Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-06-19

ways sit here"
Polly seated herself on his knee.
always sit here?" she cried, in sur
prise. Don't you go into the sit
ting-room evenings as you used to p
Pa Moberly shook his head. "No,"
he faltered.
"But why? ?" insisted Polly. "YOu
don't mean to tell me you don't sit in
your cid chair any more?"
Pa Moberly's chin quivered. Polly
did not know, and it was hard to tell
her. Polly was like her mother.
"Alice likes to keep that chair for
company" he said, slowly. "oh, l
don't mind the kitchen so much, now,
he added, as cheerfully as he could.
"At least won't now, since you've
come home. l do miss the old chair
some, but it's all right.
1.-THE girls don't want me in there,
Polly" he went on, huskilY. "They
are young and there's always cOmpa-
ny, you know. l don't know as l
blame EN- much. I'm old and worn
out and behind the times. No, Ican't
say as blame en-"
Polly laid her soft cheek suddenly
against the wrinkled one.
you're not old or worn out or be-
hind the times, eitherl" she said.
"Its a shame for you to stay out herel"
Her sweet, girlish voice was full Of in
dignation.
"But never mind, pa, she went on.
81 tell you there are better days
ahead. I've come home now, and
I'm going to look after you, see
if l don't. What would ma think if
she were here, to see you sitting here
all alone in this dark old kitchen?
Why, it would break her heart Come
with me, Pa !"
Where ?" said Pa Moberly, hesita-
tingly, in his surprise.
| Wnto the sittinp-room.
"Oh, l cant 60 in there, Polly;
they don't want me"
"Yes, you can. | want you. You
wouldn't refuse me anything on this,
my first night homer"
Pa Moberly got The old wood
en- chair was uncomfortable, and he
rose stiffly even with the help of Pol
ly's arm.
mo, couldn't, Polly" he said.
"You-you're too like your mother. "
AS they left the dark kitchen to-
gether Pa MOberly grasped POlly's
hand tightly. "I'm afraid, Polly, he
whispered. We'd better not"
But Polly only squeezed his hand
in a reassuring clasp, and somehow
Pa Moberly felt stronger.
Polly opened the sitting-rorm door,
and a stream of light flashed out
into the little dark entry. The girls
were having good time indeed.
A young lady in blue dress oc-
cupied the piano-stool. Ayoung man,
with his hair plastered down over his
forehead, occupied Pa Moberly's arm
chair. He had a mandolin in his
hand, and was strumming it to the
young lady's accompaniment. Alice
and Belle and Harriet were sitting
about with the liveliest air of enjoy
ment.
AS Polly and Pa Moberly entered
their complacency suddenly faded into
astonishment and dismay. What did
Polly mean, and what did pa mean,
by intruding on their company in this
fashion,
Polly advanced steadily into the
center of the room, still holding her
fathers hand.
How little and shy and bent pa
looked, the girls thought, and how de-
termined was the air that Polly wore
like a young captain going into bat
tie. 1t was as if Ma Moberly had
come to life.
Alice rose. The young lady at the
piano turned, the young man stopped
his mandolin. In all the months be
had come to the Moberly house, this
was the first time be had ever seen
the little haired man who lived
there. And who was that pretty
brown-haired girl with flashing eyes2
Alice broke the silence. my SIS
ter Polly. Mr.. Bryant" she said, a
little nervously, "and-my father.
And this is our old friend, Eva Brent,
Pa, you knew Eva2'
Pa nodded cordially; 80 did Polly.
But something unusual was in the air,
and everyone felt it.
Polly led Pa MOberly up to the
young man reclining in the chair.
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