The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-14
PoLLy's COLONIAL TEA
BY IZoLA FORESTER.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Eusebia had lived in the little gam
brel-roof house at the foot of the hill |
ever since she was born, for forty |
eight years.
Gabriel always stopped when he
drove by on the way to town to call
out a CHEEKY salute to the face at the
sitting-room window. He had gone to
school to Miss Gibbons, and really had
an affection for the odd little old
maid.
You know. Gabe,' she would say,
with a certain tilt Of her head, Il am
the last of the Gibbonses."
Gabriel remembered the plaintive
note Of loneliness the day he carried
the load Of hard wood over to the
schoolhouse. The teacher stepped
out to show him where she wanted it
put, and she asked him II he knew q
nice, pleasant place to board. She
was living down near the station, and
didn't like it.
Gabriel told her he'd speak to Miss
Gibbons. She couldn't have been q
day over eighteen, with big brown
eyes and wavy brown hair and the
deepest dimples.
"She don't seem to have much sta
bility." said Miss Gibbons gently. aft
er she had boarded Polly a week.
She just seems to brighten up the
whole place. I'm even thinking some
Of having little party for her Wash
ington's birthday. I'll set out all my
colonial things, ask each one who
comes to bring along something
they've got tucked away, too. You
can come, cant you, Gabe?"
Gabe was sure he could. In fact,
he'd make point of it. But when he
paid his usual call Sunday, Polly
| seemed out ofr.umor.
"Oh, it isn't anything. Gabe," she
said shortly. Its just everything all
at once / think I'll 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 deliciously.
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 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 were the
Capitol steps silk quilt made by Great.
grand-aunt Lucinda Allen, and the old
flintlock musket that had gone through
the Pequot Indian wars, with a RevO
lutionary powder horn next 1t, and q
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 wal
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 fial
over the picture of Washington be
hind the tea table where Eusebia sat
flushed and happy. and the rooms
|, really looked festive. But there wal
something wrong Polly knew it righ
away, when Mrs. Deacon Ricketts,
gave her hand that was like deat
; 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 Mis-
Chatterton, who was deaf as post
The question seemed to reverberat
. through the low-ceiled rooms, AM
!. Polly was pink to her ear tips. Blu
Eusebia heard 1t and answered TO
;. her placidly:
well, faint at all likely. Wei
a need her here to sing in church, an
a 1t would hardly pay to go way up t
r Vermont and back again"
a Mrs. Ricketts, coughed slightly
v stirred her tea and fired the nez
r shot.
r THE deacon was saying there wa
n some talk on the school board of ge
ting a man teacher to look after thos
d big boys. ! should think they'd be
real burden to you, Miss Hail."
:. 81 like them" said Polly earnestl!
|. "They all help me with the smalle
o ones, and are good as can be-"
It Il don't believe that supervisor wi
get elected this year again" spoke u
e Miss Chatterton with startling olea
n ness, and there came a dead silenc
It really was the psychological m
2 ment in Eusebia's tea. Even the Fl
a nous mistress of the first administr
n ton herself would have needed a
II her tact and diplomacy in handlir
it the issue of the moment. Polly faahe
b, an imploring glance at her, al
Il Eusebia poured another cup Of Il
Il with steady fingers.
a DO try another one, Miss Ric
cts" she said eth quiet yo'
n. nerves. Well, don't wonder the
n talk of removing him. Silly old thin
s gallivanting around 'stiG of attendir
81 to his duties. Polly. isn't that Gal
IT at the door,"
Polly stepped out into the front ha
lg and Eusebia smiled confidentially