Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-11-30


thing was bare and unattractiye, but
when she glanced around her only
thought Nas, How pretty it might be
madep
She began making it that very day.
Even Miss Polly's stern face relaxed
when she looked in upon it that even
Ing. Pretty pictures and tiny shelves
With dainty silken hangings brighten
ed up the walls, and all about the room
were charming nothings that pleased
NE eyes of the old woman And yet
she did not acknowledge it. No, in
deed! She said something sharp in
stead about "all that fiummery" and
intimated that it was nothing more
than "a trap to catch the dust"
ooh, I'll never let the dust get into
thcmH' said that strange girl brightly.
"And it is SO easy to make a home
prettyw
And then pretty things began to
bloom out all over the house, even in
Miss Polly's room. that stiff room with
its hard bed and its straight backed
chairs. Somehow the stiffness and the
angularity melted away as if by magic.
Bits of bright ribbons looped back the
/ curtains. In one corner suddenly ap-
! peared a little shelf with the daintiest
pink vase upon it and a rose in the
vase.
Oh, she was a wonderful girl, this
Dorothy One day she went up and
laid her fresh young cheek against the
old woman's shoulder.
Aunt Polly" she said, Il miss my
ready to ship. Suppose we send for it."
And Miss Polly sent-grim old Miss
Polly, who had always considered mu-
sic of every kind an invention of satan.
When the piano came and the people
saw it carried into that house, they
crowded around the gate and stood on
tiptoe and peeped over the fence. Sew
eral were heard to declare that Miss
Polly was undoubtedly crazy. She came
out then and shook her fist at them,
and that was so much like her old self
that they concluded her mind was all
right after all But, if not crazy, then
| what?
And Dorothy's music! She liked best
to play when the twilight was in the
house, and the old woman would sit
over by the dim window and look at
the sunset sky and listen. Dorothy
4 al ala f111Icia of, hI.iI-
liant effects, but she could play many
Of the old time pieces and sing them,
too, in voice sweet and tender.
At last something happened that
showed the lonely old woman that this
was not quite so bad world as she
had thought it and that she had even
misunderstood herself. Dorothy was
taken i'll. 1t had seemed nothing but
a slight cold at first, but by the next
evening 1t was so much worsa that
Miss Polly herself put on her bonnet
and ran for a physician. And so for
many days they battled with the dis
ease that had laid its hold upon the
young girl and would not give her up.
Then Miss Polly began to learn. Peo-
pie that she had not spoken to in years
came to the door and asked if they
might help take care Of Miss Dorothy.
An old woman that had been Miss Pol
! ly's mortal enemy and whom she had
| passed in the street hundred times
with her head turned contemptuously
away now haunted the house with
| dainty dishes which she hoped might
tempt the invalid.
Even the boys of the neighborhOod,
between whom and Miss Polly there
had been bitter warfare, hung about
the gate now, and when their ancient
| enemy appeared they asked her if they
couldn't "be sent on an errand or some
thin"
II didn't think she knew one o. these
people," said the bewildered Miss Pol
ly. Il didn't suppose she knew any
body but me-"
And so 1t came to pass that when the
doctor came out of that quiet room
one day and told Miss Polly that the
crisis was past and that Dorothy would
get we'll the old woman sat and looked
down at the twoI tears that had fallen
upon her wrinkled hands and said to
herself:
"Well, / don't s'pose anybody ever
saw the likes O. that"
One day, when the invalid had grown
strong enough to sltGup and was in the
great armchair all wrapped up in
blankets, Miss Polly said in her own
abrupt way:
'I'm goin to keeptThanksgivin, Doro-
thy"
Dorothy's eyes flashed with surprise
and pleasure.
Don't you-hawen't youtalways kept
it?" she asked.
mo, I've never kept it. | thought
the day was nothin to me,Nand so
shut myself up and worked harder
than ever and hated tother people for
maxim so much of it. But now this is
different. I'm goin tolcook good din
ner, my dear, and you shall ask the
guests for your part. I'reckon you'd
better invite the choir people, some OF
'em, and Colonel Daly's daughter
that's been here to see yous so many
times"
mo, Aunt Polly" wassall that Doro.
thy said, butt her prettyfpale face was
suddenly flushed, and her mind was
already busy with plans. What a
Thanksgiyinglthey wGild, have!
"Cook ever so much, AUNT Polly
she said coaxingly. Eve shall want
the two Ilong tables Iput together, and
1 want themj fairly titled, because the
people that will be hereN would not
have had acknowledgements honey