Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-24

and she asked him II he knew nice
pleasant place to board. She was llv
ing down near the station and didn't
like it.
Gabriel told her he'd speak to Miss
Gibbons. She couldn't have been
day over eighteen, with big brown
eyes and wavy brown hair and the
deepest dimples. Somebody told him
she came from Vermont, and It was
her first year teaching, that she must
have piles OF pluck or she never could
hold her place and manage the bic
boys. But Gabe smiled now, remem
bering the blushing difference of those
same boys as she had ordered them to
unload and pile the wood. Surely the
dimples ruled.
"She don't seem to have much sta
bility," said Miss Gibbons gently, az
ter she had boarded Polly a week
Real nice girl, though, slightly and
companionable, and neat as a pin.
heard down at the Mite society some
folks thought she acted sort Of light
minded for teacher and I spoke up
and said If they'd wanted any one
settled they shouldn't have chosen
some one eighteen.
"She just seems to brighten up the
whole place. I'm even thinking some
of having a little party for her Wash
ington's birthday. 1t comes on Mon.
day. We could have ours between
three and six, real fashionable.
don't know whether schools going to
keep in or not, but don't suppose It
will. 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,
can't you, Gabe?"
Gabe was sure he could. In fact:
he'd make point of it, But when he
paid his usual call Sunday, Polly seem.
ed out of humor.
ooh, it isn't anything, Gabe," she
said shortly. Its just everything all
at once I 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
The tears gathered on her long
lashes rebslliously.
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 waved
my hand to the mail carrier" She
smiled deliciously. II believe l did
too He had letter for me from
mother that day, and it's a wonder
hadn't Rugged him. Isn't anybody
human out here at all?"
The twilight had fallen. Miss Glib
bons was busy getting tea out in the
kitchen, and Gabe some way manag
! ed to unburden his mind to a large
extent in those few minutes. But the
next day, even Eusebia sensed some
thing wrong in the atmosphere at he1
Washington tea. She had found a
quaint old dress of some great-great
great grandmother's up In an old COW
hide covered trunk in the garrett. With
broad. fine lawn f1chu edged with
delicate lace, and frilled cap to
match, she told herself she really
might have been second cousin al
least Of the Mother of Her Country
And not only that, but Polly, too, was
CARRIED in a. sprigged silk, primrose
yellow, with a tiny spray Of lilac. and
a demure lace cap on her brown curls
All about the parlor and sitting
room were Eusebia's colonial treas
ures, her moss rose tea set and the
silver glaze tea pot. There were the
capitol steps silk quilt made by Great
grand-aunt Lucinda Allen, and the ole
flintlock musket that had gone through
the Pequot Indian wars, with Revo
lutionary powder horn next 1t, and &
homespun wooden blanket that ole
Captain Ethan Gibbons had wrapped
around his weary limbs at Valley
Forge. There was slender silver
cup the great general himself was
said to have drank from and the very
split bottom chair he had sat in thu
night of his sojourn at the Gibbon:
home.
| Polly had draped an old worn tlas
over the picture Of Washington be
hind the tea table where Eusebia sat
flushed and happy, and the rooms
really looked festive. But there wa
something wrong. Polly knew it RICH
away, when Mrs. Deacon Ricketts,
gave her hand that was like 'ieat
founder Then, when she passed tea
several of the ladies said very p1mly
Much obliged, Miss Hall, I'm sure.
And once she heard a remark tina
Eusebia was altogether too soft heart
ed
Expect to go home before Easter
do you, Miss HALF" inquired old Mis-
.Chatterton, who was deaf as post
THE question seemed to reverberat'
Through the low ceiled rooms. ant
Polly was pink to her ear tips. Blu
!Eusebia heard it and answered for he
lplacidly: