The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-04-06
A HOME MISSIONARY.
How Poily's Hopes OF Doing Great
Things Were Realized

InlnSS were Realized
Polly longed to be helpful She had
dreamed ever since she was little tot
in pinafores of being a missionary on
the burning plains of India" like
Harriet Newell; of going to nurse
wounded soidiers fighting in a grand
cause. like Florence Nightingale: Of
leading "A great crusade against wrong.
like Frances Willard But there seemed
little probability that these dreams
would be realized.
AT the age of sixteen she was lust
plain Polly Hopkins. with a snub nose
and freckles- Not that She was an
ugly girl; by no means She was as
fresh and wholesome a. a peach that
has ripened in a sunny garden Her
figure was good. her teeth were white
and even, and her hair, though II was
undeniably red, was rich and album
dant- But Polly was dissat .siied with
the likeness reflected 10y her little look
ing-glasS She adored great black
flashing eyes, and raven locks, and
pallor. and classical features Nobody
would ever take her for a heroine. she
was sure She was, in her own estima-
tion. much better fitted to be a milk
maid
But Polly suddenly began tn look
less in The glass and more at her duty
as daughter and sister She had been
to the village circulating-library. one
day, and was returning through the
one long street OF Bakcrville, on her
way to the little red cottage where
"the Hopkinses- lived She had The
Wide, Wide World" in her hand. and
was reauing its first pages with the
int hot IL
forty years ago in the fascinating
story. Suddenly she heard her pa
tronymic pronounced by an unfamiliar
voice.
Hopkins" said another voice
Yes" was the reply, George Hop
kins- He's ! limb, an no mistake. i
shouldn't be at uiI surprised if he was
concerned in that post Office. business
There was = chestnut tree on the
other side of the wall that slsirted the
street, and somebody was looking for
nuts, unaware that the conversation
WAS being overheard.
Polly's heart seemed TO stop beating
for an instant then To go plunGinr ON
as if it would suffocate her. That post
Office businessi Men she knew To
what the gossip referred The post
Office had been robbed not long before
of an insignificant sum-five or ten dol
lars-and 1t was currently reported
that certain boys were implicated in
the affair.
There were boys in Baskerville. as in
all villages, who had the reputation of
being scamps and ScalavaTs- who
robbed watermelon patches, milked
cows on the sly. stoned the windows of
vacant houses. and frightened lone WON
never dreamed that George was one Of
of these: She did not now believe it; yet
where there IS much smoke there must
be some fire. George mus. have been
associatin- with companions that he
would Toe ashamed of if he were found
with them. lie must have secrets from
his sister and mother. How far he had
gone in forbidden paths Polly had no
means of guessing. She could not con
fide her trouble In her mother. for she.
poor lady, WAS an invalid from heart
trouble, and had TO Toe guarded from
all excitement
All that | have written flashed
through the girls mind ia the moment
after hearing her brothers name pro-
nounccd 10y the unknown nutters. She
hurried home her book forgotten. her
mind full of a new and terrible fear.
Polly had stanch and wise friend.
one of her teachers in the high school,
Miss Weymouth. TO her she went
with her trouble. the next day School
was over, and Miss Weymouth pro-
posed walk.
I'VE can talk as we go along" she
said The fresh air will help us to n
wise conclusion. One is always a little
more sane under the open sky. l
think
1t was crisp November day, with
nothing dreary in its aspect The
grass was still lush and green, here
and there a bclated buttercup showed
a golden disk. blue asters still clustered
by the old lichened walls, the chicka-
dees were calling ch-erily in the grove
that the friends approached, and
partridge whirred suddenly they
passed in among the oaks and ever
green's
Il am glad you have walked up" said
the teacher, suddenly.
Walked up" echoed Polly.
''Yes. from your dreams of far-away
exploits, of missionarying, and preach
ing, and nursing imaginary heroes
Don't you believe it is a noble thing
to be missionary?"
'.Oh! yes by all means; but not nee
essarily a foreign missionary. The
home field has its claims, too; pressing
claims, in many instances"
You mean there is work for me to
do at home" said Polly. Then she told
Miss Weymouth all she had heard.
George needs sister" said the
lady, looking intently into Polly's anN-
ious face.
Tell me, Miss Weymouth, what can
do?'
''Fascinate him. Make home so
bright. so beautiful, that it will eclipse
every other place Has he any special
tastes?"
"He likes chess, but it's the pokiest
game, | Think never have patience
To play l.: and he used To be always
fussing with his flute till | made so
much fun of it that he gave il mp. He
likes animals, too; he would bring
home every miserable cur that hap
pens to follow him, if / would let him
He seems to have n taste for misery in
general You should see the gamins
he Csed to pick up and make friends of,
Oh. / fear his tastes are not very high"
well, you must try TO get hold of
him through his tastes. and then refine
them if they need refining. So far,
you have not told me anything very
terrible. ] should think him "A kind
hearted boy who is so lonesome and
strange at home that he has gone out
side for companionshiD-"
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