“‘On Linden, when the sun was low.’”
said Polly, in a clear, loud voice—and as she spoke, she stooped and indicated the position of the sun with her right hand—
“‘All bloodless lay the untrodden snow,
And dark as winter was the flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.’”
The rapidity of Iser’s flow was shown by Polly’s two little arms, which swung back and forth from her shoulders as fast as she could possibly move them.
“That’s prime!” said Hiram, approvingly. “Seems as if I could see old Iser right before me. Now, the next verse.”
“‘But Linden saw another sight,’”
said Polly, flushed with pleasure, shielding her eyes with her hand and gazing anxiously about the barn.
“First-rate!” cried her instructor. “I tell you, little Mary, you’ve got the real spirit for reciting! Now that gesture had never come into my mind, and yet there ’tis, fitting in complete. I make no doubt Linden folks were out looking just that way, bound to see, yet scared of what would meet ’em. Now for the drums!”