The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-04-21
POLLYs COLONIAL TEA
BY IzoLA FORESTER.

ever since Ene was Dorm, ICI AOils-
eight years.
Gabriel always stopped when he
iroye by on the way to town to call
but a CHEEKY salute to the face at the
sitting-room window. He had gone to
school 10 Miss Gibbons. and really had
an affection for the odd little old
maid
You know. Gabe," she would say,
gith certain tilt Of her head, Il am
he last Of the Gibbonses."
Gabriel remembered the plaintiye
note Of loneliness the day he carried
he load Of hard wood over to the
schoolhouse The teacher stepped
1ut to show him where she wantef it
put, and she asked him if he knew
nice, pleasant place to board She
vas living down near the station, and
iidn't like it.
Gabriel told her he'd speak to Miss
sibbons She couldn't have been
lay over eighteen, with big brown
syes and wayy brown hair and the
deepest dimples.
She don't seem TO have much sta
Dility," said Miss Gibbons gently, aft
sr she had boarded Polly a week
She just seems to brighten up the
whole place. I'm even thinking some
If having little party for her WASH
ngton's birthday. III set out all my
colonial things, ask each one who
comes to bring along something
they've got tucked away, too. You
ian come, cant you. Gabe?"
Gabe was sure he could. In fact,
he'd make a point Of it. But when he
paid his usual call Sunday, Polly
seemed out ofyLumor.
"oh, 1t isn't anything, Gabe" she
said shortly. It's just everything all
at once. ! think III give up the
school and go back home. ] heard
Mrs. Dwiggins say Friday they would
ask for my resignation if ! didn't.
First, they say the supervisor
drives over and stays too long in my
district. Well, he does, too. He's an
old goose. Then they say l waved
my hand TO the mail carrier" She
smiled 1eliciously.
The twilight had fallen. Miss Glib
bons was busy getting tea out in the
kitchen, and Gabe some way managed
to unburden his mind to a large ex-
tent in those few minutes. But the
next day, even Eusebia sensed some
thing wrong in the atmosphere at her
Washington tea.
All about the parlor and sitting
room were Eusebia's colonial treas
ures, her moss-rose tea set and the
silver glaze teapot. There we're the
Capitol steps silk quilt made by Great
grandaunt Lucinda Alien, and the old
hintlock musket that had gone through
the Pequot Indian wars, with a Revo-
lutionary powder horn next it, and
homespun wooden blanket that old
Capt Ethan Gibbons had wrapped
around his weary limbs at Valley
Forge. There was a slender silver
cup the great general himself was
said to have drunk from and the very
split bottom chair he had sat in the
night of his sojourn at the Gibbons
home.
Polly had draped an old worn flag
over the picture of Washington be-
hind the tea table where Eusebia sat,
flushed and happy, and the rooms
really looked festive But there was
something wrong. Polly knew it right
away, when Mrs. Deacon Ricketts,
gave her a hand that was like a dead
founder. Then, when she passed tea,
several Of the ladies said very primly,
Much obliged, Miss Hall, I'm sure"
Expect to go home before Easter,
do you, Miss Hall?" inquired old MSS
Cbatterton, who was deaf as a post
The question seemed to rcverberate
through the low-ceiled rooms, and
Polly was pink to her ear tips. But
Eusebia heard it and answered for
her placidly:
"Well, faint at all likely Wen
need her here to sing in church, and
it would hardly pay to go way up to
Vermont and back again"
Mrs. Ricketts, coughed slightly,
stirred her tea and fired the next
shot.
The deacon was saying there was
some talk on the school board of get
ting a man teacher to look after those
big boys. l should think they'd be a
real burden to you, Miss Hall"
Il like them, said Polly earnestly.
"They all help me with the smaller
ones, and are good as can be-"
Il don't believe that supervisor will
get elected this year again" spoke up
Miss Chatterton, with startling clear
ness. and there came a dead, silence.
1t really was the psychological mo-
ment in Eusebia's tea. Even the IA
nous mistress of the first administra-
ton herself would have needed all
her tact and diplomacy in handling
the issue of the moment. Polly flashed
an imploring glance at her. and
Eusebia poured another cup of tea
with steady fingers.
DO try another one, Miss Rick.
etts, she said 'Itll quiet your
nerves. Well. ] don't wonder they
talk OF removing him. Silly old thing,
gallivanting around 'stid Of attesding
to his duties. Polly, isn't that Gabe
at the door,"
Polly sfenned ont into the front hall