Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-03
The Rav Paul smi.incly shook his head

and answered her by saying the pleasures
of his calling fully repaid him for any
fancied pleasure he might otherwise en-
joy.
"Oh, love to hunt" said Polly, raptu-
rously. "Would you believe 1t, Mr..
Troior, l have taken the brush i've times.
What do you think of that?' -,
The young clergyman said very iittie,
but his looks plainly told Aunt Polly IL
was no credit to her. Nay, | think before
his departure he almost limited as much,
for remember after he was gone she IN
formed us solemnly that he was "prig
and donkey,n and also that she was quite
sure she was going to hate him.
"How can you tell, Aunt Polly L
asked.
She looked at me in lofty dignity for
moment and then said: ;,
"When you arrive at my age, Maoeilne
she was Just six months older than MI
riam-@you may also be judge, OF human
nature, but at present you are only chliu'
so don't ask questions"
One sunny Sunday morning we all STOOD
in the hall waiting patiently for Aunt
Polly, when, imagine our surprise, 10 see
Hans, the stable boy, lead Tally DO" up
aHans,' said Miss tombstone. "what
does this mean? Take that horse back to
the stable instantly"
"Beg pardon, Miss; but the young lady
ordered him for this morning"
Miss tombstone stood with a scandal
liked expression upon her placid counte-
nance, and we three-Miriam, Babe ana
-gazed at each other in helpless dlsmay,
when Aunt Polly appeared, leisureiy
drawing on her long yellow riding gaunt-
lets.
"Miss Tomkins," our governess spoke
severely, "do you know what day this ls?''
eyes" said Aunt Polly, pertly; Sun
day, amt it?"
"Are you not coming to church. Aunt
Polly ?" asked Miriam.
"No; i forgot all about it. Pm going
for my morning ride. Couldn't miss 1t Tor
the world. Ia! ia Remember me tc
the Rev. Paul"
Then with a whisk of "Tally Hos" tail
and CLINT of his well-shod hoofs, horse and
rider soon bounded out of sight.
Miss tombstone sighed despairingly. and
Miriam gave vent to her favorite express
ion, Here's pretty kettle of fish,
al don't blame her bit" pouted Babe
81 would like to go with her.
| said nothing, but laughed immoder-
stely, to think what the villagers would
say to see the Priory girls aunt" cutting
across the country at such a rate on Sun
day.
But Nemesis overlook naughty Polly
Upon the following Sunday the Rev. Pau
Troior preached eloquently upon keeping
the Sabbath holy; and then in scathing
remarks rebuked fox hunting calling it a
cruel and inhuman pastime, his eyes rest
ing the while upon Aunt Polly, who sal
with her cheeks burning crimson, and
could see the prayer book in her neatly.
gloved hand tremble visibly. Babe nodged
me, and Miriam, sitting to my right, whis
pered: "Look Polly's mad"
And sure enough Polly was mad. In
fact, when we reached home, she was in g
raging fury from the crown of her small
head to the toe of her smart little shoes
Even the tails of her walking jacket
seemed to bristle with anger. Miss John
stone tried vainly and gently TO sooth hel
by saying the sermon was not intended fol
her ears alone. "But you know. my dear,
said the good woman, resorting to hel
French, "you know, my dear, in this part
of the country it is not considered exactly
au fat for young ladies to hunt"
"A fault be bowed" stormed Aunt
Polly 81 should think it not a fault, in
deed, to take an innocent little ride; bu
| Pm sure it wasn't my fault that | was com
PEELED to sit in church and listen to tina
man hurl insults and insinuations a
me, was [? Pom my SOUL" said she
strutting up and down the room, it wa
all | could do to keep from finging boob
at his head. The devil fly away with
him"
But at last Polly's anger spent itself
| Then, woman-like, she resorted 10 goot
cry, whilst we all tried tenderly to com
fort her, for our saucy little aunt had be
come very dear to US in the short time she
han been at the Priory
If it wasn't" she sobbed, that an
bound by solemn duty to remain ano
take care of you poor girls | would g
| home tomorrow, but | promised you
mamma would stay, and stay must"
Then, with her little tiptilted nose, dyed
deep cardinal, and her eyes red anC
swollen from weeping, she embraced US al
in turn, Miss tombstone included.
And ever afterwards Polly fatty ant
emphatically refused to accompany u
again to church. The Rev. Paul called
almost daily, but Miss Polly could not b,
persuaded to meet him.
"Where are you going, Aunt Polly ?'
asked one morning, seeing her equipped
early for ride
"To the hunt" she said shortly: ano
like to Gomez"
"Oh! Aunt Polly" I cried in dismay
surely you are joking. You cannot NEAR
to say that you are really going to thu
hunt?"
"And why not, pray? Don't womer
hunt in this benighted region %
| "No very nice women" / replied
"There is the new doctors wife, and Mis-
| Slopworth, and one or two others, but they
are. not considered exactly nice Pap;
nor mamma would not dream of allowing
us to CO. Don't go. Aunt Polly. Pleas
don't. i am sure the villagers will talk"
But Aunt Polly laughed in glee.
"What delightful little sleepy hol,
this Donislandon is. And the Rev. Pau
will talk too. Well, Pm off. The hound
meet at Benson's Common, and they dom
wait. So, good-by."
And, with saucy little nod towards
Miss tombstone, she jumped into the sad
die and galloped away.
1t was very wet and bedraggled Aun
Polly who returned some hours later, he
habit splashed and literally covered will
mud. The Rev Paul, who had just dreppe,
in for a few minutes chat, regarded he
with disapproval.
We all ran forward to greet her-Mis
tombstone as eagerly as the rest. She hat
taken a deep liking to the girl, and FIRE
quently smiled in looking at some Of he
capers. "My DEAR" she now asked, "hov
pale you are. Are you hurt ?"
"No,' said Aunt Polly; and she spok
and looked cross. "Such beastly day
and such Internal riding. No fences t.
speak ONO nothing. Pm tired and hav
got headache. Tally Ho threw me
cropper; the wretch"
Now, whether this last remark was in
tended for the horse or the Rev. Paul
who she had caught sight OIL am no
prepared to say, but my own suspicion
pointed strongly towards the latter.
"A what?' asked his reverence, smilin!
pleasantly. "A cropper ?"
"Yes; or header if you prefer it,
II