His neighbors urged upon him that so small a child could not remain alone all day while he was away at Marsden at work--a proposition to which he assented; but to the surprise of every one, instead of placing her during the day under the care of one of the women of the place, he took her down with him to Marsden and placed her under the care of a respectable woman there who had children of her own.
Starting at five every morning from his cottage with Polly perched on his shoulder he tramped down to the town, leaving her there before going to work, and calling for her in the evening.

A year later he married, and the village supposed that Polly would now be left behind.

But they were mistaken.

When he became engaged he had said: "Now, Loiza, there's one point as oi wish settled.

As oi have told ye, oi ha' partly chosen ye becos oi knowed as how ye would maake a good mother to my little Polly; but oi doan't mean to give up taking her down with me o' days to the town.