Arizona republican., 1912-04-07
Polly00ly and
 the Lump
By Edgar Jepson

you don't, get acquainted now. Yol
 will be glad you did.
 It was the habit of the Honorabl,
 John Rufin to chant in his bath wha
 Pollyooly believed to be poetry; and i
 is improbable that an observant chile Of twelve, who had passed the sever standards at Muttle Deeping school l could have been mistaken in a matter | of that kind. The habit may have borne witness to the goodness of his conscience, or 1t may not; it may
 merely have been a by-product of au excellent digestion; but that morn in g 1t seemed to her that he chanted more
 loudly and with finer gusto than usual
 She was not surprised, therefore when she brought in his carefully griileG bacon, at his saying in a yery cheerful tone:
 T have had a windfall. Miss Bride
 -a windfall of thirty-five pounds. It feii out of an auction-bridge tree-a game you do not understand-and it has made the heat-wave. which ought 10 be called the heat-flood, more un- bearable than ever. Therefore I have resolved to go away to the sea
 Yes. sir" said Pollyooly in a tone Of amiable congratulation.
 But her face fell little; for though the departure of the Honorable John Ruffn meant that she would have less work, it also meant that she would have to spend more on food for herself and her little brother the Lump, since the Honorable John Ruf. fin did not eat all his bread or drink all his milk; and there was often hall a cake with which he refused 10 con tinue his afternoon tea on the ground that it was stale
 But the thing that has kept me so long in London submerged in the heat flood has not been so much the want Of money q have had enough for my own escape). as the great bacon diff culty,' he said and paused.
 Yes, sir" said Pollyooly.
 But thanks to this windfall, can get over that difficulty by taking you 10 the sea 10 grill my bacon for me, and your little brother 10 keep you occupied while you are not grilling it, that Satan may not find some IT 'schief still for idle hands 10 do'
 Pollyooly's large blue eyes opened very wide; and her mouth opened. too.
 "Oh. sir, me and the Lump-Roger, sirl" she said in a hushed, breathlcss voice Of incredulous rapture.
 You and Roger. Roger and tho sea were made for one another. lool: to see him an admiral one of these ;ays. It is time that England had red headed admiral; I'm tired of these drab-haired ones. It is my patriotic duty to give him a taste for the sea carly
 "Oh. thank you. siri" said Pollyooly in a tone of profound gratitude.
 We will go 10 Pyechurch. There's an old family servant of ours at Pye- church. I made her life burden 10 her when I was young: and conse- ouently. with true womsnliness, she has always entertained the strongest affection for me. IL would be no use taking you to any other lodgings. be- cause you wouldn't be allowed 10 grill my bacon for me. But Mrs. Wilson knows that | must be humored and humored I shall be Also she will look after you while I am playing golf at Littlestone-not that l have ever known you to need looking after"
 "Oh. sir. if lgiH be nicei" said Polly ooly. still somewhat breathless.
 The Honorable John Ruffin smiled al her amiably.
 This morning we will pack: this afternoon we will go" he said.
 Pollyooly had 10 slip up 10 their al tic at once to tell the Lump, who was playing there peacefully, the splendid news. though he was too young 10 un derstand it. She moved about on very light. dancing feet; and as soon as she had washed up the breakfast things she packed their small wardrobes in little portmanteau, a relic Of the days when the great-aunt who had brought them up had been househeeper al Deeping Hall.
 Then the Honorable John Ruffin. having finished his cigar and Aorntng Post. summoned her to help him pack; and for a while she observed his fashion of doing so with pain and dis may. He put his clothes in the port manteau anyhow and crushed them firmly down.
 Standing painfully now on one leg and now on the other, she endured the sight for several minutes: then she said "Oh. please, sir; you'd better let me do it."
 Why What's wrong with my way of doing it?" said the Honorable John Ruffn in some surprise.
 Look how you're crumpling your shirts. sir" said Pollyooly.
 Have 1t your own way. Deal with it yourself" said the Honorable John Rufin airily. |
 He lighted cigar and watched Pollyooly take the clothes out of the portmanteau and replace them neatly with a due regard to space. finding room for a dozen things which he had been forced to leave out. Then he said:
 Always fresh accomplishments, Miss Bride. If you go on at this rate, you will certainly go down to posterity