The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-11-14
HIS LITTLE Cal.


One bright summer morning as ]
threw open the blinds of my sitting.
room / saw an old man coming slowly
up the walk. seemingly seeking some-
one or something. answered his gen
tie tap at the open door.
BE you the lady who lives herep"
he asked tinidly. replied that was
ahe
II hate 10 trouble ye Ina'am, but
have ye seen anything OF our little galp
We call her Polly. She has brown
eyes and long. yaller curls. and wears
blue dress and white pantalets. II
ant but few minutes since | seen her
about SO l know she can't be gone
fur-but IL seems like | ort TO keep her
Ia sight more now that mothers gone. !"
| had seen no child OF that descrip-
tion. but thinking that she might have
strnyed too far for his feeble strength
20 follow. offered to 20 with him TO
help find her. He accepted my offer
with thanks. and / put on my hat and
we started slowly up the shaded street.
My companion chatted with me as
we Went along. He was nigh 81.
he said. and but for touch of the
''rheumatlzn was as we'll aud strong ms
he ever had been.
AAO WIS " uuuQcODlC Olu tlAtlt ~ lttllt
bent. but still taller than the average.
His hair was fine and perfectly white
aud hung In long locks. making a
silvery frame for his ruddy face and
blue eyes.
He told me good deal about Polly;
she was n good little thing but of late
she had taken to running away. Polly
favored her mothers side. and she
/ came from the handsomest family ut
this end of the valley. They were short
lived. that family. aud poor mother was
the last 10 go. | supposed the little
girl was his granddaughter. although
he referred To her as my little darter. y
We were passing "A comfortable
looking house with great roomy
yard ut the back. where some children
had made a miniature ring on the turf
and with pony were having the gay
est. noisiest sort of a time. playing cir
Gus.
.,Fatheri father!'' called a stout.
middle-aged woman. who came out of
the door and down the walk TO the
gate.
It's Mis- Green. my dartcrn ex-
plaiued my friend.
Il hope he hasn't bothered you,
madam. It's only father, and he runs
away u we don't watch him pretty
close
Net al ALI l was trying to help
him lind his little girl. replied.
''Ohi that's just his notion. Since
mother died he isn't quite himself
here. tapping her forehead. I'm
Polly, and he forgets that am grown
and thinks he has lost me. III | only
had a daughter now he'd be more con-
tented like, but my five Is all boys. YOU
see. Some days he wanders about in
the ehurch-yard. there hunting for my
name among the tombstones- Good
ness knowsi IL them boys don't quit
breaking their necks with that circus
out there. he'll find Ii soon enough, but
1t will be bigger mound than he is
looking for
The old alan had quietly slipped into
the house aud now came out with a
faded daguerreotype. which me put into
my hand, saying This is my little gal;
my Polly"
As looked from the delicate little
pictured face. with its long. fair eurls,
10 the broad. good natured features of
the woman before me- scarcely
wondered that his weakened brain
could not grasp their identity.
Here with u rush and whoop three
youngsters came running toward US
calling ''Grandpal grandpa! come 10
our circus and see how Bob can ride
bareback, standing up"
Yes. yes. BOYS. I'm coming he
answered. and OF he trotted after them.
Aud heard him asking as he went
along, BOYS has any of We seen my
| little gal? We call her Polly. She has
brown eyes aud long WALLER eurls. aud
wears a blue dress aud white pantalets.
/ Ii ant but little while since | seen
her about aud know she ant fur of.
but 1t seems as though l OF to keep
/ hcG close by me. now that mother :
gone. MIrie More Nu'SA, iR Chicago
| Times