The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-23
Spn@an nd Sads
POLLY'S CHRISTMAS hike

, my outfit without finding my address
and had concluded was a stranger
in the town. When ! opened my eyes
and sort o. winked at the angel
poly, that's surely slang"
"No 1t isn't. told papa about 1t,
ana ne saia things had come to a
pretty pass If girl with three broken
ribs couldn't wink at the angel doc
tor who had set them. When l had
opened my eyes and winked the doc
tor said:
Little girl, what is your Nance"
Its Hannah Jones.
And where do you live?'
lat far-off Blackberry Corners.
Polly, you ought to have been sent
to jail" was the emphatic comment
"but | had my little scheme 10
work. you see. Papa hunted for Ave
days before he found me, and then
1t was ten more before the angel
would let him take me home. Cousin
Hilda. a girl who Is the real thing,
can accomplish a. heap In fifteen
days, even II she has broken rtpe.
wanted to have chat win that angel
on outside matters. and ! had three
! or four OF them. You ought to have
| seen his face when | tod him where
| | had seen him before and asked If
| he didn't remember me-
"But--but / don't-oon't-' pro-
| tested Hiida In a puzzled way.
| But you will in Jast a minute. |
| told MIN 1 had seen him in this very
house! Now, then"
Polly, IL WASN'T
"Oh, 1t wasn't. Ell? Want to bet a
! SEQ hat It wasn't OF course 1t was.
and i was 30 mad at you That II set
my broken ribs back ali OF tnree
days. Or. Charles Mortimer and
- ~ fo
| down on him ana she sKated you off
| to Europe. oh. / got on to the racket
right away"
| polly sewell. sou are a wicked
girl. on use slang. and you ND to
/ the doctor, and YOU u.s.aie with
| other peoples affairs. ana--and--"
Anu such aark eyes-and such n
deep, pathetic voice. And we mad
several conndentiai chats together
very confidential. We oian't even let
trained nurse come within ten feet
of US. Hiiaa. you don't know how
| connaentiai a girl becomes when
/ three OF her ribs arc broken and sne
! Is afraid to draw long preatns'
'And--and you talked aoout---me -
I'VE did. / told him just what |
! thought OF your mother. aud | told
him i was gong to nave a plain talk
/ with you, and / told him"
| Polly eeweli, III never speak to
! YOU again. declared Miss hilaa as
she rose and tried to look very an
/ ely
you'll have To. as We are going
/ downtown right away To buy CHRIST
mas presents for your sunday school
KIDS. / want you to help me pit X
out something for cur angel doctor. .
t.Iou--Saa can do that by your
self"
'.But You can tell me whether the
| diamonds are all q. X. or not No
/ rhinestones for the angel with the
deep. dark eyes. Dear me, while |
can't help hut grievo about poor
| Fiora's death, l almost wish | could
have three. ribs broken on the other
/ side.''
1t was three days before Christmas
! and the streets were crowded and the
stores packed like ward caucus. 1t
was crowd and jam and push. The
cousins had to link hands to prevent
/ separation. They had visited two or
three stores and were still in the jam
| when Polly suddenly disengagsd her
| hand and whispered
Watch my hike
And ten seconds later she was lost
| In the crowd. and the angel doctor
and Miss Hilca Fitch stood face TO
face. They were penncd I'm. They
had To lean against "A showcase and
! hold their own. They had to talk
and talk and say things. and By and
y the angel doctor had to help select
tho presents for the Sunday school
! children and 10 help Mics Hilda
! through the Jam to q taxi. and
| and
Say. now" observed the twelve
sear-old Polly when she made call
| three days later on her cousin. II
| don't claim to know everything. but
| l do know when toto hike
And she wasn't even asked what
hike" meant.