The Portland daily press., 1895-05-10


Here MIR. Baker laughed again. d,
made no other answer for several minutes
At last he said:
II was sorry enough when my wifi,
died"
A great pile of quartered apples wa.
heaped up in the wooden bowl before either
spoke again.
Then Ann exclaimed, with a piteous in
tensity:
ooh, I'm awful tired of bein Aunt Man
dany's foolp'
Mr.. Baker stamped his foot involuntariIy
"How jew know they call you that?'' b,
cried in a great voice.
IT heard Jane Littlefield tell Mis- Monk
she hoped nobody'd ask Mandany's fool tc
the sociable, and Mr.. Fletcher's boy tolo
me that's what folks called me''
Cd Jane Littlefieldl D. thai
little devil of a boyl''
These dreadful words burst out furiously.
Perhaps Ann did not look as shocked as
she ought.
In moment she smiled her immature,
simple smile that had touching appeal
in it.
'Tain't no use denyin it," she said
"I amt jes' like other folks n that's q
fact. can't think stiddy more'n a min.
ute. Things all run together somehow
N the back er my head S odd S it can be-"
''Pooh What of it? There can't any OF
us think stiddy, n if we could what would
it amount to, should like to know? 1t
wouldn't amount to row Of pins"
Ann dropped her work and clasped her
hands. Mr. Baker saw that her hands
were hard and stained almost black on
fingers and thumbs by much cutting OF
apples.
Ye see, " she said in tremulous voice.
"sometimes I think if mother had lived
she'd er treated me soft could think Std
der. 1 s'pose mother'd er loved me- They
say mothers do. But Aunt Mandany told
me mother died the year got my fall from
the cherry tree I was then. don't re-
member nothin bout it, nor bout any
thing much. Mr.. Baker, do you remember
your mother?"
Mr.. Baker said, eyes" abruptly.
Something made it impossible for him to
say more.
II d. know how It's, /" went on the thin,
minor voice, "but it always did seem to
mes though if I could remember my
mother / could think stiddier somehow.
Do you think could?'
Mr.. Baker started to his feet.
"I'll be dumbed # en- stan it, he
shouted. "No nor won It stan it nutherp'
He walked noisily across the room.
He came back and stood in front of Ann,
who had patiently resumed work.
tCome, - he said. 81 think a lot of ye.
Les git married.
Ann looked up. She Strengthened her.
self.
.tThen I should live with your" she
asked.
"Of course
She laughed.
There was SO much of confident happi-
ness in that laugh that the mans heart
glowed youthfully.
81 shall be real glad to marry you, Mr..
Baker," she said. Then, with pride, CO N
Ten cook, n 1 know first rate how to do
homework.
She rose to her feet and flung up her
head.
Mr.. Baker put his arm about her
"Le's go right along now,'' he said more
quickly than he had yet spoken. "We'n
call to the minister's n engage him. You
en- stop there. Well be married today"
"Can't ye wait till I en- put on my bun
nit n shawl?' Ann asked.
She left the room. In few moments
she returned dressed for going. She had
sheet Of note paper, a bottle of ink and a
pen in her hands.
81 en- write,'' she said confidently, "'n
call it fairer to leave word for Aunt
Mandany."
'All right" was the response. $50
ahead"
Mr.. Baker said afterward that he never
got much more nervous in his life than
while Ann was writing that note. What
if Mandany should appear! He wasn't 60
ing to back out but he didn't want to see
that woman.
The ink was thick, the pen like a pin,
and Ann was good while making each
letter, but the task was at last accom-
plished She held out the sheet to her COM
panion.
CANT that right?" she asked Mr.
Baker drew his face down solemnly as he
read:
5'sDere Aunt Mundane, I'm so dretfull
Tired of beeing you're fool that ime going
too be Mr.. Bakers. He askt me. Ann"
"That's jest the thing" he said explo-
sively. ''Now come on"
AS they walked along in the hot fall
sunshine, Mr.. Baker said earnestly:
"I'm certain sure we sh'n be ever so
much happier"
"So'm l." Ann replied, with cheerful
confidence
They were on lonely road, and they
walked hand In hand.
"I'm goin to be good to ye," said the
man, with still more earnestness. Then,
in challenging tone, as if addressing the
world at large 81 guess faint nobody's
business but our'n.'
Ann looked at him and smiled trustfully.
After awhile he began to laugh.
'I'm thinkin of your Aunt Mandany
when she reads that letter" he explained.
Maria Louise Pool in Chap Book.