The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-04-20
When Polly reached home, she found

whom she could not altogether ap-
prove, the whole party smoking Gig
arettes. She was greatly annoyed, but
she wisely hid her feelings and began
ut once playing the part of the smiling,
courteous hostess. Ignoring the un-
combed heads, the unbrushed shoes,
the soiled linen, and not overclean
hands and faces, she got out the photo
graphs that her Uncle George had sent
her from Germany and Italy, and be-
fore she knew it had entered'upon a
very interesting lecture about cathe-
drals, bridges, towers, sruins, etc.
Then came her album of famous men
and women, and the boys listened and
looked till dull eyes frightened, and
heavy brows took on a new look of gen.
tleness and intelligence. The cigarettes
disappeared one by one, hats ana caps
were doffed, and many a shame-faced
glance was cast on hands and feet un-
fit for the surroundings and for the
young lady's company.
When the ent ertainment was over
the boys showed very plainly, though
somewhat uncouthly. their pleasure
and gratitude. Then a bright idea
flashed through Polly's brain.
"How would you like to form your
selves into club and meet here once
week. for the present, at least?'
"That would be jollyr' was the sense
of the meeting.
Jim Albright remarked, his face get
ting red as he spoke, that ''it would be
good deal of trouble for Miss Polly"
But 1 wish you to pay me-" she re-
piled.
Polly ran up to her room and brought
down her little writing-desk. She sat
down and wrote out rapidly an anti
cigarette pledge; then she called the
boys around her.
81 wish you to pay me by signing
this pledge" she said. George will
sign tirst;" and she rose, giving her seat
to her brother.
AS George had not formed the smok-
ing habit, and was already ashamed
that his sister had seen him with q
cigarette in his mouth. he readily
wrote his name. His example as leader
was powerful with the others, and of
the four, all signed except AL Carter,
who didn't feel sure that he wished "to
be led by the nose by girl
| When Polly found herself alone she
sat down to reflect.
II must have help" she thought Il
wonder If Clara and Maud wouldn't
like to come over and assist me in re-
ceiving when the club meets? And we
might have chocolate and some simple
cakes; and there ought to be books for
the boys to take home. l will go out
collecting this very afternoon. know
of dozen families who have plenty of
books that would help these boys, ly-
ing in the corners of their bookcases
and of no use to anybody"
Polly dressed himself in her new blue
gown and jacket, put jaunty little
hat atop of the bronze braids without
looking too long in the mirror, and
started out to find her girl friends. She
had not walked far before she met
them face to face.
7 "Goodr' called out Clara. eve were
just on our way to your house. We are
going over to Johnstown tomorrow,
on the nine o'clock train, and we want
you to go with u.s. We will have
+ luncheon together, and no end of fun
in the afternoon, and get home by sup
I per time. You know Tom House is
clerk in Mann & Malley's. Well call
! on him, and he will treat us to lobster
salad and things if he can get off-and
he generally cam
The blood rushed to Polly's cheeks.
Clara meant innocently enough, and
Polly herself would not, perhaps, a
week ago. have hesitated overmuch at
the proposal; but her anxiety for
/ George and her plans for him and his
/ friends had already worked change.
She knew instantly that higher self
had awakened in her, antagonistic to
such an outing as that planned for the
morrow; but she uttered no criticism,
only told the girls, as they walked
along, of the new club, and of her need
of their help.
81 think" she said, ''that if you will
come, prettily dressed, and chat with
the boys, and one of you pour the
chocolate, it will be just splendldl'
Then she went on to tell about the
books that she hoped to get, and ended
by saying:
''How jolly it would be if we could
subscribe for two or three papers and
magazines just for the club"
Why" said Maud, ''our trip to-mor-
row, if we take it. will cost us dollar
and half apiece; that would make, in
cluding Polly, four dollars and fifty
cents! Clara, let's give it up and sub
scribe dollar and half apiece to the
literature fund" So it was decided;
and all three went rummaging
through the book collections at Claras
and Maud's for spare volumes that
could be devoted to the service of the
boys.
That first club meeting was an event
full occasion. No unblacked shoes nor
uncombed hair, no soiled hands nor I'M
cared fop nails appeared. There were
some honest blushes-always a good
sign-when the members were pre-
sented to the young ladies who had
come to help entertain them, and more
than one resolution made to work hard
and save money for new shoes or hats
or coats or whatever was most needed
to make the young fellows presentable
on terms of self-respect
Miss Weymouth, who had come to
spend the evening with Mrs. Hopkins,
peeped in when the affair was in full
swing.
II shall never forget that picture" I"
she said; "those bright, winning girls
giving all their attention, exerting all
I Al