Arizona republican., 1911-05-29
POLLYOOLY AND THE LUMP
BY Edgar Jepson.
Copyright. 1909. by the Pearson Pub
fishing Company.

authentic fiower-seller. And both o
you had better so just as you are
without hats"
Pollyooly looked just a trifie dis
tressed.
Yes. yes; | know that you feel i
beneath your dignity as my house
Keeper to 90 about hatless. But it i!
beneath your dignity as my house
keeper to sell flowers in the street a
al. Let Us go the whole hog ever
though we cannot turn him into ba
cor" said the Honorable John Ruffin
quickly.
Yes, sir" said Pollyooly with ar
air of resignation.
Captain Croome sat down at the
writing table and wrote his note &c
Grizel-laboriously. Pollyooly fetched
the Lump, and they went down the
stairs in body They got into Cap
tain Croome's motor car. aud the Hon
orable John Ruffin wished them good
bye and good luck.
Captain Croome drove fifty yards
beyond Princes Gate, stopped the car
and babe POllyooly come to the
Knightsbridge Barracks with the It'd
ings of her success or failure Then
he drove off, leaving her adjusting the
strap of the basket round her neck.
She walked briskly down to the en-.
trance to the Park; and just as they
came 10 il kind, but sallow, lady of
some fifty-five summers stopped them
and bought bunch of violets Then
she began TO make inquiries about
their home and parents.
For full minute Pollyooly was at
loss for words, then she stammered.
Please, we live with Mr.. RufIin, and
he wouldn't like us to say where"
Il expect not" said the kind lady,
shaking her head. And Ruffin is a
very appropriate name for him, liv.
ing on the begging of young chill
dren."
Pollyooly could not believe her ears.
When she did the red hair came out
With scarlet face and blazing eyes.
she cried, furiously: 1T isn't truei
He doesn't do any such thingl He
wouldn't. He's just the kindest gen.
tleman that ever was. Give me back
those violetsi"
The kind, but sallow, lady turned
yellower, and shrank back.
Pollyooiy sprang upon her. tore the
violets from her nerveless fingers
thrust the penny into them, and said
There you arei Take it, And lust
don't you interfere with me againi
You mind your own business:"
The kind, but sallow, lady turned
and frankly scuttled of. She was so
greatly upset by the fury of Polly
ooly's onslaught hat she scuttled full
a hundred yards before she remem-
bered that she had a weak heart.
Then she took a cab and went home
palpitating, resolved never again to
seek the good of ideal fower-sellers.
Then Pollyoolv saw Lady Grizel Har-
land crossing the road. accompanied
by a gaunt maid OF dragon-like aspect.
Grizel walked with very listless step.
wearing a sOmare air; she looked TO
be plunged in gloomy reflection. At
first her eyes rested on Pollyooly and
the Lump with no light of recogni-
ton in them. Then they frightened:
then they saw the viOlets and bright
ened yet more; and then that angel
child Pollyooly-I blush to tell it
closed her left eve in deliberate and
premeditated wink. As she winked
she held out a bunch of violets.
Grizel flushed. and her eyes spar
killed. like stars.
oh, what pretty children" she
cried in the most disingenuous way,
conveying to her watchful dragon the
strong impression that she had never
set her beautiful eyes on them before
so true is it that even in the most
innocent woman there is a vast store
of protective deceit only waiting for
the pressure of necessity to be drawn
upon for her advantage.
Even as she spoke her fingers closed
on the bunch of violets in Po!lyooly's
hand.
She fastened them firmly in her
waistband. Then she took a shilling
from her purse and gave II TO Polly
DOLLY, while her maid snorted in the
genuine dragon fashion; and IL flame
did not burst from her nostrils, 1t was
not for want of will.
Whats your name, little girl?" said
Grizel.
body calls me Pollyooly," said that
angel child.
Then you have two pretty Names"
said Grizel. And | suppose this
dear little boy is your brother"
Yes, ma'am," said Pollyooly.
Grizel picked him up and kissed
him. She had to kiss someone. with
those violets in her belt.
Il do wonder at you, Lady Grizeli"
cried her scandaliZed maid in a tone
Of utter disgust Picking up a beg
gar's brat in the streets and kissing
himl"
He won't bite, Symons," said Gri-
eel, coldly. "And he's as clean as a
new pin"
She set down the Lump. babe them |
goodbye, and walked on Her hand |
kept straying TO the violets in her |
belt to assure her that they were still |
there. AS she turned into the Park |
she turned and blew kiss of graft |
Lude to Pollyooly.
Pollyooly walked quickly on towards |
the barracks, so full of pleasure at |
the successful accomplishment of her |
task that she had quite forgotten the |
kind, but sallow, lady. Halfway to |
hen very strengthening old gen.
-leman stopped short in front of them, |
bringing them up dead, and scowling
1t Pollyooly, dragged a handful of |
money from his pocket, and gave her
;ixpence
Timidly and hastily, Pollyooly took /
three punches of violets from her bas
5et and held them out to him.
He gaZed at them as if he could |
have torn them IN DiaeaS with bic