The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-10-28
EXPLORER POLLY.

OF the ALASKA SOlu cNCltCIcllb'
Eyes, 1 went to California in 1919, and
might write quite II story Of my advcn-
lures and explorations.
Whats 'splorations2" abruptly asked
Polly, who, as usual, was leaning against
his knee.
Looking about in strange places. little
one" and the storckeeper shook his head
knowingly as he said:
california was ono of the strange
places in them days, sure enough, stranger
even than Alaska is now. l remember we
about gave you up for lost when you went
away, and l remember when You come
back, sir, and that big watch chain that
you wore that you said was made of gold
you dug yourself. "
$50 it was" said Grandpa L-aRgtGH,
$50 1t was told the truth, and thought
the world of that great ugly yellow chain
because it was worth its weight and be-
cause it stood to mo for many hours Of
bard work.
"You haven't worn it for long time.
I should think you would put it on again.
1t would be d curiosity to many people.
NO doubt it would" GaiG the old gen
tleman, land III tell You why / DOM
wear it. I never have said much about it.
DuG L lOSG llaN Slialli SStAlS ~ N'NS
stolen OFF my vest, must have been, and
psyef hRyo seen it since.
"And yGsi mayer told of it nor adVer-
tiscd it nor anything"
Because it wasn't of any Ass. knfT
who took it, and I've been watching to
see If it ever showed up. I've been playing
detective on that fellow all these years. ]
won't tell who 1t was, but III tell how it
happepel: You remember when the rail
road was buijr thfoRGh here 1 took the
contract for the stone Tort, anG when the
men were putting in the eulYert down
back Of my house 1 was there superintend-
ing, and l had on that chain. l always
wore it in them days. There was big
gang Of men, the derrick got out of order
and a,4Ela hard lifting had to be done. l
knew who sruuli apyt me, and knew that
when the stone was In place thG chain was
gone. l suppose he had the chance and
couldn't resist the temptation"
You might have lost it,
Sc, looked, but 1 knew it couldn't
have got away Vsithont hands"
Was the watch loss toDs"
40, but it was on old one, ana dIdp'
count, but that chain was worth as much
10 me ps the culvGrt to the railroad COM
pany."
"Wbat's IL euIvprt?" asked Polly, who
had probably been puzziitg oyer the word
since it was first mentioned
"yho culvcrt carries tins DPoGk under
the raiiroad, p" answered grandpa, lifting
the danny blue gowncd figure to his knee
Sumcfin Ike an GlophGnt:"
NOT "A bit, little one. Some day, when
we ga 10 the dinglo for Strawberries, wo
will 20 to tbs EeiiFgad and explore the
cuiycrt.
1t used To he pretty walk " follow
the brook through the dingle to tbs snc4d-
ow," said the storokeep9r. ''but the rail-
road SPOILED all that. 1"
The brook, the pretty walk, the railroad
nna the calvert remained in Polly's busy
mind u;aEil one day, when grandpa happen
cd ia say, ~. we are too busy with the
hay to take you {" the big meadow this
morning" So Pleasant Polly wandered
away in the tall grass looking t!2r wild
slrwcrs.
Presently she came to a singing brook
than III ihs spring time, when the grass
was short, had herIs y torrent. Just then
long express train went laundering over
the high embankment Of this railroad and
Poliy's memory was refreshed.
There's the railroad and here's tho
BRONX, " she thought Mr.. Smith said it
was II pleasant walk. So I'll go now and
find the cuIyeTE and see it carry the water
under the railroad
Away she tripped through pht2 ferns rs
high ard higher than her head, Jeai',.,,5t
Der blue gown, scratching her bare hands
Ei3A arms and wetting her small feet as
she crGss,sa the thread of a stream, now at
low water nl9rk. OF even walked i'll the
pebbly bed until ths r4iitt3Ati was reached.
There at the bottom of tise iiFi4 sandy
bank covered with coarse green bfoan
was solid wall of masonry with an arch
like passage for the trickling brook.
"Ck," laughed the little girl. that
must be tins 6ffIrcrt! How funny! l
thought it WAS solnothing alive. I should
think the brook would iAs afraid to go
through but it has to go. ! wonder If Il
is dark in there?"
Polly ventured to the very entrance.
Nc, not 50 very, and can stand up in it
us If it wsS y fairies house. l should
think they would lil4s 10 live in there, it is
go cool. am so war,a / guess / will go
with the brook a little way
Polly is woman now, but She rrineIn-
Rers still the delicious spirit of adventure
thas seized upon her that day and that
mingled with o rapturous fear she en-
tered this arch OF 4lgstery. Little minnows
flashed IN the clear w4AeF, tiny pale green
terms had taken root in the Gteyices OF
here and there, and oysr all WAS
coating OF emerald moss.
"How lovely it isl sighed Polly.
" Away ahead there is a star, and what
cap thai he in the water that shines SOP
Oh, wish ( bad brought my doll and 1
don't see why negfiF have known about
culverts before. ougiE 10 go back, but
the brook doesn't. 1t goes tli2t9nqgh. /
am going a little bit nearer the stsr any /
way. Oh, oh, obi Here is what shone
30"
Pally stopped to pick it from the clear
water.
The bit OF glass si.4s expegcted to find was
the crystal OF "a much coFF4deq watch, and !
hanging to 1t was long, heavy, erpdely |
made cnain of yellow gold.
"Ohr' cried Pleasant Polly. That's |
my cramps. I'll go and carry it home |
shis minute. Won't he be glad?"
'SiRS started to run, slipped upon the
Shiny Hp1iq pDd fell into the thread of q
brook. SeraplIaiip9 up, confused, she
looked this way ana FhA5 There was a
star in both directions now, su+, without !
stopping to reason at all, she FAR. &
When she again reached the brightness |
and warmth of the sunny July morning, |
was strange. Instead OF the |
diGSS3 she had left to go a little way with |
the bfooXs there was the open sky and a
sea of tall, ~aSil2g grass. Her feet sank |
into the wet, spongy SIlfrtf, and she sought |
for dry, sure foothold. when this was
reached, she looked back for the mouth OF |
5he culvert, but the grass and shrubbery 1
had Aprupg back into place. completely |
hiding it from sight
Utterly bewildere& eg to her where |
abouts, she said: THAT qofIidn't have
been the culvert. it must have been = fairy 4
house. and they have turned me ont and 1
shut the door, but I've got the chain, and 4
I'll keep it for my gramp. He'll hunt no
up pretty soon, SO l won't begin to cry"
She wandered on. The birds flew all /
about her, the butterflies sailed over her |
head, the grasshoppers and crickets light 1
ID on her torn blue gown, and Polly was
sure they were trying to make her feel at
loI1e among them. Soon she heard buZ-
ling noise and, looking, saw something
big and black coming toward her.
Ter moment only was she frightened,