The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-03-05

Will ulOppihS NNtSN ''
ing circle and lifting her eye
brows whenever Polly spoke of
my husband" :,
Yet Amanda Pell's methods had
been effective enough. Long be-
fore little Richard jeremiah was
born his mother was being spoken
of as "poor Polly Chelsey." Some
of the townswomen became open
" cool, some treated her with Ill
concealed disdain; a few showed a
pity that was more maddening to
Polly than were the snubs.
She said to her father when she
first noticed these attitudes, II
know how it must look ito these
people. And all this time no
news from jerry"
WELL" said Trepid Chelsey in
his slow deliberate way, "it's i'll
fortune for you, Polly, it happen
ing this way. But you've no cause
for shame. If you say you're wed
to your young man, then you be.
You never told me a lie in all
your life. AS for young Whitfield,
he's my distant kin through his
mother, as you yourself traced. |
saw the lad once when he was a
small child His people are good
sea-faring folk in Northern Mas
not given to Boosting.
Furthermore, this lads at sea do
ing his duty, which is what more
of the men around here ought to
be doing, stead of criticism the
President"
1t was the longest speech Polly |
had ever heard her father make.
1t lent her courage. Dick too |
gave Polly his trust and support.
He pretended Fan Indifference to
village gossip that he was far
from feeling and he tried to
strengthen Polly in the belief that
it did not matter. He read a'oud
to her a great deal-salty les
ike Robinson Crusoe and transla-
lions from Virgil's Iliad that told
Of ships and men at sea.
But chiefly Dick helped by let
ing her talk about Jerry to her
hearts content and by agreeing
With her that he might come
knocking on their door any day
low, and surprise them.
AS the months passed, Polly
from village life en-
irely, holding her head in high,
proud way when she walked
lboard with her father OF brother
Nuisance always followed her.
The little dog seemed asattractive
o he ras he was ridiculous to the
'illagers. 1t distressed her that
Dick had no money for his medi-
al course, and that soon there
would be another mouth to feed.
Yet the baby's coming gave her
oy too, an da stout comfort
'gainst the seeping fear that
ONE misfortune had overtaken
erry.
This had been Polly's life
trough the winter and spring.
When she held her child in her
rms today, Jerry's son, she had
'ravely said that nothing else
nattered. . Yet she was seeth-
ng with anger now at SNUG Mrs.
Fell in her fine maroon dress
1rs. Pell whose three daughters
we're neatly married and doing
veil 1.-TWO of them in Boston,
ach wit ha husband at her side.
She said, Mrs. Pell, I've learn
d there's one thing meaner and
rueler than the British navy. It's
New England village. Onelike
his"
When Mrs. Pell had departed in
Ugh dudgeon, throwing back the
observation that at hardly pays
o be kind to some people," Polly
urst into sobs. She could not
top sobbing.
"There noww Mrs. Taylor said.
You've got fever and you're
ossing! You mustn't get yourself
worked up"
"Oh jerry Polly sobbed,
OluSI lIleI "IlIe Icllclo. why !
ant you? It's because you're
cad, my darling! Dead"
The nurse finally had to sum-
non old Trepid Chelsey and the
anne boy to soothe her.
"That cradle, now" Trepid OBJ
erved loudly to his son, "has
tood up well. l planned and
it myself the trip | made
o the West Indies a month or so
efore you we're born. Light
maple. | took the wood aboard
hip with me for the purpose"
"You di da good job of it. 1t
as a graceful design and a good
inish. Have you noticed, IA
her, how Nuisance lies between
he cradle and the door? The in
of some dogs is remark
BILE. Let me tell you a thing l
aw him do this morning
Polly listened, noticed that she ]
$50, I;ctopipn ap6 Spoi1a1 NynnlV. IF,