The Lamar register., 1916-04-05
P0LLYS COLONIAL TEA
BY lola FORESTER.


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 1t
put. and she asked him if he knew a
nice. pleasant place to board. She
was living down near the station. and
didn't like II.
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
er she had boarded Polly a week.
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. 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 a point of 1t. But when he
paid his usual call Sunday. Polly
seemed out ofItumor.
"Oh, It isn't anything. Gabe." she
said shortly. It's 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 II l 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 1 waved
my hand to the mail carrier" She
bmlleQ uelClOubly.
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 were the
Capitol steps silk quilt made by Great
grandaunt Lucinda Allen, and the old
fintlock musket that had gone through
the Pequot Indian wars, with Reyo
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 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 fiae
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 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, an6
Polly was pink to her ear tips. But
Eusebia heard It and answered fol
her placidly:
We'll. faint at all likely. Wei
need her here to sing in church, ant
1t would hardly pay to go way up tc
Vermont and back again"
Mrs. Ricketts, coughed slightly
stirred her tea and fred the mex
shot.
! The deacon was saying there was
some talk on the school board OF get