The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-09-24

the horse-block, idly kicking one foot
backward and forward, watching. Aunt
Mary as she drove off to visit a sick
neigbbor.
lust as Aunt Mary was hidden from
sight by bend in the road she heard
the crunching of wheels in the opposite
direction, and, on looking up, found it
was the grocer and postman of Willow
Grove. lie checked his horse at the
cate, and, fumbling slowly in his coat,
drew out white envelope, and read in
o loud voice:
Miss Polly Gardner, in care of Mrs.
MARY West, Willow Grove. In haste"
Then he peeped over his glasses Severe
" at Polly, and asked sharply; who's
Miss Polly Gardner? Do you know, lit
tic gir,?"
so, that's mel" cried Holly, jumping
from the horse-block, slnd Mrs. Mary
West is aunty. PIE sse give me my
letter. It's from mar ina. am so gladw
"Can you read?"
Eyes, of cours' Is" said Polly indignant
Iy. III nine next week..
This was t ae letter:
DEAREST oLLY-Papa finds he can leave his
business TO-. short time, so we have concluded
TO spend .he remainder of your vacation with
you ane Aunt tary. We shall take the train
that caches Willow Grove at 4:30 p. m. on the
@lI Tell Aunt Mary to meet us il she has
tlme
Love to all, and a thousand kisses from
MAMMA AND PAPA.
AS Aunt Mary would not return be-
fore five o'clock, Polly determined to
walk down to the railroad station and
meet her father and mother alone. She
had often been there with Aunt Mary
to watch the trains come and go. 1t was
small station, and very few people
stopped there.
Just before reaching the station the
railroad crossed draw-bridge. Polly
liked to watch the man open and shut
the draw as the boats in the river passed
through. There was foot-path over
this bridge, and Polly had once crossed
jtwith Aunt Mary. They had stopped
to speak to the flagman, who was pleas
ant and good-natured. He told Polly
where she could find some beautiful
white lilies in a pond not far away.
Thatwas more than week ago and the
flowers were not then open, and now, as
Polly ran down the road, she thought
she would have time to gather some for
her parents before the train arrived.
When Polly reached the station she
found no one there, and on looking at
the clock found that it was only ten
minutes past four, so she had twenty
minutes to wait Then she ran on
quickly.
The iagman stood by the draw, and
Polly saw, some distance down the riv-
er, small vessel coming toward the
bridge. She ran along rapidly, and as
she passed the fagman he called out:
Going for the lilies? The pond was
all white with them when l went by
this morning"
Yes, sir; | want to pick some for
mamma and papa. They wrote me
letter and said they were coming in the
1eAb traln.
you don't say so! Well, I guess
you're glad. Look out for the locomo-
tive. and don't take too long picking
your flowers, and you'll have plenty of
time to get back before the train comes
i'm
She thanked him and ran on. In
about five minutes she reached the
pond How lovely the lilies looked,
win their snowy cups resting upon the
dark water! But their stems were long
and tough, and most of them grew far
beyond her reach. She contrived to Sc
cure four. Pollywas sorry to leave so
many behind, but was afraid if she
fingered too long she would miss the
Galn 30 gathering up the blossoms,
sne pinned them into her belt and
scampered back toward the bridge.
Inc boat had just sailed through the
usaw' and the man stood ready to close
we bridge, when Polly came up He
.voked over at her from the center of
'ae bridge, and called out with a smile:
eouidn't you get any more flowers