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

The little boys were romping noisi-
ly in the middle of the room. Baby
Bess was on the floor at mammals
feet, with one shoe off, trying to put
its fat heel into her rosy mouth. All
this Polly saw atone glance. She had
been writing so long that her mind
was as tired as her hand. Besides,
it was full of very foolish fancies. So
she answered, in a cross little voice,
as she came into the room: "Oh, |
know what you want! You're going
to tell me to put baby's shoes on
again. | wish you'd make her stop
taking it off. It's nothing but put on
her shoes and do things for her all
the time. And | have all my lessons
to learn, | hate to work. | wish |
didn't live here. l believe" here a
vision of the charming Celestina rose
before her,-"I believe I'll run
away"
Polly had never spoken to mamma
quite like this before. She seized the
little shoe so roughly that Baby Bess
began to cry. Mamma looked sur
prised and grieved. She had called
Polly in to show her some pieces of
embroidery, and ask which of them
she would rather have on the skirt
she was making. But she said moth
ing, only went to the closet, and came
back with Polly's hat.
why, where am | going?" asked
Polly, seeing her hat She had al
ready forgotten her last words.
To run away" said mamma, put
ting the hat on Polly's head.
"But-I -mean-now," said
Polly, bewildered.
Mamma went on tying the hat
strings.
81 didn't really mean it, mamma"
persisted Polly.
Listen, Polly" said mamma.
"Twice before | have heard you talk
about running away when something
did not please you. Now 1 am going
to take you at your word. lam sorry,
but there is nothing else to do with a
little girl who is tired of her home.
Good -by, my childW
Polly saw that mamma looked sad,
but quite serious; and the tears
came.
80 mamma, | don't want to run
away!' Mamma kissed her.
"Good by, dear" 1t almost seemed
as if there were tears in mammals
eyes too.
Mamma, mamma, please let me
stay at home. Deed and truly, I'll
never say it again"
"Good-by, Polly"
"Must-I- really run = away"
asked Polly, in despair.
"You really must run away" said
mamma.
So Polly, who had been taught to
obey, went tearfully down and out
the front door, which she left open
behind her. Halfway down the
gravel-walk she looked pleadingly
up at the nursery windows; but mann
ma was putting on Baby Bess's shoe,
and seemed not even to see her.
Fritz, the big dog, came out, and
followed her. Mamma had sent him
but Polly did not know that. She
walked slowly, and choking with
sobs, out of the gate, and along the
village street toward the field where
she had SO often gone with papa.
Running away was very miserable,
not at all what she had fancied it.
The last house on the street was the
one in which Mable Ross, her play
mate, lived. Mable was out on the
porch, fresh and smiling. Polly
hastily dried her eyes on her pima
fore, and tried not to look like the
outcast she felt herself to be. Fritz
ran over to Mable, wagging his tail.
He knew all Polly's friends, and
dearly loved frolic with them.
"Where are you going, Polly|
called Mable.
Nowhere" said Polly.
"Can | go with you?"
"No," answered Polly, shortly and
ungraciously. Then she hurried
past, for the sobs were rising again,
in spite of her efforts to control them.
1t was so dreadful to be going "no-
where"
As she walked on, all her story
about Celestina came into her mind.
There was nothing charming about
it now. She was ashamed when she
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