and should come back, what would he
think to find another Polly just like the one he left behind, who had
learned some of the things his Polly used to say. Mamma says your
predecessor died of old age, Polly; I wonder if that will be your
destiny. I shall never know; for I am going to sell you to the lady up
at the hotel, who saw you hanging outside, and wanted you for her
little girl. She said she would give me five dollars, and when I
refused she offered me ten. I could not let you go, Polly, but now I
_must_. I must say 'good-bye' to you now, Polly, for I shall never
take you out of the cage again."

"Cheer up! cheer up!" sang Polly, as Mabel put her back, and closing
the cage, left the room.

The boys were leaving the sitting-room when she went down stairs, and
as Ben passed her, she said, "Do not go to bed till I come up again. I
want to speak to you. Wait in my room."

Mrs. Ross was getting ready to go up to her room when Mabel entered.

"Are you going up, mamma?" said she, "I will not keep you long; but I
want to tell you, that I think I know a way for you to get some money.
I wish to keep it a secret for the present; but I think I can safely
promise you some. The last thing before I came down, Polly called,
'cheer up, cheer up,' and it is a good omen; so I say the same to you,
mamma."

"You are a good girl, Mabel, but I am afraid you are too sanguine. How
can you hope to succeed where I have failed?"

"You will believe me when you see the money, shall you not, mamma?"

"There would not be much merit in that, dear, but I will _trust_ you,
and whatever happens I will believe you did what you thought was
right, and that God does every thing for the best."

"Thank you, mamma. Good night, and pleasant dreams."

"Good night, dear."

Mabel went softly up stairs. "Ben," said she, when she reached her
room, but Ben had fallen asleep, and she had to shake him up.

"What kept you?" said Ben, in a sleepy tone.

"Why, I was not long, Ben. Do you now the name of that little girl who
took such a fancy to Polly?"

"Yes," said Ben. "It is Eva Granby. What do you want to know for?"

"I shall tell you sometime, you are too sleepy to talk to-night, so I
shall let you go. Good night, Ben."

"Good night," said Ben, not sorry to be dismissed.

Mabel lay awake some time. She was sorry to part with her parrot, but
after all it was only a bird. Mamma and Ben and Walt and dear little
Joe should not suffer that she might