The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-10-12


took themselves off before the end
came.
"Well that he did. I couldn'thays
answered for the consequences n "a
hadn't.
Well, 1t came with a crash, and I
had the real pleasure of witnessing
it. / Was reading on the side porch
one afternoon, just the day before I
came home. and Fosdick put in a
sudden hurried appearance.
"'Haye you seen Miss Polly. Mrs.
Gerry? I'm looking for her,
"'Isn't that she?' said 1. sweetly.
"Polly was coming round from the
kitchen court. She had her hat on,
and Pierson was with her.
"Fosdick turned little pale. Then
presently the pent.up storm burst
] put my hook over my lips and Sc.
renely listened.
"'I have my trap waiting. Miss
Polly said Enthusiastically he did
it seemed. L wish the pleasure of
your company for a drive. / men,
toned the matter yesterday, you re.
member
81 didn't say could 60. Mr. Fos-
dick said Polly.
II could see the poor girl was
frightened. Her voice fairly ~
bled. Hsh
"'I'm going home today said
she.
"If Miss Polly does remember
said Pierson, superciliouIy, she will
not be able to accompany you. 1
have engaged her company for the
afternoon
"'Mr. Person. said Polly. family,
I'm going home. Im expecting
somebody to get me-
"'Not to-day, Miss Polly said
Fosdick. DON'T tell me that you are
going to-day. You are going no fur
Their than the Peak to day, with me.
~ beg your pardon. Mr.. Fosdick,
said Pierson, glarlng.
"'No more words, sir! said Fos-
dick. sayagely,
"Polly broke out crying from sheer
fright, siding up to me. 1 think
Polly felt all through the affair that l
was her friend.
IA big fellow in a flannel shirt and
straw hat came around the porch
just then. with a whip in his hand,
light.heartedly swapping it.
IA g0od-lOoking fellow, too, with
light curls and sharp dark eyes.
HE stared at Polly, standing
there with her two adorers; but he
recovered.
"'Come on. POLL said he; 'hoss's
a.waitlDg.' 81
"'What do you mean? asked Pier
son, turning to him.
He had began to look scared, and
Fosdick was getting white abosss -
gilIs. ~
81 don't mean much said Polly's
young man; 1t had dawned upon
me instantly that it was Poly's
young man. Only I'm going to take
Polly home. Glad / got here when
I did, said he. and he fingered his
whip rather suggestively, Il guess
she's been here long enough. Guess
I've got the right to take her. Pm
going to marry her.
"Woe! the bomb had burst. OF
course they looked CHASTITY. I won't
dwell on the way they did look.
"If Colonel NARROW had been there
at the moment, think his life would
have been endangered. Making alb
iect fools of two conceited and snob.
bish fellows at time isn't safe, you
see.
"There was an awful Stiffness
which poor Polly didn't fully under.
stand. She thought merely that they
had rather liked her, and were put
out. She dried her eyes. and even
smiled at them alphabetically.
II think that attitude of Polly's at
that moment-her timid commisera-
ton of them hers. a penniless coun-
try lass-was. after all, the bitterest
drop in the bucket. They fairly
writhed under it
"Well. they went home-or some.
where-on the evening train. They
went together. but they didn't 20 as
friends, and whether they have made
it up I don't know. 1t WASN'T ex-
actly David-and- Jonathan fFsrss,
ship anyhow. so 1t doesn't much
matter.
II gave Polly fifty dollars to buy
her wedding gowns with. I thought
I had enough enjoyment. on the
whole. to warrant it; and you know
1 always pay as / 60.
II should surely have attended the
wedding If hadn't come away be.
a