The Spectator., 1916-03-14
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 POLLYS COLONIAL TEA
By IZoLA FORESTER.

urOVe Dy on the way to town to call out cheery 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, T 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 if he knew 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 a 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 CT 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 ofrumor
 "Oh, it isn't anything Gabe," she said shortly. It's just everything all at once. l think I'll give up the school and go back home. I heard Mrs. 0wiggins say Friday they would ask for my resignation if I 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 I waved my hand to the mail carrier" She smiled deliciously.
 The twilight had fallen. Miss Gib- bcns 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 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 it, and homespun woolen 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 Euseba 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 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 Miss Chatterton, who was deaf as post. The question seemed to reverberate through the low-ceiled rooms, and Polly was pink to her ear tips. But Eusebia heard it and answered for her placidly:
 Well. t'ain't at all likely. We'll 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 DIE DONS. l SnOulI lulnh they u Do d real burden to you, Miss Hall"
 T like them" said Polly earnestly. They all help me with the smaller ones, and are good as can be-"
 T don't believe that supervisor will get elected this year again" spoke up Miss Chatterton, with startling clear ness, and there came dead silence. It really was the psychological mo- ment in Eusebia's tea. Even the fa- nous mistress of the first administra- tion 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. 'It'll quiet your nerves. Well, I don't wonder they talk of removing him. Silly old thing, gallivanting around 'stid of attending to his duties. Polly isn't that Gabe