Middletown transcript., 1922-03-11

'>aNht illoIC iihC lic OtitI lHcU DIG
occasionally saw on horseback. That
was it! He was not wearing the olive
drab uniform! To add to her confu-
sion Robert Percival was smiling at
her in the most friendly way. Then
he glanced up at the picture, his fine
face saddening.
"The Greatest Mother in the World,
little girl" he said, and he smiled
| again.
1.-THE Greatest Mother in the World"
repeated POllyop, in awed tones.
Does that mean she's mother to the
squatter kids what was hurt In the
war. misterY
"Yes," he replied after a short rause.
Yes. it means that. and more. She's
mother to every hurt boy and brings
comfort to every one on earth that
needs help"
"Golly, she's some mother, amt
she?" breathed Polly soberly. "She's
beautiful too. Squatter mammies has
TOO many kids to stay handsome like
her." She made Il backward motion
with her thumb toward the fence and
searched his face gravely.
A choking sensation in Roberts
throat made him cough. The girls
statement was like a charcoal draw
ing In which few broad lines tell the
whole story. He felt his interest in
her increase. She was the quaintest,
prettiest and most solemn child he had
ever seen. Yes. he knew she was an
inhabitant of the Silent City by the
clothes she wore. and the thin. bow
legged child, to say nothing Of the be-
whiskered goat and woolly lamb that
were with her.
whats your name?" he inquired.
Just Pollyop," was the answer.
Polly Hopkins. My daddy is Jere-
miah Hopkins, the mayor of this set
tlement."
Surely! Robert remembered very
well Mackenzie speaking of Hopkins.
and he remembered too the painted
invitation over a hut door as if it
were before his eyes. Looking Pollyop
over from the top of her curly head to
the tips of her bare feet, he decided
that she had written it.
Question after question he flung at
her, and answer after answer came
from Polly's lips. She told him where
she lived, and how she cooked the
beans, bacon and fish Daddy Hopkins
provided; how cold it was in the
shanty when the cruel north wind
swept up the lake; and how wet it
was when the rain fell and clammy
fogs shrouded the world in gray; how
Granny Hope was sick with pains. She
gave him an inside view of life in the
Silent City. Long before she had fin
ished her recital, Percivals courtesy
had put her at her ease, and she was
chattering like a magpie.
Can / do something for you, Polly
Hopkins?" queried Robert, as she fin
ished telling about life in the squat
ters' city.
She flung out both hands in COM
prehensive gesture as much as to say
he could see for himself how much she
needed.
Sure. sure you can," she said with
fierce emphasis. you can make Old
Mare leave us squatters be. You're
bigger'n he is! The squatters need
you awful bad"
Her voice broke. Robert took a long
breath. OF course he could help this
girl and her people. He would, too |!
AS far as money gave power he could
equal and surpass Marcus Mackenzie.
Il did try to talk sense into Mr..
MacKenzie's head" he returned pres
emily, "but now will make him leave
you alone"
In spite of the curved lips about
which smile lurked, there was appre-
hension in her voice when she asked:
Can you lick i'm to a finish, mis-
ter?'
"Yes, l think I could" laughed Rob
ert; "but it won't be necessary"
"Then 1 see us Silent City folks
bein' happy again." sighed Polly. "We
got awful lot of things an folks to
take care of here"
Robert made sweep with his arm
that encompassed the group before
him.
You have, evidently I" he laughed.
"An' l got more home," interjected
Polly. 81 got Daddy Hopkins an
Granny Hope-an' this brat is my
brother, an this goat is Billy Hopkins
an this lambs Nannyop. Oh, sure,
sir, I've got hull lot to love in this
good old city,"
Polly made an upward motion with
her hand toward the picture on the
fence.
"She's got bunch to love, too," she
said softly. "Ain't she?"
He walked to her side and contem-
plated with her the pictured woman.
making her silent appeal TO them for
the wounded boy in her arms.
"Of course she has," answered Per-
cival reverently. "She's the Greatest
Mother in the World, Polly Hopkins,
and-and-' his gaze dropped upon
her, and he continued, "and you're the
lttlest mother in the world"
A glad smile widened the girls lips.
All the fear that had been as ton
weight upon her had fallen away. She
wanted to pay him the highest compli-
ment she knew. When he had mount
ed. she told him gently:
"Some day you'll be the bigc st an
most beautifulest daddy in the world
Good-by."
IL "Then Percival stepped in.
Two well-planted thumps laid
Bannett like log on the