Middletown transcript., 1901-10-26

turned to answer someone question, and
then went quickly On with her sales.
Tom was positively ashamed Of her; one
might almost suppose from Celia's man
ner that she had been used to the pawn
brokerage business all her life. She
seemed fairly to revel in it, and Della
provence, too, was actually enjoying it;
he could tell it by her eyes.
Across from Celia's table was another
long stand, which was piled high with
women's garments; looking about him to
see if among the motley crowd thtre were
any familier faces, Tom saw to his sur
prise Polly Fenimore-whom he supposed
was in Boston, but who had evidently
returned sooner than expected selling
away as though her life depended on it.
Surely" he said to himself, 'these
girls are all alike; they take pleasure in
the queerest things. What man would
get up an affair of this kind; not one in
ten thousand p'
the table at which Tom felt himself an
uncomfortable and useless prisoner and
said to Celia: "Won't you and Della go
for some refreshments now; the others
are ready to take charge here; and, Mr..
Nevin, if you don't mind waiting still a.
few moments longer for that coffee, l will
ask you to go over and stay with Miss
Fenimore, while her sister helps me serve
the girlsr" Tom bowed, and crossed the
room to Polly, taking his stard beside
her, with outwardly just smile of greet
ing, but with an odd medley of feelings
in his heart. 1t was SO strange to be thus
near TO her-near the woman whom he
still loved SO dearly, and yet to be SO
widely separated from her. At the mo-
ment of his approach, Polly had had to
attend to what appeared very impor-
tant sale, and like him, had only smiled
good evening"" but now she was at leis-
ure for an instant, and turning she said:
"How are you, Tom r. and put out her
hand, which he took and shook warmly,
saying nothing in reply, however.
Just then woman and her daughter
a tall, homely girl with red hair-came
along, so Polly had to give them her
whole attention. The mother was in
search of dress for the girl, and at last
seemed about to purchase fairly respect
able gown for seventy-fve cents, when,
to Polly's extreme discontinue, the
daughter dragged out from beneath a
pile of other partly worn costumes,
lavender challis, with satin ribbon bows
This went SO far ahead of the previous
choice that it was bought at once, for the
same price. With ghastly smile, Tom
watched Polly fold, tie up and hand over
the dress to the two women. Then, as
they turned and walked off with their
bargain, and some commotion at the far
end Of the room attracted everybody in
that direction, so that they were prac-
tically alone, he said to her almost roughly
under his breath: "What made you do
that? How could you sell those people
that dress? That dress above all others,
Polly p
"Why should not sell it, Tom; every
thing else has gone, why shouldn't the
dress go, too? 1t is nothing to me now"
''But it was something to you once, and
more than something to me-the dress
you wore the day you promised to be my
wife. Tve got to speak out now, Polly
right here. Won't you let by-gones be
by-gones, and trust me with your life
again? I cannot do without you. and
promise you, you sha'n't regret it this
time"
"Oh, Tom, you dear old loving Tom p
She was white as white could be, and
dangerously near to tears. So when, at
that moment, three half-grown girls came
up to buy aprons, Tom stepped bravely to
the front, hustling them all quickly off,
in amazement, for he picked up half
dozen aprons at random and presented
two to each, refusing their joint five
cents, then dropped one-dollar bill into
the treasury from his own vest pocket.
Meanwhile, the instant's respite had
given Polly time to recover herself, and
when Tom looked into her eyes again,
they were bright and mischievous as ever. |
With a roguish laugh she said: "Tom, do |
YOU remember the price made you pay |
me for my heart before?"
eyes, Polly, and I remember thought
Won hadn't charged half enough"
"Well, this time I'm going to let you
have it as bargain, because it's at the
Rummage Sale, where everything is Sec
ond-hand."