Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-09-28
fashion often do that. TN show yos
how nv Aunt Bethia does.

how my Aunt Bethia does.
Polly made no answer. Her neck
was already aching from her continued
efforts to ba ance her s'tower" prop.
erly. For few minutes she wished
she had not come, but very soon her
naturally sweet temper reasserted it.
self, and she made the best of an un.
comfortable prospect.
1--WE might have waited until to
morrow afternoon" said Anna, ''but
there'll be so many things to do. We
can manage to sleep somehow.
By the time Priscilla's auburn haii
was dressed she had tardy qualms o.
conscience.
"What think you, girls?" she in,
quired, with an anxious wrinkle in
her white forehead. 'Ts it altogether
seemly for us to ape the fashions OF
our country's enemies? How will ou1
continental soldiers like to see III
thus?"
''Have done with such foolish no.
tions, Priscilla aNickersonP' commanded
Mily with more than her usual de
cision. 'You will learn, some of these
days, that men know nothing of fash
ion. If we only look to their pleasing
that is all they care. And I'll warrant
there'll be no finer appearing girls al
the ball than we four. There's small con-
nection, to nay thinking. between the
way we do our hair and this unchris-
tian war. So put away your silly
fears, Prissy, and be sensible"
Milly was older than the others.
She lived in Boston. Her sharp. posi-.
tive way and words had great deal
of weight with her companions. So
Prissy dropped the matter and was
soon engrossed in trying on her new
blue satin slippers.
Not so Polly
"What will William Foskitt think?"
she kept asking herself over and over
again, until her heart grew so heavy
that but for the shame of self-betrayal
she would have torn the mass of rolls
and ribbons from her head and braided
her soft hair in its accustomed bands.
At last each head was dressed. Then
the girls sought comfortable chairs
against whose high backs they could
lean propped up with cushions and
pillows. The candles were extin-
guished. Wrapped in blankets they
established themselves and for time
talked of the morrow's gaieties. But
finally wearied nature claimed her
due. The moon peeping in through
the open window at tho mild August
midnight saw four sles ping beauties.
High in an elm tree opposite this
same window sat great white owl.
For long while he had been keenly
observant of all that was going on
within the chamber What he thought
OF the proceedings can never be
known, but true it is that he slowly
descended from his perch and with
noiseless movements stepped inside
the window. Gravely scanning each
bedecked top knot he selected Polly's
as the most to his liking. With flut-
tering whir of his big wings he made
swift and sudden descent upon it, div
ing his strong claws sharply within it
and, after careful balancing, settling
down into a steady position.
And poor little Polly! Alas! her
light slumber, already disturbed by
uneasy thoughts of possible disloyal.y
to her lover, had q rude awakening.
A confused sense came over her of
being carried off by the top of her
head; a stab, pain; startled con-
sciousness of the near presence of
some awful thing, some heavy weight.
Then she gave piercing shrieks which
brought the terrified girls to their feet,
the household to the room.
Candles being hastily lighted re-
vealed to tine incredulous eyes of all
the huge white owl sitting on Polly's
head, blinking wisely and evidently in
no mind to leave his dainty resting
place.
Muscular hands carefully dislodged
him. Polly's golden hair was soon
combed smoothly out and laid in
long, giistening braid over the pillow
on the bed to which they carried her.
For hours she suffered severely from
the nervous shock, and it was several
days before she was able to go to he,
home.
She did not feel entirely herself
again until she had told the whole
story to William Foskitt and had heard
him say that he forgave her.
81 will say the words to please you,
sweetheart, but 1 do not consider that
you did grievous wrong" the stalwart
young continental replied to his in
sistent petitioner. "'Twas only a
trifing matter. You charge yourself
too heavily. my Polly"
''No, William" she made answer,
smiling up at HIM with happy eyes.
"'Tis the part of woman to be true
even in very little things. ."--Waverley
Magazine.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS,