The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1921-03-04
Polly and the
Ouija Board
By H, LOUIS RAYBoLD
iCopyriEht)

gave John Peters when he injured his
| foot while acting ms brakeman on one
VI their trains, had its delights and
It's torInppts. II was an easy job with
! considerable leisure time atiacncd, but
| it afforded him too frequently the
sight of Polly, Cnrr who lived in
| the little red house at the top Of the hill.
Not that Polly MAS disagrerab!e 10
look upon. Quite rhc contrary. Any
! girl is pleasant 70 see whose eyes
sparkle with the Joy of living, whose
curving mouth turns upward at the
-, corners and In whose cheeks shines
! the glow Of health and AouIh Ru.
| when john hurt his foot he gave up
the thought of Polly, ASK Il girl Il"
marry cripple, with nothing better
than the job of tagging trains: Nell
he should say not. And Polly, who
! had been on tip-toe for the question
TO which she could so truthtully say
ayes" was left to wonder If she had
been mistaken in thinking he cared.
| Now Polly. otherwise eminently sen,
| sible, was the most Superstitious little
body Imaginable,
Then one bright May morning the
north bound train slowed down and
| stopped al the crossing. OUT stepped
Poly's up-country aunt with umbrella
and travelling bag.
, Polly was glad TO see her aunt, part
ly because she was fond Of her, and
| very great deal because now ii
| would be- quite all right TO invite John
| Peters TO supper. II she had known
| that Aunt Susan carried III her bag
something which would prove more
! etiicaciOuS in Johns C;tSe than amy
! love philtrr. she would have fallen IN
: her aunt'S neck and blessed tI"r. That
something was an oula board
When John received from Polly the
invitation 10 supper he had half a
mind 10 -rcfuse>
"I'n initiate ' M into the mysteries
of the ouiia hoArd," she promised.
Aunt and | wok ut ii every eve.
, ming. And every Singlr rnirg il says
is true" she added SolemnIN.
Ordinarily John had three homrN at
supper tim" when ncith"r north nor
south-h bound train was dur n the
crossing. On the very night nf Pol
Tvs invitation, however, he WIS no.
tilted by the dispatcher al the junction
to throw the switch for freight.
Throughout the meal drIicluus evil
dencc of Pully'S ability 10 cook he
kept his brain working at rhr words.
even rs he praised with masculine ap-
probation the feathcrwcight biscuits,
steak done exactly right AMI ilnky
pie. After supper Aunt Susan gave
Polly little push. I'm going to wash
up. child. You run along in the pnrlor
and entertain Mr.. Peters" And Polly,
after one dutifn hut weak protest,
uhrycd
"Lot'S get ont the "uiia board. She
suggested. You ask it the first ques-
ton and see what happens"
So John, thinking how pretty PolIy's
pink checks were. wanted TO know IL il
woUId rain in the morning Heads
close together. fingers resting lightly
on the triangular BIT of wood. they
waited for the "uiia spirit 20 Start
working. Polly p"utcd when John
didn't seem impressed III the vaguely
Indefinite reply of Maybe" Question
followed question. turn and turn about,
with morc--nr lcss--marveIOus re-
Spouse Then Polly. her color deep
ening Il hit, inquired II she would
ever marry.
Some day." came the answer.
who" dared Polly. .
John, his fingers trembling In spite
of himself awaited the answer with
trepidation. WHAT was Polly-Or the
Oulja bOard-up to? .".
Slowly the letters spelled out into
q word ..
"a s-w-i-t-c-h-m-r o. .
John sprang mp as If shot. Down
clattered the board and planchette.
Selling his cane. the man leaped 70
the front door, opened it and was gone.
Polly, thunderstruck. stood where she
had risen. her cheeks drained of their
rosiness. What was it? II couldn't
be-how silly of her even TO think of
1t. John wouldn't leave like shar
Just because he thought he was be-
ing proposed to. But there was some
thing wrong.
Quickly she went out TO the little
porch. Far down the hill sounded
the tap-tap Of Johns cane and his
swift footballs. There was another
sound-slow, monotonous. rumbllng-
then whistle for the Crossing
She must find out If he got there in
time. Hntless coatlcss, she ran down
the hill, only TO meet John, breathing
heavily, on he way back.
"Wore you in timer" she cried
THANK heaven, yes - he answered
Then, Polly" fr demanded quickly,
what was that answer going to be?
Polly gulped down . little sob. C
can't you guess?'' she asked.
"a switchman?'' he said slowly
Me?' And ms Polly was silent he con
tinued, wonderingly: ''Would you
marry cripple?"
II wouldn't call any man a cripple
that could get down the hill like
"a a a.