The Springdale news., 1909-07-02
lcoNTINUEp
CHAPTER VIII.

young to realize the inevitableness ef death when it came to her mother. and now she could scarcely believe that Toby would never. never coEc back to her. She felt that she nHsa be able to drag him back that sEr could not 20 OH without him. s 2 wanted to tell him how grateful ste was for all his care of her Shc thought ef the thousand little fhjgs that she might have done for him Y longed to recall every impafien. T to him. His gentle. reproachful eyes were always haunting her "Yon must come back. Toby" she cried. "Yas must,'
 It was only when body and mind had worn themselves out with Gyearni1se that numbness at last crept over her and out ef this grew a gradual con sciousneSs of things about her and returning sense of her obligation to others. She tried te answer iH her old, smiling way and to keep her mind upon what they were saying instead of letting it wander away to the past
 Douglas and Mandy were overioyed to see the color creeping back to her cheeks.
 She joined the pastor again in his visits to the poor The women of the town would often see them passing and would either whisper to each other, shrug their shoulders or lift their eyebrows with smiling insinua- tions, but Polly and the pastor were too much absorbed in each other 10 take much notice of what was going on about them.
 They had not gone for their walk today because Mandy had needed Polly to help make ready for the social to be held in the Sunday school room to- night
 Early in the afternoon Polly had seen Douglas shut himself up i'll the study. and she WAS sure that he Was writing so when the village children stopped in on the way from school for Mandy's new made cookies she used her customary trick to get them away. 'Tag; you're itr' she cried and then dashed out the back door. pursued hy the laughing. screaming youngsters. MdION l9iipNtt tue tt lil3 porch and stood looking after them as the mad little band seurried about the back yard. darted in and out among the trees, then up the side of the wood ed hill. just beyond the church.
 The leaves once more were red and yellow on the trees, but today the air was warm and the children were wear Nn bai paIly'S lit he girlish figure looked almost tall by comparison with the children about her She wore a plain, simple gown of white, which Mandy had helped her to make IL had been cut ankle length. for Polly was now seventeen. Her quaint, old fashioned manner, her seri- ous eyes and her trick of knottins her heavy brown hair low on her neck made her seem older.
 Mandy waited until the children had disappeared over the hill, then began bustling about. looking for the step ladder which Nasty had left under the vines of the porch. It had been busy day at the parsonage A social always meant perturbation for Mandy. She called sharply to Nasty as he came down the path which made a short cut to the village.
 Sos youse back, is yo?" she asked sareastically.
 sure Is back answered Nasty good naturedIy as he sank upon an empty box that had held some things for the social and pretended To wipe bc ion frap, ItS F,raEaal
 "Massa John dene send ye' te de postofiee two hours ago, said Mandy as she took the letters and papers from his hand. Five minutes is plenty oh time for any nigger to do dat job"
 "I done been detained" Nasty drawled
 .'fYouse always 'tained when dar.s any work a-goin' on," Mandy snapped at him.
 "Whars Miss PolIya" Nasty asked Ignoring Mandy's reference to work
 "Nebher yo mind bout Miss Polly She don't want yo'. Jes' yo' done fetch that stepladder into de Sunday school rosm.'
 "But I wants her" Hasty insisted ''I's been on very ticuar business what she ought to know 'houts
 'Businessf' she repeated What kind ob businessf"
 T got to fix de sunday school room. said Nasty as he perceived her grow ing curiosity
 You come heah. nigger" Mandy called. determined that none of the village doings should escape her. "Out wid it.'
 Wei. is bout de circus. Hastv answered. seating himself again on tie box "ncy's showin' in Wakefield to- night. an next month days comia' here"
 Dat same circus what Miss Polly used to he wid:' Mandy's eyes grew large with curiosity
 De very same and Nasty nodded mysteriously.
 How yo' know dat:" Mandy was uncertain whether to believe him.
 ''Cause da's big red wagon down,