The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-09-11

the grassy slope by the road, put her
arms around old Fritz's neck, and
cried as hard as she could. She had
crept behind stump, and turned her
back to the the road, so that, if peo-
pie should pass by, they might not
see her and know how wretched she
was.-poor, inconsistent little Polly
She did not feel at all like heroine.
By and by she stopped crying, and
began to think again. Soon the sun
would set, and it would commence to
grow dark. She could not stay out
in the field all night. And mamma
was SO dear at bedtime (another sob).
She might go on to some house where
the people did not know her, and beg
to sleep in the barn. Then she re-
membered how kind mamma always
was to poor people, especially chill
dren. Perhaps, Polly thought, if she
should go home and go to the back
door, just like any other little beg
gar-girl, and if she should beg once
more to be forgiven, and say how
sorry she was, and promise truly,
truly to be good, mamma would take
her in. She almost believed she
would. At least, it was worth try
ing.
At first she thought she would wait
until it was nearly dark, but somehow
she found she could not wait. Fritz.
too was growing impatient, and was
coaxing Polly in his dumb way to &c
home.
So back the two turned. The dear
home! Polly began to know for the
first time how she loved it. She ran
as fast as she could, until she came
in sight of the house. Then she felt
too ashamed to be coming with such
confidence, and walked slowly to the
side gate. She hoped no one would
see her, as she crept abjectly into the
yard and toward the back door.
But mamma had seen her all the
time.
She came through the long French
window out on the piazza, stepped
down on the walk right in front of
Polly, and held out both her arms.
Polly forgot that she was lust a
little beggar," and sprang into them.
30 mamma, mammal" she cried.
"Forgive me-!
And mamma did not wait for her to
promise anything, but hugged her up
close, washed her pitiful, dirty little
face, and put clean, ruffied pinafore
on her. Then she went to get Baby
Bess her bread and milk,
Polly sat very still long time,
thinking hard. She wanted to help
undress Baby Bess after the bread
and milk, but was too ashamed to
offer to do so; and mamma did not
ask her.
Presently she went into the study,
and came back with little green
book. 1t was the story of Celestina'
She tore it in four pieces, and dropped
them on The fire that had just been
lighted in the CRATE. Then she took
piece of paper, and wrote on it with
pencil:-
Il have been wicked and migrate
full. Mamma has forgiven me; but,
to punish myself, | will not go to
my desk for a whole week. l will
learn my lessons by the dining-room
table. When they are done, l will
try to help mamma. / have burned
up my story about Celestina. 1t was
vain imagining; and | will never,
never write anything SO silly again. l
will ask mamma to put this paper on
my desk, where | can see it when the
week is up; and l hope it will make
me as much ashamed as | am now. l
am very, very thankful for my good
home. yours truly,
"PAULINE CAMPBELL
At bedtime mamma and..Polly had
a talk which Pollynever forgot. Nor
has she ever forgotten the lesson she
learned that day through being taken
at her word; though all this happened
many years ago, and Polly is wo-
man as old now as mamma was then.
Christian Advocate.