Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-03-09
Then she returned To her ashes

She made the invalids toast with
unusual care that night, and cautioned
Kitty about keeping the soup well
covered and hot.
| At o'clock, in her fresh white
apron, she stood ready to wait on the
ner bell. Before he came she had
brought in several plates of steaming
soup, and Mr.. Brown had grunted with
disfavor at sight of this and gruffiy
ordered it away, muttering something
about clam soup every night"
| She was Fastening to change his
plate when Mr.. Schwartze entered.
The big German cast his eyes with
friendly interest over the group at the
table. There was something hearty
and genuine about him, though his
gait was awkward and his shoulders
somewhat stopped. But he said Par
don, madam" as he withdrew his
| napkin from too close proximity to
Miss Simpkins' plate, and Thank
you" to Anne when she gave him his
soup. If the hot stuff had not been
safely deyosited upon the cloth before
him, it might have showered upon
him in scalding streams, for THANK
you" to Anne was SO unusual as to be
absolutely startling. 1t made her
pleasant, although Miss Simpkins
complained that the tea was slop, and
Mr. Brown said it was a pity he could
never get roast beef he could eat.
Anne's cheeks had grown into the
habit of burning through the long
hours when she served at table. Aunt
Holmes was safe out of hearing, end
Gladys declined to eat with the board
ers, so there was only Anne to face the
storming when the cook made mis-
takes or the marketman failed to
bring the best of his stock.
There was only one boarder in the
house who treated Anne as if she
were of more significance than the
dust of the earth. That one was Baby
Blossom.
Baby Blossom had not learned in the
two years of his smiling existence that
there are people-overworked, under
fed, spiritless creatures-Whom it is
ones privilege to tread under foot.
He had a friendly fashion of cooling
at Anne whenever he saw her and
holding out his dimpled hands. And
when Anne held him hungrily in her
tired arms, he gave no evidence Of
knowing that she was sallow and tat
tered and thin as rail, and that her
face was often streaked with tears.
To
walker" in downtown store, who
talked pompously of my clerks" and
my establishment" and Mother Bios
som was an overdressed blonde who
loved card parties better than the dim
pied baby.
When, through long evenings, Baby
Blossom stared lomesOmely at the
glow-woren light near his table, Anne
used to slap in, away from the cruel
shafts of Aunt Holmes tongue and
Groom Iullabies as she rocked the lit
tie chap to slumber.
Now, upon this night of his arrival,
Mr.. Schwartze, being a home loving
man. not particularly drawn to tho
beer saloon or the concert hall
roamed about in Mrs. Holmes would
be fashionable boarding house in quest
of etertainment
In the parlor Miss Gladys, large and
imposing, was languidly entertaining
tall-collared beauX. In the sitting
room Mrs. Brown, Miss Simpkins and
Miss Rhodes were discussing the trials
of the boarder.
Mr.. Schwartz slipped into warm
corner with his paper and tried not to
overhear. Soon, quiet and sweet
above the sharp fault-finding of the
ladies, sounded stray bits of a musical
lullaby:
Sleep, little pigeon, and fold your
wings,
Little blue pigeon with velvet eyes.
It was Anne in the second story
back" lulling Baby Blossom to sleep.
And it was Anne who stepped into the
sitNng-room half an hour later with
something almost like happiness in
her eyes and exclaimed softly: I've
so him to sleep-the little lamb"
The three ladies stared at her coldfy,
and q silence fell upon them.
I'm sorry about your curtains, Miss
Sisnpkins. I'll get them up tomor-
row."
Il think it is time" said Miss Simp-
kins, dryly, and the gladness died out
| Of poor Anne's eyes.
will you hat this chair by the fire,
Miss Anne?" said a sudden voice and
Mr.. Schwartz stood looking kindly at
her and pointing to his easy chair.
No, sir; thank you, sir; I've got
things to do said Miss Anne, as she
backed out of the room. But what
wonder if she dreamed that night of
the only soul who, having arrived at
years of discretion, had ever regarded
! her as a grade above the level of the
earthworm.
Mr.. Schwartz, for some obscure rea-
son, took pains to make covert inqui-
ries about this household drudge in
the weeks that followed.
From Miss Simpkins he learned LAat
Miss Anne was a "shiftless thing, .
who never got the fires made in time;
others informed him that she fire.
and woodwork properly, that she was
often late bringing up water and an
swering the bell; that she didn't shake
the great rugs half hard enough; that
she was a poor fool of a creature who
often brought Mr.. Brown his meat not
nd not in 70 or ho