Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-03-12

to Polly like five months.
One lovely afternoon Polly sat on
.be borse-block, idly kicking one foot
sacvward and forward, watching Aunt
MARY as she drove of to visit sick
Inst as Aunt Mary was hidden from
siobt by bend in the road she heard
me crunching of wheels in the opposite
direction, and, on looking up, found 1t
ros tbe grocer and postman of Willow
GROVE. IIe checked his horse at the
rate and. fumbling slowly in his coat,
drew out white envelope, and read in
loud voice:
"NIiss 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
20 that's mel" cried Polly, jumping
from the horse-block, "and Mrs. Mary
West is aunty. Please give me my
letter. It's from mamma. | am so glad"
"Can you read?"
ayes, of course, said Polly indignant
". 'Tm nine next week"
This was the letter:
DEAREST PoLLY-Papa finds he can leave his
business for a short time, so we have concluded
"a spend the remainder OF your vacation with
yop and Aunt Mary We shall take the train
mat reaches Willow Grove at 4:30 p. m. on the
oltb Tell Aunt Mary TO meet us If she has
time,
Love to oil, and thousand kisses from
MAMMA AND PAPA.
AS Aunt Mary would not return be-
fore five o-lJck, 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
a small station. and very few people
stopped there.
Just before reaching the station the
railroad crossed a draw-bridge. Polly
liked to watch the man open and shut
the draw as the boats in the river passed
through. There was a foot-path over
this bridge, and Polly had once crossed
It with Aunt Mary. They had stopped
to speak to the f1agman, who was pleas
ant and good-natused He told Polly
where she could find some beautiful
white lilies in a pond not far away.
Thatw more than week ago and the
flowers we're 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 lagman stood by the draw, and
Polly saw, some distance down the riV-
er, a small vessel coming toward the
bridge. She ran along rapidly, and as
she passed the flagman he called out:
"Going for the lilies? The pond was
all white with them when | went by
this morning"
"Yes, sir; want to pick some Tor
mamma and papa. They wrote me
letter and said they were coming In the
next train"
you don't say so! Woll, / 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
in
She thanked him and ran on Ii
about five minutes she reached the
pond.' How lovely the lilies looked
with their snowy cups resting upon the
dark waterl But their stems we're long
and tough, and most of them grew iai
beyond her reach. She contrived to Sc
cure four Polly was sorry to leave Sc
many behind, but was afraid II sh'
fingered too long she would miss th'
train. So gathering up the blossoms
she pinned them int her belt ano
scampered back toward the bridge.
The boat had just sailed through th'
draw, and the man stood ready to clos'
the bridge, when Polly came up. h'
looked over at her from the center o
the bridge. and called out with smile
Couldn't you get any more flowers
h