The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-02-23
BY GRACE
MILLER
WHITE
Illustrated b. r. H. L',isssio~s
lContinued rfom page ]


through an unfriendly and often hun.
Cry world But this same world which
had wizened Jerry had given TO Polly
q Wild beauty. a body strong and rs
plant as q marsh reed.
With a sigh Palyop turned TO the
house The door was shut against the
storm, and thin curl 81 smoke
twisted upward from the topping
chimney. losing itself in the baby
leaves Of the willows. The little lines
that had traced the troubled bro.
vanished at the sight Of a slab n
wood over the door. On II was paint.
ed In crude letters: III your heart Ia
loving and kind come right In II II
ain't. scoot on" Pjiyop and Granny
Hope had worked o long time 10 make
this sign. and even longer to nail II
MP.
'Itll help the silent City folks.
Granny she had said. Especially.
n smile a lot At EN-
She nung open the door and went
in. closing II behind her. In one cor
ner CT the kitchen. an old woman, 70
old that no squatter could remember
her other than aged. sat near the
stove. About her shoulders was Q
shawl, and It's edges were held to
sether with clawlike fingers.
Munching on bit Of hay nj the
wood-box was q lean goat. an old
friend Of Polly Hopkins. Long ago
she had found him, lost In the wilder
ness OF the Storm country. and had
brought him to the Silent City
The shanty consisted OF three rooms.
Back OF the kitchen Daddy Hopkins
slept and In the miserable coop-hole
where Polly had once stored rubbish
Granny Hope stretched out her weary
bones at night. Polly's bed ranged
the kitchen wall, and the room had
but a bench. two old chairs and
threelegged table to offer In rude hos
pitality
II wheedled a little milk from os-
car, Granny" said the girl. "Goddy,
but he's gettin' stingyl"
She put down the pail, went 10 the
stove and thrust piece OF wood into
a.
woods as wet as hell" she COM
planned. almost as II she had spoken
TO herself.
The old woman stirred and lifted
her withered lids.
Hell amt wet" she muttered. IT'S
dry an warm-hot. | mean," and she
shivered. drawing nearer the fire.
"'Tain't like this lakeside"
Granny Hope had been In the Hop
hin.' shack since the first winter snow.
Her own hut stood on little point
about a quarter OF a mile away. In II
she had lived alone ever since her hus-
band had gone down In the Big Blow,
q storm that was tradition In the
settlement, and which only the oldest
inhabitants Of the Silent City could
remember.
One day Polly had found her sick In
bed. and, as she had led the forlorn
billy goat home. so did she bring
Granny Hope. never realizing that In
the tottering old figure she was en-
pertaining an angel unawares. All she
knew was that Granny's toothless
smile. her cheerful words Of love and
kindliness. made the sun shine bright
er and the meager food more filling.
During the winter. Mrs Hope had
encouraged the girl to read. AT first
that had been difficult. for the shanty
contained nothing but the tattered
Rble the old woman had brought with
her. over and over Polly had read
the mIseries Of job the patient, the
long lamentations Of Jeremiah. who nj
WAYS put her IN mind 81 Daddy Hop
Aims. and she also knew by heart the
story 81 the crucifiNion q Jesus. who,
80 the BiAe said. was the best man
that had ever walked the globe.
So had those winter days 81 close
companionshlp with the woman who
had lived long and suffered much. and
Who now vas almost ready 10 on "a
larger experiences. brought out In
Polly Hopkins greater capacity lot
loving. The squntters called her
"poiyop the ioye-iass and some.
times. -polly of the sun Granny
Hore explained this rs swing "They
ell love you Poll an rs out - youl
own heart they get the teel.n' - jos
when they see Sc
Prom behind TIE aopi-hox neal
where the goat stood ryop took %
a. az Teuderly she tet and place.
Kiss Upon The -ats horny head
Thea She touched Granny Hope
The soman lifted hrr Eds ans
smiled at the girl
what's the mattcr i0veiassf- 50
uuruured
I'm soin' ouf. Granny reptile.
poIly. II Daddy cones Tell i'm III
- hack ca d while"
Into the rain she went Der baue Pee
carryinr her suifily over The raEse
rrcks. hef cpr1s gathered under -
cha Uke warn ells;euiue hegd
- 60. -. sI-.-.l.laHas.s4 - ST -