Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-04-05
A HOME MISSIONARY.
How Pollys Hopes of Doing aroat
Things Were Realized.

1
roiiy ionged to be helpful She had
.'rcumeu ever since she was n little tot
~ P'naiores of being missionary on
INC burning plains OF India" like
Harriet Newell; OF going to nurse
wounded soldiers fightinr in n GRAND
cause like Florence Nightingale; Of
ivuuing great crusade against wrong,
nhc FRANCES Willard But there seemed
NIUE probability that these dreams
would be realized.
at the age of sixteen she WINS lust
plain Polly Hopkins, with snub nose
ana frecklcs, Not that she was an
ugly girl; by no means She was as
iresh and wholesome as u peach that
mas ripencd in sunny garden. Her
inquire was good her teeth were white
ana even, and her hair. though it was
undeniably red, was rich and album
dant. But Polly was dissatisfied with
the likeness reflected by her little look
ang-glasS. She adored great black
flashing eyes, and raven locks, and
y pallor, and classical features. Nobody
! would ever take her for heroine, she
was sure. She was, in her own estima-
ton, much better fitted to be milk
maid.
But Polly suddenly began to look
less in the glass and moro at her duty
us daughter and sister She had been
TO the village observation-disclosures, one
day. and was returning through the
gt. - D,1. l. l..
way to the little red cottage where
THE Hopliinses" lived. She had "Tho
Wide, Wide World" in her hand, and
was reading its first pages with tho
same interest that girls used to feel
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.
shouldn't be at all surprised If he was
concerned in that post Office business.
There was q chestnut tree on tho
other side of the wall that skirted 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 plunging on
Us If 1t would suffocate her. That post
office business! Well 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 it was currently reported
that certain boys were implicated in
the affair.
Thereswere boys in Baskerville, as in
all villages, who had the reputation of
being scamps and scalawags-boys who
robbed watermelon patches MIXED
cows on the sly, stoned the windows of
vacant houses, and frightened lone wom-
en- out of their seven senses. Polly had
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 must have been
associating with companions that he
would be ashamed of If he were found
with them. He 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 to her mother, for she,
poor ladyl was an invalid from heart
trouble, and had to be guarded from
all excitement
All that l have written flashed
through the girls mind In the moment
after hearing her brothers name pro-
nounced by the unknown nutters. She
hurried home, her book forgotten, her
mind full of 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
WINS over, and Miss Weymouth pro-
posed walk.
ave can talk as we go along" she
said "The fresh air will help us to o
wise conclusion. One is always little
moro sane under the open Sky, l
think"
It was crisp November day, with
nothing dreary in its aspect The
grass was, still lush and green, here
and there belated buttercup showed
a Golden disk, blue asters still clustered
nv the old lichened walls, the chicka-
dees were calling cheerily in the grove
that the friends approached, and o
partridge whirred suddenly us they
PASSED in among the oaks and ever
greens. =, -,
"Iam glad you have walked up" said
the teacher, suddenly.
".Waked upr" echoed Polly.
eyes from your dreams of far-away
exploits, of missionarying, and preach
ING, and nursing imaginary heroes"
Don't you believe it is noble thing
TO be missionary"
"Ohl yes, by all means; but not nee
eesar;lv n foreign missionary. The
home field has its claims, too; pressing
claims, in many instances"
"You mean there is work for me to
aoot home" said Polly. Then she told
Miss Weymouth all she had heard.
uoeorge needs a sister," said the
,oav looking intently into Polly's anx-
ious face
"Tell me, Miss Weymouth, what can
do?"
"Fascinate him. Mako home &C
hr;gbt. so beautiful, that it will eclipse
every other place, Has he any special
fastest" :,
ale likes chess, but it's the pokiest
ore I think-I never have patience
o. NAV %; and he used to be always
fussing with his flute till / made sc
much fun of it that he gave it up lie
likes animals, too; he would bring
home every miserable cur that hap
nens TO follow him, II l would let him.
fio seems to have taste for misery ii
General. You should see the gamin'
be used to pick up and make friends Of
o,,, faor his tastes are notv very high.