Polly's Decoration Day

Polly sat on the dooratep, dressing "Miss Jerusha Jand" in her pink party dress. "How, Z'rusha, you mus' be a dood girl and not tear oor dress, tause I velly tired and tant mend it, Will oo Y" I suppose Miss Jeru3ha must have resplied "yes," for her little mistress seemed perfectly satisfied; and presently the young lady was taken olï into the corner of the yard, where the "party" was to take place, and the little sunny-haired, rosy-cheeked child came trottlng back to her home, on the broad, old-fashioned door-3tep. In the cool, quiet sitting-room, looking out upon this step, sat Mamma and Auut Kate, talking together. TresentlyTolly was attracted by whaf Aunt Kate was saying: "Helen, I suppose you dou't need to be reminded that to-morrow will be Decoration Day. S'iall you go with flowers ?" "ShallIgOi1 Indeed, Kate, did you but know how my heart clings to that little spot of earth, you would not ask me.' "And shall you take Polly?" "Yes, indeed. I want her earhesc remembrances to be those of love and honor for the soldier father." The sweet face under the widow's cap beamed withtendernessas shethought of the dear one who had given his life to his couutry, uow awaiting for her in a heavenly home ; and she did not speak again until a childish voice recalled her thoughts. "Mamma, is I a-goin' to Dec'lation Day?" . . . "Yes, darliag; we are goiug to put beautiful llowers on Papa's grave." "Au' may Z'rusha go too?" Mamma smiled, "Yes, dear; ïf it will plea3e my little Polly, Z'rusha may go too." And away Polly ran to coniniunicate the news. Deeoration Day dawned bright and beautif al ; the very heavens seerning to send their blessing down upon the llower-decked graves of the soldiers. Blithe little Polly sat in thecarriage with Jerusha in one hand and a fragrant bunch of lilies-of-the-valley in the other waiting for Mamma. Soon she carne, with a basket of pure white blosaoms, and they drove olï. The sun shone warm and bright, and the air wa3 so still that even the robin's note from the branches of the sweet-scented apple-trees, seemed out of tune; and Mamma's face was so peacef ui in its thoughtfulness that even Polly kept quiet, only chatting in a whisper to Jerusha. The ride was not very long, and soon the beautif ui cemetery, with ita little hills and valleyss, lay spread out before them. They drove through one of the pretty winding paths, past many flo wer-covered graves, until at last the carriage stopped, and Mamma stepped out, Polly following, with wide-open eyes. "Is Papa down"there in the grouud, Mamma V' asked the wondering child. "No darling," answered the sweet voice, as the hands busily arranged the pretty flowers. "Papa is away up in the sky, where the dear Jesus lives. And by-and-by Polly and Mamma will go up there too and live with Mm." Once at home, Mamma went to lie down, for the morning bad been a hard oneforher; and Tolly and Jerusha were left alone in the yard. But something was on the child'a mind. She could not play ; and even her beloved dolly failed to awaken any interest and lay neglected on the ground. Suddenly, Polly seemed to have a new thought, and, snatching herfavorite from the ground, she said, in an exultant voice : "Z'rusha Zanel I know what 11 do. My papa wants all 'e pitty f 'owers we taked to him, and ho liasn't dot any little dtrl up In Ileaven to send down after 'em ; an' l'm a-doin to take 'ein to him. I see a p'ace way off, wliore I can step right into Ileaven ; an you an' me, we'll go and sprize Tapa wiv the pitty things. Won't he be glad ? Want to go, Z'rusha?" Of course, Jerusha did want to go. So Tolly tucked her snugly ander her arm, and, putting her little straw hat on the back of her cuils, the pair started off. "Now," saidPully, "flrst, we'll goan' det all 'e f'owers dat Mamma had in e' morning, an' take 'em w-:v us. I fink this is 'e way." And oft 3he ran way up the north road. ïhe May sun was very warm and bright, and the small feet, trudging through the dust, were very hot and tired. Uut their patiënt owner went bravely on, until Nature could endure no more; and vvith aweary little sigh, she sat down on the grass by the roadside, and remarked to her coinpan.ion "Uut Mamma," and the blue-aves were full of wonder, "if Papa is way up in 'e sky, how can he get 'e pitty f'owers? Will he fty down out o' Ileaven ? "No, Polly; Papa will not get the llowers at all, and he does not want tliem. But we put thera where he is buried, to show how mnch we loved him. Do you understand, dear? Polly did not answer. Slie was looking far away at the skies, and Mamma did not try to reeall her attention, thinking to herself : "Never mind. If she does not understand now, she wil some time." Uut Polly was not satisiied, and she c ept away, and, taking up Jerusha, she whispered ia the young lady's ears; "Z'rusha, [ den't see how Papa can det 'e pitty f'oweia way up in e' sky. I Qnk he'd haf lo come way down, and be velly tired. What you fink 'bout it, Z'rusha? Jerusha appeared not to have any decided opinión; and, after a little more lingering among the grassy hillocks, Mamm'y, Polly, and Jerusha droveslowly homeward.Mamma thinking of the dear lost one, Polly of the mysterious question which puzzled her somuch: How Papa was to come down out of Ileaven, for tho flowers they had brought him ? that "ie was such a velly long walk where the f'owers were, she finked they'd better take some yellow ones right here, au' Papa'd like it jes as well." Jerusha, being an obliging young lady, thoughtit would probably suitjust as well. So Polly gathered her plump little hands full of buttercups and dandelions, saying, with a satisiied air of relief: "There, now, we eau det there velly 8Oon;'caiiS3 1 see the place wliere I can step right up; an' I dess inaybe there'lfbe tin angel to help me au' Z'rusha up o' step." So, with siniling face and happy visions, the little dusty ügure pattered along the suuny road. The afternoon rays of the clear May sim were falling aslant in the pleasant front yard- falling on several articles of Miss Jerusha's wardrobe, which that careless young lady had lef t about, and also on several article3 pertaining to her little mamma ; but neither of the individuáis mentioned was there to claim her property, and Mrs. Leigliton, coming te the door, called : "Poily! Folly! Whereis thechild? Kate, have yon seen Polly 't" "Ño, Helen; not sinee dinner. I thought she was with you." ïhe mother's face began to wear a look of alarm, for she knew the lonliness of the long country roads. The house and grounds were searched, but gave no sign of the sunny-faced cbild. The sun sank lower in the west, and the faces of the family grew more more anxious. "We must start out and look for her," said Grandpa. "She cannot have strayed very f ar." So the old hoi'3e was harnessed again, and Grandpa, with Mamma, started off on the seai 'i. 'J'wo miles in one direction, and hopelessly! Then Mamma, with w face growing rapidly ■aler, said: "S'ie caunot have gone further in this il irection, Father. Let us turn back an l take the north road. By tliis time the sun was justsaying his flnal good-night to this part of the earth, and Grandpa drove fast and suoke little. A whole mile up the north road, and no sign oí the child ! Suddenly Mamma, whose wistfal eyes were eagerly scaning both sides of the road, cried out : "Stop ! Father ! I see something clinging to the f ence ! Let's getout!' Trembling with eagerness, she hastened toward something cauglit on the rough l'ence. It was a bit of pink calicó; and, turning around, she exclaimed : "It's a piece of the ling's apron, Father. I know it. Slie must be near- perhaps in some of these iielcls. "True," said "You go one way, and l'Il go the other." So tliey separated, and Mamma walked quickly away through the deepening shadows. Overa hill and dowu again into a valley, falling over stones and ititobriars, and at last coming suddenly upon a picture fairer than any artist could paint. A child asleep in the little hollow! One hand holding a bunch of withered dandelions and drooping buttercups, and the other grasping a painfully wide-a-wake dolly. The straw-hat had fallen off, the curls were pnshed away from the sweet face, and an undried tear still lay on the flushed cheek. "My precious baby !" cried Mamma, as she clasped her treasure and spoiled the picture. "Where has my Polly been?' The child's blue eyea opened wide, and a little qui vering voice replied : "O Mamma, I see a place where I can stepright into heaven, an' mean' Z'rusha was going to take Iho towers to papa ; but l'm so velly tired an' heaven keepsi agoin' way oiï, so I cau't reach 'e stairs. Won't you go, too, mamma?" Mamma waa laugbing and crying all at once, as ske replied : "Polly and Mamma will goto heaven some time, I hope. Only tolly must wait, and not leave Mamma behind. Willshe?" ïhe blue eyes were heavy with sleep, and closed again, as slie answered: "Yes Mamma, I'll wait, i f you'll - promise- to lielpme- up- the stairs - if the angel - forgets to come." So Grandpa and Mamma carried the dear little sleeping burden. And Mamma, putting her into her Grandniíi's arm's, said, smiling: "Mother, shehad started for heaven; but the dear Lord was ki(jej)o me and would not let her in!"- wilm1,.