Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-07-16
Polly and Her
Pearls
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

DOLLY would not have gone to the
\ dance at all IL she had her own way
about It, but Tommy talked her into 1t.
~ have nothing to wear among such
swagger people" said Polly
make something out of that sofa
pillow" advised Tommy, land you'll
look thousand times better than the
average"
And, as a matter Of fact, there was
not more beautiful girl at the great
ball than Polly in her wisp Of evening
gown that she had fashioned from the
old blue brocade that had been
cushion top.
"That old string of beads could be
priceless lot Of pearls for all any
one here might know" Tommy told
her as they fox-trotted.
"And II they were real" retorted
Polly, II would not be here seeking
patrons for my art shop-I could have
such gorgeous shop on the capital
that people would come in spite OF
themselves" She toyed gracefully with
the long string of beads in question
"Oh, dear Isn't that the limit-rlght
In the middle of the ballrOom" she
exclaimed. The string had broken and
the beads were rolling everywhere at
once.
OF course, she was the center OF at
tention, and all the dancers stopped
to help rescue what they supposed to
be pearls.
please don't bother" said Polly,
they are only beads"
Nevertheless they were nearly all
restored to her and she put them care
lessly into her small vanity bag and
she and Tommy continued dancing.
A young man, however, sitting
watching the affair, had picked up n
few Of the beads and having overheard
Polly's remark about their value,
looked carefully at them.
"Humph l think I'll show these to
Caruthers- like the real thing to
me. Perhaps can do the young lady
good turn. Rather fancy her, any
way" He managed, by much inquiry,
to find out who Polly was and that
she had wee shop in the East FIT
Ties, where she sold lamp shades, cush-
ions and other such trifies.
And as Polly and Tommy strolled
up Park avenue to the tiny place that
| was Polly's home, Tommy wished with
| all his heart that he was anything but
| an impecunlous artist who dared not
tell the only girl how much he loved
her. He had been quite ashamed TO
give her the old string Of beads on
the occasion Of her birthday some few
years back. but II was all he had In
his scant possessions.
When Polly said goodnight she
apologlzed softly for having caused
such n scene at the dance.
81 didn't want to let that crowd
know how much / valued every one OF
those beads, Tommy, but | think we
found most of them She gave his
hand an extra warm squeeze and
slipped swiftly up the stairs. Come
early Sunday afternoon" she called
back to him.
Tommy went homeward, glad to
know that Polly wanted him to come
bit early on Sunday That was their
happlest day of the week, for Polly.
tired OF her own cooking, let Tommy
get her tea and supper Sunday night.
And on Sunday evening Polly was
idly running through some music
which Tommy had brought her, while
I'm the back of her mind she wondered
what Tommy was making that waited
SO delicious an Odor through that
closed door.
Someone knocked at the front door
and Polly hdstened to see who II
might be and whether her nice eve
ming with Tommy was to be shared
with a third person.
That third person happened to b.
the young man who had picked up
three OF the beads from Polly's string
which had broken, and after telling
her his mission was promptly In
vited In.
And when Polly told him that she
had n string OF them that wOdld go
three times around her neck the young
man gasped.
my dear young lady" he excltedly
told her, 'If all those beads are Of
the value of the three picked up you
have set OF pearls worth at leas.
fifty thousand dollars"
Polly sank Imply into the neares,
chair.
"Tommy, Tommy" she shouted
"come quickly-Pm going to faint !"
And when Tommy rushed from the
kitchen with pan Of steamlng pigs
ln-blankets in his hand, she stood up,
braced her shoulders and decided not
to faint. mo, won't" she said, and
turned to the strange young mnn.
"Tell Mr.. Wakefield what you have
just said"
Tommy had all he could do to keep
the steamlng Sunday supper from
grazing the studio floor, but he man
aged to hold onto II.
"They've been In the Wakefield fam
fly for ages-I don't think their value
was ever suspected" was what he
calmly said.
"My pal says that Is only q rough
estimate may be worth double
that amount"
"In that case ! shall most certainly
faint" laughed Polly, and invited the
strange young man to stay for supper
But something In the eyes Of thesf
two artists prevented him from nc
ceptlng The fire and hope and love
lying there we're not to be intrudet
upon. He left them to their happI