| Show L T he T Telegrams Telegram's s D Daily ily POLLYS POLLY'S COLONIAL TEA TEABy EA By IZOLA FORRESTER FORREST FORRESTER R. R Copyright 1916 by McClure l Newspaper Newspaper News News- I paper Syndicate E Eusebia Eusebia sebia had lived in in the little gam- gam roo biel-roo house at tho the foot of th the hm hill dill ever ever aver since since she was born born There had been a few migrations to be sure down downto in the summertime during during dur dur- to the tho sh shore re ingher ing her girlhood and up to Boston air forthe for roi all the fall shopping but that was Summer and winter for fr forty eight orts eight seventh years s she sho had dwelt there the g generation o of the Gibbons family to 0 occupy Gabriel Gabriel it always stopped when he drove by on the way to town tow to o call tae out a cheery salute to the face faced at the le sitting room window H He had d gone to to school to Miss Gibbons Gibbon and really had hadan hadan an affection for the odd odd little e old maid aid knew inHale inHale in inHale as everybody And he knew Hale Corners what a lovable steadfast little person she was in spite of all her peculiarities You know Gabe she would say say with a certain tilt of ot her head I Iam I Iam am the last of ot the When Ive I've passed there wont won't be anybody to remember an anything thing about them or the theold theold t told old house at all And it is the oldest h house use in the village and very very historic Gabe Washington marched right down do that hill yonder with his I Imen men weary and worn on hi hiJ j way to Hartford and the only place where he lie could find rest and food was here Ive I've got the tho very candles they used that night and the bed he slept in and the plate he ate from a moss rose plate Ill I'll show it to you some time Gabe if it I unpack my Washington chest Land LandI I do wish I had somebody tb that do t loved all aU those things the tho way I do and set store by them them somebody somebody that belonged to me Gabriel remembered the tho plaintive note of loneliness the day he carried the load of hard wood over to the schoolhouse The teacher stepped out to chow him w where ere she want wanted d it put and she asked him if he know knew a nice pleasant pleasant pleasant pleas pleas- ant place to board She was living down near the station and didn't like it Gabriel Gabriel told her hed he'd speak to Miss Gibbons She couldn't have been a aday aday aday day over 18 with big brown e eyes es and wavy brown hair and the deepest dimples Somebody told him she came from Vermont and it was her first year teaching that she must have piles of ot pluck or she never could hold her place and manage the big boys But But Gabe smiled now remembering the blushing deference of those same boys as she she had had ordered them to unload and pile the wood w lOOd Surely the dimples ruled 1 f She dont don't seem to have much stability sta sta- s said id Miss Gibbons gently after sh she had boarded Polly a a. week Real nice girl though sightly and companionable companionable com com- and neat as aa a pin I heard down downy at the Mite society some folks thought she acted sort of light minded for a teacher and I 1 spoke up and said if they'd wanted any anyone one settled they shouldn't have chosen some one 18 She just seems to brighten up the whole place Im I'm even thinking some f f having a little party for her Washington's Washington's Washington's Wash Wash- ington's birthday It comes on a Mon Mon- day We co could ld have ours between 3 and 6 real fashionable I dont don't know whether schools school's going to keep in or not but I dont don't suppose it will Ill I'll set set out ut all my colonial things ask t. t each aph one who comes to bring brigg along 5 something they've got tucked away ay J oo o You Tou can come cant can't you Gabe Gabe rabe was T sure he could In fact hed he'd i d make a point of it But when he paid his usual call Sunday Polly seemed out of humor Oh it isn't anything Gabe she said shortly Its just everything all at once I think Ill I'll give up the school and go back home I heard Mrs D Dwiggins say Friday they would ask for formy my resignation if I didn't tears gathered on h her r long l lashes rebelliously First Hirst 1 they say the supervisor drives over and stays too long in my district Well ell he does too Hes He's an old goose Then they say I 1 waved my hand to the mail mail carrier She smiled deliciously I I believe I did too He had a letter for me from mother that day and its it's a wonder I hadn't hugged him Isn't anybody human out here at all all' all The twilight had fallen Miss 1 Gibbons Gib bons was busy getting tea out in the kitchen and Gabe some way managed to unburden his mind to a large extent ex extent ex- ex tent iu In those few fey minutes But the J next day even E Eusebia sebia sensed something some some- thing wrong in the atmosphere at her Washington tea She had found a quaint old dress of some great-great- great great grandmothers up in an old cowhide cowhide cowhide cow cow- hide covered trunk In the garret With Witha a a broad ad fine lawn fichu edged with delicate lace and a frilled cap to match she she told herself herself- she herself she really might have been a s second cond cousin at least of ot the Mother of Her Country And not only that but Polly too was garbed in a sprigged silk sille primrose yellow with a tiny spray of lilac and a demure lace cap ap on 01 her brown curls All AU about the parlor and sitting r room were were Eusebia's colonial treasures her moss rose lose tea set and the silver glaze teapot There were the capitol steps I silk silk quilt made by Great grand Lucinda Allen and the Old flintlock musket that had gone through the Pequot Indian wars with a 3 revolutionary revolution revolution- ary powder horn next it it and a home- home pun woolen blanket that old Capt Capi Ethan Gibbons Gibbon had wrapped around his weary limbs at Valley lor Forge e. e Th There Thre re was a slender r silver cup the treat great general general gen gun eral himself was said to have drank from froin and the very split bottom chair he had sat in the night of hil sojourn at the Gibbons home tome Polly had draped an old worn flag over over the picture of Washington behind the tea table where Eusebia sat flushed and happy and the rooms really looked festive But there was something wrong Polly knew it right away when Mrs Deacon Ricketts gave her a hand that was like a dead flounder floun- floun der Then when she passed tea several sev- sev eral Geral of the ladies said very veru primly Much obliged Miss Hall Im I'm l m sure c And once she heard a remark that Eusebia was altogether too soft hearted hearted i Expect to go home b before tore Easter do you Miss Hall inquired old Miss Chatterton who was was deaf as a post The question seemed to reverberate through h the low tailed celled ceIl d rooms and d Polly was pink to her ear tips But I Eusebia heard it and answered for her placidly Well taint faint at all likely Well We'll need her here to sing in church and it would hardly pay to go way up to Vermont Vermont Vermont Ver Ver- mont and back again Mrs Ricketts coughed slightly stirred her tea and fired fied the next ext shot shots The deacon was saying there was some talk on the school board of ot getting getting getting get get- ting a man man teacher to look after aCter those big boys I should think they'd be a areal areal areal real burden to you Miss H HallI Hall ll I like them said P Polly ll earnestly They all help me with the smaller ones and are good as can be I tor dont don't believe that supervisor will willet get et elected this year again spoke up Miss Chatterton with startling clearness clearness clearness clear clear- ness and there came cam a a. dead silence It really was the psychological moment in n Eusebia's tea Even the famous mistress of ot tho the first administration herself would have needed all her tact and ind diplomacy in handling tho the issue of ot the tho moment Polly flashed an imploring imploring imploring ing glance at her and Eusebia poured another cup of tea with steady fingers Do try another one Miss Ricketts she said quiet your nerves Well I dont don't wonder they talk of removing him Silly old thing gallivanting around stid of attending to his duties Polly isn't that Gabe Gabe-at Gabe at the door Polly stepped out into the front hall hat 1 and Eusebia smiled confidentially at ather ather ather her c company and sprang her final shot of victory You know they're engaged to be married as soon as the school term ends Im I'm real thankful too Gabe S 'S I got a a. treasure s |
