you've
mind to-"
Polly tossed her sunny head with
movement of disdain.
II doa't know how you nasks that out," /"
said she.
"You oan marry this rioh relation Of
ours, il you please" insinuatsd her mo-
ther. 'He wants wife to keep that
grand new house of his, on Haven hill"
Polly laughed.
elbow do I know he'll like mes" abe
questioned.
Nonsense, Pollyi There's no need to
tell you that. You're as pretty az q pink" !"
said Mrs. Piper, viewing her daughter
with maternal pride.
"And how do know shall like himY'
"Why shouldn't you like hims He
can't be more than 60, and a man at 90
ought to be in his prime And he's very
handsome-at least Viola Bsrtlett says
he used to be. And you know very we'll,
| Polly, you oan make him love you, fast
enough"
| Polly pursed up her cherry dot Of a
| mouth.
| GA lover of co." cried she, ''who used
to be handsome whom Viola B&rtlott was
| girll Oh, mother"
ga handsome house and q grand oar
riage Of your own" artfully interposed
Mrs Piper. "And servants to do all
this drudgery that comes 80 hard ON you
| now, and q good home for your poor
father that's crippled with rlisumatism
and
| "All this IL taking = good deal for
| granted" cried Polly, dancing across
thereon. Just hear old Gloria bawling
| for helpl think she'll drown herself in
the washtub II don't oome pretty soon
| He's to be hero in the noon train, isn't
hsi oh. mother, you'll have 10 make
the peach shortcaks yourself. and I'll at
| tend to the tomatoesi And, mother--I
declare never thought Of il until this
minute, but here's note from the school
trustees to let you know that this b your
week for boarding the new sohootnAs-
| ter"
Mrs. Piper gave . start of dienay.
The new sohoolmastorf' she echoed.
''But. Polly, he can't come this weeki
We haven't but the one spare room, and
your cousin from New York Is to bs hero
today; and, besides, we can't be both
cred with country schoolnaastsrs when
there's 30 much to be done. Writs and
tell the trustees 90 at onoe. dare say
the man would Just ~ soon 30 10 Widow
TophAms this week. There he IL oozaing
now. Tell him, Polly"
A score OF dimples broke oRt around
Polly Pipers bswitching httls Onpad's
bow OF mouth; her blue eyes sparklst
| fun.
"Ten him yourself, mother" shs re-
torted. II don't know what on earth 70
say"
And, thus forced into the breach, Mrs.
Piper unwillingiy advanced toward
tall, preternaturally slender young man
who was coming hssitatinSJ up the
garden path. with bAggy umbrella In
one hand and shabby valiss ia the
other. Hs paused, and see down the
shabby vsliss. that 10 might shs more
oonvsniently raiss a still shabbisr hat
from bis psrspirtng brow, - he saw tho
two women,
"Hs has sct nioe syss. in spite Of that
tow colorsd hair Of his." thought Polly.
"Tm glad I'm not mothsrr"
"Is this Mr.. Psraoslsus Pipsrs rod
dsnoes asked ths Young nlAn, Atsa-
dently.
"Yes. It is," answered the laay Of tho
hSuse. But thsrs's bsea . nisAks. We
don't want you heros"
("Poor fellowl" thought Polly. "How
he oolorsi I'm sorry now let mothsr
do il. might have Softsned matters q
little. How tired he looks, and I'm suro
that valise must weigh q qusrtsr OF
ton at leastf'O
Better 60 10 Widow Tophsm's, half
mile down the road. and tell the folks
passed you on, 20 you could take your
week there first. II amt oonv snient Con
US to entsrtain you here today"
And, to nip the whole matter Ia the
bud, Mrs. Piper turned short around and
made dive into the house. rssolutely
closing the door behind her.
There" said shs. 'iCs done / eSuld
not have him herel"
-'He hasn't gone yct," said Poliy, har
pretty nose fattened against the tAn-
lights cf the han door.
''Whats he doingF' sharply qusriod
her mother.
"He has sat down ON his valise. Now
he is wiping his forehead with very
nice white pockethandkerehisf. Now
he's looking back at the honss. Oh,
mother, don't you thing
Polly" said Mrs. Piper, ia accents Of
condensed evaporation. Il don't think
anything at all But you don't 10 and
help Glcriana with the washing, IN 70
myself, and there's an end Of itF'
And Polly, who knew the meaning Of
her mothers voice as well as a musician
eomprehends his gamut, obsyed at onos.
Was 1t Polly'S fault that old GloriAna
had suspended the clothes hnss In thst
velvet green meadow through which ths
brook gurgled like . lAughine, froIls-
some childs
Was il through any completely Of hers
that the tall young man had selected
that especial ''short cut from the PipG |
farmhouse TO the high roadl
Polly stopped and looked at him, her
mouth full Of clothes pins, her bonnie
brown cuFls blown hitllw aud Evn. lfl.s