United States or Sierra Leone ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Wait until I can come home and get a square look at this phenomenal young man whom you have found in Polktown," Daddy had written, and Janice would not dream of going against her father's expressed wish. Besides, Nelson Haley was a poor young man, with his own way to make in the world.
Either he had lost confidence in his owner, or some escapade of his colthood had come to his memory. He splashed ashore, dodged the eager hand of Walky, and with tail up, nostrils expanded, mane ruffled, and dripping water as he ran, Josephus galloped up the hillside and into the open lots behind Polktown. Walky Dexter, with very serious mien, came slowly back to the dock.
Indeed, the first temperance rally was a pronounced success, and white ribbons became common in Polktown, worn by both young and old. But Janice's and Nelson Haley's private affairs remained in a most unsatisfactory state indeed. First of all, there was a long month to wait before Janice could expect to see another letter from daddy.
And other people who knew of her trouble, save Nelson Haley, soon forgot it. For the girl did not "wear her heart on her sleeve." As for the Druggs Hopewell and his wife they were so worried about little Lottie's case that they had thought for nobody's troubles but their own. The doctors would not let the child return to Polktown at present. They kept her all through the Summer, watching her case.
Cross Moore in a vulnerable part. Had the Summer visitors to Polktown been voters, there would have been little doubt of the Town Meeting voting the hamlet "dry." But there seemed to be a large number of men determined not to have their liberties, so-called, interfered with. Lem Parraday's bar had become a noisy place. Some fights had occurred in the horse sheds, too.
The man waved his currycomb at her and grinned. But his well-known grimace did not cheer Janice Day. "Dear me! Poor Walky is in danger, too," thought the young girl. "Why! the whole of Polktown is changing. In some form or other that liquor selling at the Inn touches all our lives. I wonder if other people see it as plainly as I do."
And Janice knew the young man could ill afford this. He had been of inestimable help to Mr. Middler and the other men who had charge of the campaign for prohibition that was moving on so grandly in Polktown. But that work could not be paid for. Janice believed Nelson was now nearly penniless. His situation troubled her mind almost as much as that of her father in Mexico.
Nelson Haley's trouble; her father's possible peril in Mexico; the many in whom she was interested being so affected by the sale of liquor in Polktown all these things combined to make Janice feel a burden of responsibility that should not have rested upon the shoulders of so young a girl. "Frank," she whispered to Bowman, there in the front of the dusky store, "Frank, what shall we do?"
Polktown is being injured daily by that bar at the Inn, and you more than any other one person are guilty of this crime against the community!" Mr. Cross Moore did not change his attitude. Janice was panting and half crying now. The selectman said, slowly: "I might say that you are an impudent girl." "I guess I am," Janice admitted tearfully.
If they can't connect this coin with you at all, they'll sartain sure be up a stump. And they air a-breakin' down their own case against ye. I guess I'm lawyer enough ter see that." "Oh, goodness, Uncle Jason! So they will!" cried Janice. "But it does not seem reasonable that the person stealing the coins would spend one of them in Polktown," Nelson said slowly. "I dunno," reflected Mr. Day.
Word Of The Day