The Advocate and news., 1899-03-29

Ann liked to play with William better tnan
she did Susan Whitney or Rebecca Paine,
for he was 80 nice and so good to her;
brought her flowers which he had gathered
himself down by little silvery stream not
far from their home, and did many other
little things for his little sweetheart. Will
liam's and AIMS parents were neighbOrs,
hence the intimacy between their only son
and daughter.
Ann was a sedate little lass of 0, with
mild blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and light
brown hair. Her hair tried awfully hard
to curl, but her mother brushed it tightly
back, braiding it in two long braids and
tied with bits of black ribbon
AIMS clothes were hOmespun but always
spotlessly clean. Her white kerchief, which
formed an important part of her toilette,
was of coarse linen; also her little cuffs;
but they were never seen dirty, and, in
fact, little Ann Rogers was the picture of
cleanliness.
As to her little playmate, William Ste
vens, he was a sturdy, bOisterous lad, a few
years AIMS senior, with q round freckled
face and laughing blue eyes He had a
rough shock of yellow hair which always
looked like it needed brushing, but which
seldom had that pleasure.
He and Ann were sweethearts as well as
playmates, and nothing was too good for
his little lady. He thought her perfect,
and his greatest pleasure was to be with
her or to be doing something for her.
"Thou shalt be my wife, Ann, some day."
he said to her as they played side by side
under tree.
"Yes, William. thy father is calling
thee"
After attending his fathers call he re-
turned to Ann, and they started in to "plaY
house"
"Ann, we shall play house this morning,
and this afternoon will take thee for a
walk. We will go down to the spring, for
there is large tree there and we can have
lots of fun down there, 80 we can," he said,
swelling with Importance at this gallant
speech, for he knew Ann loved to go any
where with him, but he was often cruel
enough to tell her he didn't want "a girl
tagging along"
AIMS eyes lit up with joy and she clap
ped her hands gaily.
But both were disappointed, for they
were not allowed to leave home that after
noon.
"Father says the Indians are in the
woods, and we mustn't 60" William said,
dejectedly, as he came back after dinner.
"Never mind, William, I won't care"
Ann said a little crestfallen.
"Nay, Ann, thou dOst care. But thee
viii not get angryp William asked, look
ing at her with troubled eyes.
"No, William. Thou must not think l
would. We will play here"
"1hou art a good little girl, Ann" Will
liam said, patting her little fat hand. II
will take thee there some day, and then we
will have fun. Let's play house now, and
thou shalt be my wife, and Betsy shall be
our baby. will play like went to work
and will turn into an Indian, come steal
Betsy from her cradle while thy husband
is gone and nearly scare thee to death.
Thou must throw thy apron over thy head
and rock back and forth and cry. Then ]
will go out, and when | come back in
will be thy husband come home from work,
and thee must tell me an Indian carried
off thy child, en- will run after him en-
take Betsy away from him and bring her
home. Say, Ann, dost thou like itg Shall
we play it," William asked, greatly pleased
over his scheme and feeling very impor-
tant.
Ann gazed at her hero with eyes full Ol
admiration and Joy. How fine William
was; what nice games he could make up!
'Yes, yes, william; let's play It, Blu
must fix up our house first" Ann re
piled, jumping around and clapping hel
hands.
"Well, that's all right Now, l will &
ont and thou must ait down and then
will be an Indian"
William walked off a little ways anC
Ann made herself comfortable in an oil
broken rocking chair. The awful IndiaI
came in with yell. Ann screamed anC
covered her face with her apron, as viii
liam had told her to do. Just then hi
voice recalled her to her present life BY
saying spitefully;
''There comes that Susan Whitney, Ann