Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-11-19

!" lhe sun, III silent mouse, and listen
ing to the ticking of clock, makes one"
"oh, Hiram, I've had such falll'
Gould that piteous strained voice be
foliy's strong, young melody?" thought
Hiram as he t@raod abruptly.
Yes, there stood Polly leaning against
the door-frame, with the bobbing roses
from the vines above looking like blood
drops on her hair, and with her face as
white as her muslin dress.
Hiram was at her side in minute,
helping her into chair
tits all that chests fault" said Polly.
why did you make it so hard? You see
1t was so selfish in me to make you go
hunting eggs, and babyish, too, to mind
about the chest, so this afternoon
| heard the hens cackling, and went to
look for eggs myself. And oh! | found
such nest! And it was full. So you see
you're a poor hunter. Well, reached out
for it, and just then the hay began to
slip, and all at once | fell sideways
through hole in the floor that you
hadn't mendcd-only put hay over. And
fell on my back, right on the top OF that
cedar chest! And it hurt so, Hiram that
| tainted. And it hurts yet"
Hiram felt his heart sink like lead.
And when Polly, attempting to rise to go
to her room, fell backward unconscious,
with deep cry of pain, he was nearly
mad with terror He summoned the
ghbors, and the doctor was dispatched
for in all haste.
+ Then followed long days OF suspense
and torture, and hen it was known that
Polly would never walk again.
"Poor little blossom! moaned Hiram
as he knelt by her bedside. "And it's all
my fault, because l built that chest"
But Polly smiled adoringly, and put
ting her thin arms around his neck, she
drew his face down quite close, and
looked SO strange and yearning into his
eyes, that new dread came into Hiram's
heart.
"oh, Polly!' he whispered. at isn't
that; you're going to live
But Polly shook her head.
mo, Hiram, and it's better so; for
would only be burden now And you'll
bury me in the cedar chest, won't you?
It's so pretty, and big, and then you
made it. It viii be nice to be buried in
something you made"
Hiram had to leave the room to hide
his ,ohs. And not long after, one day
break, when everywhere without the
birds Were singing to the morning fresh
ness, and the sweet scent OF the flowers
MAS like benedction ON the air, silence
hung in Iliram's house, aud Polly was
dead.
Hiram fell into "A deep swoon when he
/ learned the hard truth, and lay uncon-
scious for many hours. When he came to,
Polly was already placed in the cedar
chest. He crept to its side and looked in.
The chest was much too deep and long
for his darling, and had to be filled wit
flowers; amid which, the fairest flower of
all, lay Polly, mute aud cold and still
forever. Then came the day when she
was buried, and the rain fell and made
everything all the drearier.
That night Hiram dreamed that Polly
came alive again, and tried to get out of
the cedar chest, but could not And he
could hear her moaning to herself:
If only Hiram had not mace it so
strong. Why did Hiram make ii so
strong?"
There We're great beads OF sweat on
iIirsm's forehead, and his cheeks and
bands were wet with tears.
"Hiram, Hiram, what is it," And
Polly's soft arms were around his neck,
and Polly, alive and rosy as ever, stood
by him.
Five been Gslee p" said Hiram, but his
voice shook sadly. "'ve dreamed the
greatest misery | ever had in my life, and
if / can have anyt hing to do with it, it
will never be more han Dream
And he folded Polly in his arms with a
tenderness that was even deeper and
gentler than usual.
'lt'll he one kiss that | may have" he
said, ''and then must hasten if | wish to
be back before sunset to eat those pretty
berries my Polly's fingers have picked"
And with Polly's fresh kiss still new on
his lips, he went out, harnessed up his
buck board, and hoisted the cedar chest
upon it.
"Sickness or no sickness" said Hiram,
Nthis chest goes away from here at once"
But the chest looked so much like a
long coffin standing in his wagon, that he
brought old grain-sack and carriage cur
tains and commenced to cover it, not en-
tirely, but in places, letting the chest
show here and there, to give forth
the impression that he was carrying sev-
eral boxes. Then he climbed into his seat
and drove off.
But he soon became conscious, however,
that he had suddenly developed into
strong attractiyeness for everyone.
From the windows and doors of the
houses he passed, his friends stared at
him in curiosity and wonder; and once
prankish boy started out of the bushes by
the roadside and accosted:
81 say, Hiram, since when have you