The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-30


Polly had never boon m attractive wo-
man. She was grim and harsh and
hardworiing. She was really Mrs
Stephens, but she was married after
having been an "old maiu' for some
years, and her old name still clung to
her. Her husband was Il mild, quiet
man and had lived but few years
after their marriage. People said that
Miss Polly had "drivcn" him to death
and that he had been forced to die to
get q little rest
There had been child, too-Ah, Miss
Polly'S grim face took OH Il look Of
pain when she thought Of him!-a
handsome, high spirited boy, who
would not be "driven," and yet she had
tried to drive him. 1t had never Oc-
Cured to her that there was any other
way. The result had been that he left
home when he was IL, and she hud
never heard from him since
From that day Miss Polly had grown
more grim than ever. She made friends
with nobody. She rcpcllcd everybody.
Her black eyebrows drew nearer to-
gether in n forbidding frown. Her
voice grew harsher and colder, and
she became. as the years passed, more
gaunt and iron gray. Poor old Miss
Polly! People pitied her, but they
were wise enough to let her alone.
One day letter came from lawyer
in distant city. 1t said that her only
sister Mrs. Mary Aiston, had died,
leaving her considerable property "in
trust for my adopted daughter, Doro-
thy Cnrew."
"Fiddlesticks" exclaimed Miss Polly.
'Mary always was n fool!" And she
threw the letter into the fire.
~ week later she saw carriage
drive up to her gate and deposit thar5
young girl, with -hSfT trunk and boxes.
Ihe girl Jaid the driver, and the car
rage Went away, and then Miss Polly,
".,lIgry and amazed, went and stood In
the door, ready to warn the intruder
Off. The girl camo up the walk and
looked straight into Miss Polly's face
with her pretty, frank brown eyes.
"You are Aunt Polly" she said. II
know because l have seen your pic
turc. 1 am Dorothy Carew"
And then, before Miss Polly could
say word, the girl took one OF the
hard, Wrinkled hands In both her own
and leaned forward and kissed tho
withcrcd check that had been unkissed
80 long
There was moments fierce struggle
In the old woman's breast Then she
said In her own grim way:
Il reckon I'll have to help you bring
In your things. There's nobody else"
She marvelcd at herself when she
found herself tugging at tho heavy
trunk and helping this girl this Doro-
thy Carew, whom nobody wanted, to
get her things into the hall and from
there into the spare bedroom" which
had been unoccuplcd since her boy had
slept there.
81 wasn't a-lookin for you," she said
then, ungraciously enough, "but
reckon you can stay few days till
you git rested up"
"Oh, thank you" cried Dorothy
swcetly. This is lovely old place,
Aunt Polly! How you must love IT."
She was looking out OF the window
as sho spoke. Inside the house every
thing was bare and unattructivc, but
when she glanced around her only
thought was. ''1Iow pretty 1t might bo
NADER
She began making 1t that very day.
Even Miss Polly's stern face relaxed
when Eh0 looked In upon 1t that even
Ing. Pretty pictures and tiny shelves
with dainty sillscn hnngings brighten
cd up tho walls, and all about the room
Wcro charming nOthings that pleased
tho eyes Of the old woman. And yet
she did not acknowledge 1t. No, in
deed! She said something sharp In
stead about "all that nummery" and
mtimated that 1t was nothing moro
than "a trap to catch tho dust"
"Oh, I'll never let the dust get into
thcm! said that strange girl brightly.
And 1t Is SO easy to mako homo
prctty"
And then pretty things began to
plcom out all over the house, even in
A'lss Polly's room, that stiff room with
AI' nara hed and It's straight backed