The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-07-29
COUSIN MARY ANN.
by HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

Eveleen Blake was a school teacher
Rather laborious and ill.paid life
it was for girl OF nineteen;
but she knew that she had her own
living to earn somehow. There
wasn't an inkling of romance in
her life, except what she uncon-
sciously absorbed ont of the books
in the circulating library. No hand
some young bachelor school trustee
ever thought of falling in love with
her; no wealthy old gentleman
adopted her as his sole heiress and
legatee, aud she hadn't rich relative
in all the world except one old aunt
out in Wisconsin, who had never no.
ticed her existence in any way what
soever, and apparently didn't intend
to. Her two sisters were both mar
ried-Mrs. Simon Sykes and Mrs.
John Smith-and each of them looked
out industriously for Number One.
"Eveleen has had an eduction, said
Mrs. Sykes. 'Let her take care of
herself. OF course one wants to be
,isterly and all that sort OF thing, but
when dear Simon married me, he
didn't expect to marry the whole fam
ily."
"Of course not" said Mrs. Smith.
"She can't expect us to support her. "
And beyond an occasional invitation
to Christmas or a Thanksgiving din
ner, poor Eveleen received very little
countenance from her sisters.
But she was CHEEKY, iight.hearted
lassie, this Eveleen Blake, and plodded
patiently along the dull routine of her
laily life, making the best of every
thing.
Five hundreds a year wasn't stu.
pendous income, to be sure, but Eve
leen knew how to economize it to the
very best advantage. She dressed as
plainly as any Quaker, kept house
daintily in two little rooms, and put
by dollar week in the nearest saw
ings bank against possible rainy day.
She was mending pair of gloves
one afternoon by the window, when
Mrs. Simon Sykes walked in, with a
great rustling and smell of patchouli
Mrs. Simon Sykes-nee Deborah
Hake-was tall and large and rosy.
Eveleen was on the petite scale. with
large, limpid gray eyes, very little
color, and straight brown hair which
shone and glistened like satin in the
level rays of the declining sun.
Mrs Sykes wore o stiff black silk
dress, with a set Of staring canoes,
and q mammoth pink rose in her
hat.
Dear mel" she said, show good
that teapot smells on the stovel And
I'm clean tired out with my walk"
would you like cup of tea?" said
Eveleen.
"Well, / don't mind" said Mrs.
Sykes, unpinning her shawl; "that is,
il you've q bun or biscuit to nibble
with it. Tea alone always gives me
the heartburn"
So Eveleen went to work industri
ously and brewed cup of tea, and
brought out plate of rusks which
were to have made her own fruga
evening meal.
''But can eat cracker or so, =
said self-denying little Eveleen, al
she watched the rusks disappear be
fore Mrs. Simon Sykes appetite.
'Tve had such turn" said Mrs
Sykes, as she held out her cup for
second replenishing.
"a turn?" said Evsleen. inquir
ingly.
"Yes." nodded Mrs. Sykes; "a visi
from q poor relation, who lives -ou
West I dare say she'll be here next
but advise you to send her about he
business, as did"
"Who is it?" said Eveleen, in sur
prise.
".t's Mary Ann Blake. from Claw,
Corners, Michigan. Wants something
to do. Expects me to take her in an,
give her home until she can obtain
situation.
"There's the little hall bedroom
! chat you don't use," limited Evsleen