The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-29

'ho"sH 'nN''is VIC gray rs u
And Corydon bald us a coot!'
-llmpe.s.
TT WAS Il very we'll kept house in
MeadoWcreek--itw was the house of
Miss Polly Lane. If there was u
n thriving garden in Meadowcreck
it was the gardcn--which in
cluded vegetables, flowers and fruit
of this same Miss Polly Lane. And
If there was II thrifty maiden lady in
the country who had refused many IL
good offer in her day because she
could not bear the shiftless ways OF
men folks, it was the same well-pre-
served. alert, competent and decisive
Miss Lane.
1T beats me that you amt ever got
married. Miss Polly" said the village
seamstress, who came twice a year to
make the gowns for the owner Of
Spruce Farm. She had made the same
remark every spring and fall for sew
eral years. She made it this golden
morning in the early summer when
she sat down to blind stitch the ruflles
on Miss Polly's black grenadine.
why should I?' asked Miss Lane.
Here I've got a better tended farm
than any woman who has to keep stop
ping everything they start to do just
because there's a great big man to be
humored. | don't have my curtains all
smellcd up with smoke. | amt got to
lie awake lodge nights. And I'm laying
up money in the bank sure and
steady"
But don't YOU ever get lonesome?"
inquired Mrs. Gibbs.
Miss pplly SDiffa1 'C'otrb moi Wit n
old Cousin Susan to do for. and all the
overseeing of the place, not TO talk Of
the church work that somebody's got
to help with; and then there's Matilda
Brown. who's as nice a hired girl as
there is in the country. No, I ain't
ever seen the man | wanted to sacri-
flee my comfort for, and I'll thank you
to cut that sleeve loose enough at the
elbow, for the brown wrapper you
made was that tight | could hardly
crook my arm when | was drinking my
tea"
Mrs. Gibbs promised, and watched
Miss Polly as she prepared to accom-
plish the task of training the wsteria
that trailed its luXuriant growth all
over her front porch. Miss Polly was
49, if she was a day. but she was
mighty good to look at. She was tall
and strong. and deep chested. She had
well-modeled face, lit by keen gray
eyes. An outdoor life and sufficient
sleep had kept her complexion fresh
and clear. There was never thread
of gray in the abundant dark hair,
over which she now tied sunbonnet.
1t was ii pink sunbonnet and distinctly
becoming. In it's roseate shelter her
somewhat severe countenancc wore a
softened charm. The folds of her blue
percale morning wrapper were trinity
belted in at her waist, and the square
toed. black kid slippers were quite in
keeping with the rest of her attire.
Now, Lord bless that lazy 81 kup-
pers! exclaimed Miss Polly. Armed
with hammer, nails. scissors and Il
strip of old red ilantnel she was about
to proceed to her task, when her dis
covery of the absence of the steplad-
der brought her to a standstill. It's Il
week since he borrowed it, and he's got
it YETI She looked around the orderly
barn. When she had planned to ac-
complish certain work she was an
noycd at any interference with these
plans. And now she did not propose to
let the trailing branches of the wiSteria
flap unsupported another day. Sudden
ly she spied a barrel of height, but of
scant circumference.
''There!' she cried with an air of re-
lief. "Therc's that barrel, It's stout"
She promptly rolled the barrel around
to the front porch, brought her imple-
ments of labor. climbed to her perch on
top of the inverted barrel and pro-
ceeded brisklN with her task. Now. as
she worked she sang. There was no
one to hear. The house stood back from
the road. Few passed at this early
hour. And there was that in the fra
grant delicious morning which made
singing as involuntary ana expressive
AS the warblng of the birds in the
orchard.
- Twas thy voice, any gentle Mary,
Aud Thy artlcss winning sn lie"