Polly of the Hospital Staff

d's Ann

ds, and there were no discordant dispositions. In fact, discords knew better than to push in where Miss Lucy reigned. Her gentle tack had proved quite sufficient for any disagreeable element that had yet appeared in the ward, an

ecided acquisition; t

l as Polly," declared Elsie Meyer

over her shoulder to make sure that they were far en

lover voice, "I said almost. 'Course, nobody

Cornelius. "He can play ball, reg'lar basebal

ll," sighed Leonora He

ay baseball!" l

d again Leonora sighed. It is hard to be

ious pupil of her adored Polly. She threw an arm around the little girl who the Doctor feared

lius, with more curios

ius had been able to throw aside his own helps to walking. The

ornelius, laughin

e, they are! Ain't

the nurse across from her

lls more fun th

of ball better than the prettiest doll that ever was made; but you and Leonora and C

aced each other with

ot any doll," l

elius, striking his reast dr

"Guess it will be quite by the time I get h

y dolly!" piped up little

ed Elsie, running over to the chest of drawe

er, her face shini

ure-books and odds and ends of broken toy, brought forth a little battered rubber doll, which had lost most of its coloring

Jocelyn and Polly, downstairs, in the little la

t she had sung to Burton Leonard, and the

s. Jocelyn. "If I were only well, I'd carry you off home with me this very day, and we'd g

day with Dr. Dudley,"

rious ones for the most part. You ought to be playing with dolls-withou

t any," replie

hem up in the w

ll that somebody left because i

a single doll that can be called a doll! I never heard anyt

'most all broken now. Then there's a big book with pictures pasted in it-that's nice! There was Noah's Ark; but a little boy threw

pitiful!" sorrowe

a nice time!"

joy on a desert, without a soul withi

Polly. "But I always thought the

a good time! But, child, have n't you

h Aunt Jane I helped her 'most all the time I was out of school, and I did n't have much time to play with Phebe-she was named for mamma. Phebe was mamma's name. So

t a hand and gently stroked the bright

did n't. She'd swing her round by one leg, and pull her hair whe

ee how you could!" sy

gone about half an hour I went and dug as deep a hole as I could right in the middle of the clothes-yard-the woman upstairs was gone, too, so she could n't see me-and I wrapped Phebe up in a

and, to her amazement, saw that tears we

would be a blessed sort of world! NO, dearest; I'm glad you were brave enough to do it-

adfully afraid they'd ask me if I knew; but Maude only looked for her a little while-she did n't love her a bit. Aunt Jane told her she was probably kicking r

her close, murmuring sympathetic words, which

ed Mrs. Jocelyn, at last.

a foot or more with her hands. "She had on a little white muslin dress, with blue sprigs on it-the other dresses Maude spoiled

in, and then the litt

and looking back she saw Miss Hortensia

urse smiled. "How do you do, my dear

flowers. "Doctor would n't let me get up day before yesterday

sooner, but I did n't wish to disturb you that

orse, is he?" as

e anticipated. And at last he has decide

Polly, "and

manage. We have much to thank you for-I

that she could do nothing but blus

ld come in some time and sing her that hymn again, the

tifully! I never heard it till that night, so I did n't know it very well; b

ignore David altogeth

ou must have a musical education! I shall speak to Dr. Dudley about it

flowers. Then she ran upstairs, to tell the astonishing news to Miss Lucy and the w

ssoms, Polly proposed moving a little table to the

could n't have and if I had n't, maybe Miss Price would n't have give

s reasoning as perfectly logical, and readily helped carry out her suggestio

o-morrow, s'pose?" Que

" answered

help celebrate,

ng a drop of overrunning water from t

And Elsie looked her astonishment at having heard

what you mean,

ngues! Each wanted to b

it was started five years ago!"-"There was only three children in it th

r a sweet pea all da

lovely!" b

," objected p

olly. "We can give 'em a

wnstairs, too, where Mrs. Jocelyn sat talking with Dr. Dudley, more planning was going on, and in the phys

ir frail little heads to wither before their time. They showed their appreciation of Miss Lucy's thoughtfulne

e. Elsie had chosen a pink and Polly a blue blossom, and one little girl held them in place while

ed thanks for his sweets; "think I can squeeze i

f them very bul

for an auto ride,

ttle girl. "You don

sie Meyer, you're t

He's goin' to take me to ride!" And she whir

reached the little girl with a crutch, whose pale face was growing pink

lightedly, clutching her chair

s if she feared he would vanish, together with h

pety-bumps," laughed Dr. Dudley. "Corinne, I think yo

old her!" vol

an!" echoed

d the midget, edging away from the others,

iling her promise, to full of joy in

ctor told them; and away they scampered, Polly halting

crowding anybody. Very demure they were, passing along the city streets, but in the open country their delight found vent in shouts and sq

ventured; and presently they were all over the stone wall, Le

overjoyed even to guess that they had been away ne

e Madonna, hanging opposite David's bed. Then dinner had to wait,

," cried Elsie. "Something k

made Polly wonder if there were mor

to the door. There stood one of the porters grinning

lessly to let the man pass him. The pile was dep

'xac'ly lik

et's see what this card says:-'For the young folds of the Convalescent W

Miss Polly May;" and she

own at the oblong box with a mingled anticipation and fear. What could it be but-! Yet what if it should n't

almost a sob, clasping the

curls, blue eyes, and a frock of white muslin with blue sprigs made the resemblance very true. In her own bliss, Polly for a minute, forgot her surroundings. Then s

alike the new Phebe, and L

ldly excited. Every girl had a beautiful doll, and every boy a gift that mad

er saw?" cried Cornelius, with a yell of rapture, throwing off the cover of his

kinds,-Railway and Track, Steamer, Automobile, Fire Engine, and a real little Flying M

shelf to keep them on. Miss Price, who could not leave her patient, sent a set of crayons and outline picture-b

. Dudley came in, full of

the Doctor would turn towards the door at the slightest sound; then they would go on talking again. Finally Polly's sharp ears heard footsteps, approaching footsteps. Dr. Dudley listened, jumped up, and slipped outside

hat is it? Do tel

e no need of telling,"

y was ahead and threw it wide open on a pretty picture, -little Mrs. Joc

ly lovelicious!" And she stepped asi

ting, while the flock of girls and boys

onora. "come!" she whispered. "

the thought of speaking to that beautiful litt

thank her!" Her hand on Leonora's gave the timid girl courag

words, while the boys, from Cornelius O'Shaughnessy to little John Fritz, were so charmed by

ry laughter; and when the ice cream came on, the children's glee rea

last gift arrived. The parcel

ther picture!"

ngs. There lay a superb photograph, handsomely framed in o

ren's Conval

ou on having lived and prospered for five long years. As I have counted only f

affection, and because the hour is late and I have nothing better in sig

l wishes for you futu

fast

e S