The morning call., 1891-05-21
A BROKEN DREAM.

All that glorious summer Polly Brooks
had dreamed such beautiful dreams, an
Alec Chester's face had always frightened
them. And when the day came for him TO
20 away she could not keep back her tears.
He put his arms about her waist, and,
drawing her to him, wiped away her tears
with his perfumed handkerchief. Then he
raised her face with one hand, and before
she had time even 10 think of resisting. he
had kissed her again and again on lips,
cheek and forehead.
"Oh, Mr.. Chester, please, please dom"
cried Polls, shrinking from him. but blush
ing and happy in spite of her fright at his
audacity and daring. With her, poor. sim
pie child such kisses were equivalent to an
offer of marriage.
" Foolish child! were you never kissed be-
fOre?" laughed Mr.. Chester. Look, l will
show you something pretty as reward for
drying those tears"
As lie spoke he drew from his pocket
blue velvet case. and pressing his finger on
a spring it flew open, revealing the face OF
a lovely young girl with azure eyes and
golden hair falling IN iuXuriant waves about
her shoulders.
Look. sweetest FRIEND" he said. 'at my
dear young wife"
But Polly hardly glanced at the picture.
She started back with cry Of horror and
amaZement.
Your wilew she cried, hoarsely. "You
are not married.
Il have been married three years, I" an
swered Mr. Chester, lightly. my wife is
at present travelling in Europe with her
parents. Don't you admire her face?"
But Polly did not answer For moment
she stood gazing at him with great horror
stricken eyes, from which the scales had
fallen. At last she saw him as he really
was, a coward and villain, without feeling
or principle, and her heart turned sick with
loathing.
Poly. why, Polly, what is the matter,
my deaT?" ard Mr.. Chester laughed with
seeming gayeIy, and laid his hand lightly on
her shoulder
As if stung by viper the girl sprang
back, and with a look he never forgot, put
still without a word of either approach or
anger, she turned from him and entered the
house.
Her silence was more effective than any
words she could have said For, perhaps,
the first time in the whole OF his vain, self
ish life Alexander Chester felt thoroughly
ashamed of himself.
at was a hard blow, of course," he NUT
tered. "but had 10 tell her OF Amy before
l left or she might have been writing TO ne
and giving me any amount OF trouble. She
will soon get over it and marry that fellow
who had his arm about her the night l
came"
He did not see Polly again, for she pleaded
a headache and kept in her own room, but
he sent her note of farewell, in which he
asked her TO forgive him and not 10 forget
him.
Forgive him." repeated Polly over and
over again. Never While l live! And to
think | believed him so noble and true! Oh,
if could only wash away the stain of his
kisses. l wish with all nv heart l could
forget him, but | never can"
One day in early spring Seth Hayden met
Polly in the village and as it was the first
time he had seen her since that June even
ing of the arrival of the summer boarder
he scarcely knew her, so greatly Tad she
changed.
Polly! Pollyl What is the matter? Are
YOU lip" lie cried forgetting their long
enlargement in his surprise aud grief.
She shook off the hand he had impetu-
ously laid on her arm and moved away from
him.
Nothing is the matter" she answered in
a low tone, and would have passed on, but
again Seth laid his hand on her arm.
They were standing under some trees, and
the street was a secluded one. Seth glanced
up and down hastily, to see if any one was
within hearing distance, and, finding the
coast clear, said hurriediy:
poly, you know the question | asked
you last June-the one you never answered?
. Polly, let me ask 1t again. l feel the
same as ever toward you, and"
No, mol" she cried, her blue eyes filling
with tears, so deeply was she touched by
this evidence Of regard she had thought
lost to her. Il cannot hear you, Seth.
Please let me pass by"
'YOu don't love me then, Polly? Because
l haven't fine clothes and white hands like
the city fellow who oaIded-"
She interrupted Eim, her face grown sud
denly very pale.
"You are worth ten thousand of such as
he, Seth" she cried. You have heart,
while he had none"
She walked rapidly away as she finished
speaking, and Seth did not attempt to follow
her. so daZed was he by her last words.
go" he muttered, when she was out of
sight, that is the reason she has changed
so much. The rascal! Ii would do Hle good
to thrash him like dog for this. Poor
little Pollyw
Polly was sitting on the rustic seat under
the tree one evening, her hands full of
white roses, which she had gathered for the
vases in the parlOr, when a quick step on
the grass made her look up to see Seth
coming toward her. She started to her feet
and would have run away but that Seth
caught her by the hand, saying firmly:
No Polly, you shall not go until you
shall try to make you answer that question
l asked you just a year ago to-day among
these roses. l know you've been colder
than ice to me, but l love you yet, and al
ways shall. If you marry me, Polly, FL
never give you cause to regret it. Tell me,
don't you care for me just little ?"
Polly did not answer; her head was bent
low, her long lashes swept her flushed
cheeks, and her little brown hands were
nervously picking to pieces the red aud
white roses in her lap.
'Ponyw
1t was all Seth said, but his tone was so
indicative Of pain and reprOach that the girl
raised her head quickly. Then he saw that
hereyes were full of tears.
Il do love you, Seth; | believe l always
have" she said bravely and frankly. ~
was infatuated with Mr. Chester, but /
never loved him. He was q coward and
villain; but you-oh, Seth, / am not half
good enough for YOU"
SetRs strong arms were around her in an
instant, and her head was drawn fondly to
his breast; but this time no stranger inter-
rupted the scene. and only the June roses
and the sleepy birds in the old apple tree
heard the low-spoken VOWS of the happy
lOYers.-Boston Globe.