The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-10-30
A fEMALE CREW.
BY ARDEN.

terInine the point
She was a plump Polly
She was short Polly, and the mantel-
piece was high one, so that there was
no other thing to do than to stand on
tiptoe while she gazed at two faces
and wondered: Which one?
They were not female faces. but Polly,
though young, was old enough TO take Il
very positive interest in masculine faces.
She had already decided which one she
would like to marry, and would she have
been surprised if some day, out of that
surface of paper on the mantel-piece,
had broken a voice: Polly, my dear, as
{ love you, will you marry me?"
But he had maintained grave silence
because only a picture, for which reason
nobody could claim credit for unusual
discretion of speech for { man. Yes,
dumb, dumb, and that gave Polly's
warm affection a chill. Then he was
her first cousin joe" and a kind of a
brother, was he not? That gave her
marrying fever n still colder chill. This
Young man was very handsome. His
eyes were as expressive as Polly's, and
that is saving a good deal Her eyes
were black, soft and loving. Anyone
that had ewes as handsome as Polly
Ricller's owned an excellent piece OF
property. His features were very reg
ular The lines of his mouth showed
firmness, yet tenderness. and Polly.
first looking round to see if Aunt
Nabby were "peekin'," had kissed the
picture the very day of our story
Aunt Nabby was not given. though. To
''peekin'." That very moment she was
frying doughnuts because Polly liked
them. The other picture on the mantel-
piece was that of an honest. reliable
soul: but Polly had no affection for him
She was visitor under the roof. and in
the two weeks that her visit had
stretched across. she had learned very
much about the history of beings whose
only presence was that of pictures. Had
not Aunt Nabby said that this P!ain.
sensible face belonged TO sailor, 4
young captain?
''Oh. the other is n seaman only; but
had rather marry a handsome sailor
than a homely, stiff captain" was
Polly's opinion
She sighed.
She was thinking that the handsOme
sailor was only Cousin Joe. She hest
tated n moment, kissed the photograph
again. and then went downstairs TO look
out of a window fronting the sea and to
pity sailors
Everybody in the neighborhood had
something to do with the sea, which was
only "a bit of way off, and kept Tound-
ing night and day on the rocks, making
| all the fuss it could to attract as much
attention as possible. To keep this un-
ruIy sea in any kind of subjection every
one must do something. Uncle Ronald
Kicker was the keeper OF the yellow life-
| h.a - - Z h.
| sands
Uncle Ronald was big. burly. good
natured kind of n fellow. Aunt Nabby
| was Il slim. slender woman. whose
thoughts were quick moving, darting
out like swallows wings. and her eye
sparkled like a run of brook water the
| day the spring has lifted the lid of ice
covering il.
Said Uncle Ronald 10 Aunt Nabby. in
| the hearing of Polly at the window:
| I'D like to have you, Nabby. clean up
at the station. if you will. sweep round
and so on. Nothin' doin' there in sum
mer. but / want to keep things sort OF
4, it. I've got to be off to my tater-patch
tother side of the back pastur'."
II will. Ronald"
Ronald Kicker left the room.
''Polly. soon as l have finished these
ere doughnuts-then-c on" cried
Aunt Nahby I'VE will run that life
savin' station this forenoon. They shall
have IA female crew to-day. You get the
brooms ready. 1t is a worn-out thing
down AT the station. Well be lively and
start soon
\ small but sprightly broom-brigade
-.
tured it without difficulty. Windows
were thrown up, the brooms set 10
whisking. and the dust routed
The living-room below. the mems
headquarters by day, speedily was
swept. The boatroom, with its appara-
tus of surfboat and breeches-buoy. life
car ana Lyle gun. rockets and signals
received prompt attention, and this floor
also was thoroughly swept Aunt Nab
by remained to do some cleaning out
behind the door where one of the other
but less particular crew had left a heap
! of dirt. Polly, singing away, went up
stairs hopping like robin from steI
to step, landing on the threshold oi
the masculine crews quarters by night
"The beds look all right" said Polly
eying six iron beds, neatly covered with
1
the northern and southern walls of tn,
room. Yes, they look all right. but
know those men didn't sweep under the
beds. NO, before l sweep. I'll take
Iool-off from the lookout on the roof
This was a platfrom on the roof, railet
about. and supporting flagstaff. Her,
on clear DAYS n watch was kept by the
surfmcn. If need be. a signal could b,
run up to the top of the staff. and any
needy craft on the water promptly in
| structed.
Guess women's eyes can see as quick
as mems" murmured Polly. land we
will have il so to-day
On her way up short fight of steps
! to the lookout she halted in little re
cess and examined the box of signal.
kept there. Since her arrival she haC
been very much interested in the sigma
department, and, instructed 10y Uncl,
Ronald. felt that she could now handle
those signals as readily as the keeper
himself.
Don't 7 wish that Cousin Joe, whom
never saw only in his picture. were of
on the water and needed some signaling
| from the shore,'
If she had followed the promptings OF
her heart n nd the s;e-ral --p'.al,ularv ner-
One box gelatine dissolved in a kiteh-
en- eupful of water. In one hours time
] pour this a cupful of boiling water
Stir until melted, then add two cups of
sugar. a stick of cinnamon, the grated
rind of an orange and a lemon. he juice
of three oranges and lemon and eur,