Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-02
THE MYSTERY OF POLLY L0PP.
CONTINUED from page 81

that amt what / want to talk about. |
See this?" He touched his shirt collar
and it was fastened with horseshoe
nail. sBeen threatenin' to git it for
a long time and got 1t jest now in honor
of you, don't you see? But 1T amt
nothin' to laugh at. Will You let me
tell You somethin'?"
"Yes, am going to sit here a few
moments longer"
Don't exactly like the way you put
It, but reckon It's all right" He was
silent, fumbling with the nail at his
collar; he sighed deeply, threw his hat
on the ground, thrust his hands into
his pockets and leaned back against the
vine-woven lattice work. And in the
twilight she could see that his face was
hard-set and his countenance eager.
what were you going to tell meT
she asked.
"Somethin' powerful important to
both OF US, but you'll have to let me
git at 1t in my own roundabout way.
By this time the whole town Is discuss
in the fact that three men, strange
men at that, come here and called You
ia
will tell you that you better git out
Then what?"
"I'll tell them to go to place not on
the school maps, but well located IN
spiritual geography" -,
II CAD, that's the way to talk to avoid
strength, but It won't do to tell 'em no
such thing. There is a way by
which the whole affair may be made
smooth"
at is smooth enough now" she re-
piled.
''I'll be dinged II it is; it's as
rough as a toads back; but we can
smooth it. Now here" he leaned
toward her. ~ say now here, you
marry me and the whole affair will be
settled, for they won't dare to talk
about the wife OF the mayor of this
town. Hah, what do you sayP You
see that I've got about the best place
around here, and I was down the creek
yesterday evenin' and that corn is goin'
to turn out monstrous, hah? You can
20 right down to the store and trade
out ten dollars worth at snort, hah?
Then Nell can help you right along in
the printing Office and it shan't cost
you cent. AS told you once before.
you amt SO powerful good loolSin'
Your face amt got that saft look that
it ought to have, but we can't expect
everything of woman from the city.
YOU know. Oh, know I'm gittin' old
but bet a dollar that can jump over
that bean pole right yander."
"I'll take the bet" she replied.
"IIah, what's that? You don't wan
TO see me jumpin' round in the garde:
path at night like toad, do you
Wouldn't like to have it said that you
married n man simply because he coul'
jump over pole, would you? Look.
don't you see have got this here horse
shoe nail jest to please you? Look how
am putting myself out"
"But you haven't told me that you
love me-" she said, and in the gather
ing darkness he could see her looking
down.
Haven't 1? Well 1 do. Love you
well enough to let you go to the store
and trade out ten dollars worth at a
snort, and if that amt love, hanged if
know what is. Yes, even love you
more than that-I'll let you trade out
fifteen. Now what do you say?'
''Mr. Aimes," she said, and her voice
was low and sympathetic, your earn
est pleading warns my heart toward
you, and it therefore grieves me to tell
you that am engaged"
1.-The horn spoon you say! But who
to? But not to one Of them men, /
hope"
"No; not to one particularly, but to
all three"
1.-THE off OK you sayl But you can't
marry all three Of EN-"
mo, can't; but can wait and see
which one really want"
Miss" said the old man, catching
up his hat and arising, you come
mighty near being the blamest creeter
/ ever saw"
He stood there fumbling with his
collar; he took out the nail, held 1t
moment In his hand, and then, throw
ing it away, said: THAR. have flung
my love and your honor out into
bushes. Good night"
There was great deal Of talk in the
village, and at one time 1t appeared
that the mite society, for whose benefit
Polly had so ardently begged nickel
here and there, would issue an edict
against her; but the tide was finally
turned by the president Of the associa-
ton, a widow with business eye. She
saw that to cut off the newspaper was
to throw away valuable adjunct, and
so it was agreed that Polly might re-
main In the society and rest simply
under a mild degree Of suspicion. The
question was discussed in the church,
but the preacher, strong In his belief
that church notices and abstracts Of
sermons should be printed, called de-
termined halt
How much longer the affair might
have been discussed, and into what re-
mote and executive Corners Of alright
ed virtue It might have been dragged,
1t would be difficult to say; but the
arising Of new topic put it all aside.
And this new topic was one of real ex-
element. Not far away in the hills
lived gang Of desperate men, the
Abe Peters boys, they were called. 1t