The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-05-13
Ross-H HuntressCompany
Cor.West and Grove SITS.
Rutland. Vermont.

make you come back. She's dif'runt
from us, he was allus a-sayin'. I
never spected to keep 'er.'"
Douglas stopped. Polly was waiting,
her face white and drawn. He had
not told her of Toby's letter because
with It had come request to "say
nothin' Ter the kid"
He felt that Polly was controlling
herself with an effort until he should
reach the end of Jim's letter, so he
hurried on.
THE parsons promise didn't get to
him none too quick" be read. THAT
seemed to be what he was waitin' for.
He give up the night II come, an l
got him little room In hotel after
the show an let one Of -the1athec Eel.
.~.~s. 80. sun QUE - - s.... y. = !.
could stay with him up to the finish.
II come round mornin' There wasn't
much TO 1.-THE Just seemed tired an
| peaceful-like. I'm glad he wrote what
he did. he said, meanin' the parson,
She knows, she alus knows he whis-
pered meaD'n' you, Poll, an then he
was on his way. He'd already give
me what was saved up for you, an
I'm sendin 1t along with this A
blue money order for $3.50 had flut-
tered from the envelope when Douglas
opened 1t.
Il got everything ready afore | went
on the next day. an J went up an
saw the little spot on the hill where
they was goin to stow him. 1t looked
kinder nice, an the digger's wife said
she'd put some flowers on II now an
then. II was you what made me think
o. that, Poll, cause 1t seemed to me
what you would "a done. You was al
lus so daffy about flowers, you an
him.
81 guess this letters too long for me
to be asayin' much about the show,
but the 'leap-a death girl got herD
last week. She wasn't strong enough
for the job nohow. | done what l
could for her outside the show, cause
| knowed how you was allus a-feelin'
bout her ! gaass the 'leap-a-death's'
husband Is goin' TO jump his Job soon,
If he gets enough saved up, cause him
an Barker can't hit 1t off no more.
We got a good deal o trouble among
the animals too. None O. the snakes
Is sheddn' like they ought to, an
Jumbos a-carryln' a sixteen foot band
age around that trunk o his'n cause
he got too fresh with Trlxy's grub the
other night, an the new glraife's got
the Group IN that seven foot neck o.
hls'n, guess you'll think ! got the pip
for fair this time, so III just get on to
myself now an cut this short Ill be
wrltin' you ag'in when we hit Morgan
town.
YOUR OLD MUVNER JIM"
Douglas laid the letter gently on the
table, his hand still resting upon II, He
looked helpIessly at the little, shrunk-
en- figure in the opposite chair. Polly
had made no sound, but her head had
slipped lower and lower. and she now
sat very quietly with her face In her
hands She had been taught by Toby
and Jim never to whimper.
what a plucky lot they areF
thought Douglas as he considered these
three lonely souls, each accepting
whatever fate brought with no rebel
lion or even surprise 1t was strange
world OF stoics In which these chill
dren Of the amusement arena fought
and lost They came and went like
phantoms, with as little consciousness
OF their own best interests as OF the
great moving powers Of the world
about them. They felt no throes Of
envy, no bitterness. They loved and
worked and "went their way"
For once the pastor was powerless
In the presence Of grief. Both be and
Mandy left the room quietly. feeling
that Polly wished to be spared the
outburst Of tears that sympathetic
word might bring upon her They al
lowed her 10 remain alone for a time,
then Mandy entered softly with ten
der good night. and Douglas followed
her eheerily as though nothing at all
bad happened.
II was many weeks before Polly |
again became a companion 10 Douglas
and Mandy. but they did not intrude
upon her grief They waited patiently |
for the time when youth should again /
assert itself and bring back their
laughing mate 10 them.