The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-09-15
By ELLIS GRAHAM.

1t was cherry time and q girl ana
q man were out under the crimson.
heart tree. The girl had a color in her
cheeks almost as rich az that Of the
cherries the young man had hung owe
each of her ears, and her lips, Juice
stained, were too tempting to resist.
II love you, Pollyw he declared, Inn.
petuously selling her in his arms.
"Tell me all e again."
II love you, Will!" she declared hap.
PLY, smuggling up close to his breast.
"And you'll never, never forgeti
Promise"
II promise I"
"And no matter what anybody yer
says, you'll e. go back on me. Cross
your heart. Polly"
And Polly solemnly crossed her
heart.
That evening at dinner Polly's ia.
ther said: ut looks as though we are
going to have a The militia has
been ordered out"
Poor white Polly had dropped her
fork and the cheeks that had matched
the cherries had gone white as the
%tablecloth. For Will was captain In
the local Guard and that meant-oh,
what1
"Are you sure, daddy?"
"Yes, Pauline, I'm sorry to say it,
true"
whats wrong, Pollyr exclaimed
her mother.
Nothing" she answered with dry
lips, Except that I was thinking that
some of the boys we know will nave
to CO."
II suppose so. Will Fielding has
something to do with it, hasn't hei
Why, Polly" For the girl was IN.
able to endure 1t any longer, had
rushed from the table to her room
She knew her parents were discussing
her behavior and that her conduct
had been as good as a confession, but
what Of it? She loved Will Fielding
and there wasn't any reason why they
shouldn't know.
But, later, her mother came to bel
and kindly but firmly told her that she
was too young to fall in love, and, be.
sides, that although personally she
liked Will we'll enough, the family wal
new and she couldn't consent to Q
daughter Of hers marrying into a fam
lily no n knew anything about.
And SO things went IN for thres
days. Then something occurred, some
thing dreadful. Polly had nevel
learned the exact truth, for no one
would tell her. It was something
about the diamond ring her mother
lost.
She had dressed for a party and
gone to the kitchen before leaving te
tell Nora about dinner. Finding that
her rings interfered with her gloves
she had drawn them off and laid them
on the table in the kitchen, intending
to drop them into her bag. But she
was half way to the car before she re.
membered them and returned. Norah.
in the meantime, had taken q basket
and gone out for cherries for pies, leav,
ing the doors open. That vas all they
would tell her, except that when he1
mother returned the two-carat diamond
was gone, and that night her parents
made her promise never to see Will
again. And on the other hand, the
company marched away with never q
goodby from Will, nor 80 much as 4
salute from him as he had passed.
The sick man mOaned and muttered
something.
"Polly! Good-by, Polly!" he said,
: "Won't you say good-by? What's the
matter with everybody?" More NUT,
tering and then: Nobody was at
home, Polly. l cut across the bach
way and Duke ran into the kitchen. ]
chased him out, and he tore your
mothers silk dress. She hates Duke.
Poor Duke! Good-by, Polly, dear!"
"Will," breathed the little nurse
softly, "live for my sake, VIII. There
was some mistake I am sure, and II
will come out all right" ,a-
Dawn came swift and hot and q
horse galloped e 1t was a messen,-
ger with mail. There were letters for
Polly, one from home and she opened
1t eagerly. ,"Dear little GIRL" wrote
her mother, II hope you are safe and
we'll and not working too hard. Fa-
ther and8I are * anxious about you,'
and SO on. Then, after other bits Of
news, you'll be surprised to hear I
found my ring. It was very queer the
way 1t was lost. We found 1t stick
Ing to the bottom Of the old cherry
basket. Nora must have set the
basket down on my rings that day
and the diamond one caught. It's been
In the cellar ever since until today,
when she found the ring. Do you ever
hear Of VIII Ftelding7 We've inquired
about his family, Polly dear. and find
the Fteldings come Of splendid old New
England stock. r. Will comes home
safe and sound and my little girl re-
turns soon. daddy and I won't say a
word if you still care for each other.
Wasn't that q fearful battle at Tor.
estos!'' and 30 %.
The letter slipped to the floor.
.Thank God!" whispered the little
nurse.
Gopyrt9ht. 1sas. BY the Mcclure Nevaua.