The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-12-20

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things. hut be is ~ shy and tlmid.
Minnie Blake d engaged and 20 would
bee II ouly Archie had the courage Of
"a chlpmuhg. SHE hastily added as
she thought ~ bcr bare feet and pos
sihie mice "Now. II could hang this
mistletpe 20 the chandelier tonight In
The excitement Of seeing cur gifts |
could manage know ! could 20 get
him under It beside me, and the boys
would Do the rest. and then welt. the
Ice would BE- broken viii II you
cay 90 WINS don't you speak,
Saying this. the dainty little beauty
stamped her foot now IN us slipper,
which iarred The room ever so slightly,
and the doll did nod It's head Polly
laughed. half startled. but with new
courage She took the night light IN
one baud and tie bunch 81 mlstetoe III
The other with Us graphing wires, and
stole downstairs TO the library door
and 1n into the parlor. not noticing that
the library door bad shut 10 with the
spring lock
Polly did net wish TO awaken amy
member % the family. 80 She did not
switch on the lights Her own tiny
light but made Tie darkness visible II
Was fearsome down here all alone In
the dark. 10 she hurried and pushed
the side table over into the middle NJ
the room under the chandelier, with the
mlstletoe III Il. and then hrougb,
delicate, long legged gold painted chair,
on which shc climbed tlmldly. listening
all the while Tor n sound
The chandelier was high aud Polly
NOT tall. 30 do her best. standing on her
tiptocs, Abe could no, reach the fixture
Il must eet up on the table. she said
"a herself "and | hope III not fail and
break my neck and rouse the house"
just AZ this very courageous little
maiden stepped % the table with one
foot, while the other was stll resting
oB tho Insecure chair there was the
sound of n latcbkey ID the front door
and then blast ~ wintry wind and
two voices ia the hall They were
those ~ her oldest and most unhear
able brother Fred, and the other voice
belonged 10 Archie stcadman. II was
too much fer Polly II would be awful
n Fred discovered her
She tried to step down from her In
secure perch. hut the trescherous orna-
mental chair tilted. ard Polly came down
suddenly. striking her bead against
the table. She was too frightened 10
feel the hurt. for the noise was great
enough 20 stAr,le Fred into saying
What's thsif burglars. I'll hex
Come on, Arch"
Saying that. Fred bounded forward
and switched on the light and selling
n heavy cana from the hhtrark. eprang
into the parlor But Polly had manag
Ell 10 re, 90 her feet and scamper to
the library door dropping one Of her
slippers IS she wen; snd leaving the
lamp behind her. but. try as she might,
she could not open the library door,
Ord staod there pulling with q strength
born II desperation, while Fred said:
"Rurgars' Here's the Light They're
sitter the gifts on the tree. come orr
With his cane swinging like an In
dian club. Pred sprang into The library.
while Archie, with bis umbrella. foi. 4
lowed and both advanced upon the
burglars They could hear The rafting
Of the dSerknob. aud Fred shouted
"ycp may as weil give up, You're
enughiF
And Then The library was also flooded
with Eight. which was reflected from a
thousand gsided ornaments on the tree,
and ~ TIE Illumination Fred and
Archie saw a miserable little figure 10
yellow psiamas. haddlcd up like cold
euckllng. with one bare foot and with
IT'S hesd down, Ia ihc eotner " the door
frame AZ though trying 10 hide,
From her bahy days Polly had bad
queer haiti; ~ hopping from one foo,
30 the other without moving from her
place wiaen frightened or Angry. N0w
one alipIeres little feas aud one pink
bare ope aepi 30 The familiar hopping
uloreineAt Fred BOXED At the culprii
Boacnt and shea sprang forward
and. seizing one shoulder and the long
tEsid q hair, turned Der around to the
nghf, whiie the naisefshle giFi covered
her face with hef hands Fred langh.
ed loud and long, saying
~wel ~ be jiggered II IL sn's
rollyr'
Archie said pa;hiAg and was tryins
10 pretend hist be did boa know any
fhiag at an untii be saw the tears
streaming throagA the hugerS and tisen