Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-03-09

AS she passed the new Doarder at
the door he stepped back with a chiv-
alrous movement and held the portiere
for her. Anne could not remember
any such polite attention in the whole
course of her life. 1t gave her a queer
sensation, and she walked somehow,
with her head little less bent, up
the two steep flights and along the
winding hall.
THE boarders sit down stairs a
good DEAL" she said, still regrettng
that cherries room. "The furnace
don't heat very well up here, and it's
warmer in the sitting room on account
of the fire."
Then she returned to her ashes.
She made the invalids toast with |
unusual care that night, and cautioned
Kitty about keeping the soup we'll |
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
disfayor at sight of this and grufly
ordered it away, muttering something
about "claL1 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. II the hot stuff had not been
safely devosited upon the cloth before
him, 1t might have showered upon
him in scalding streams, for "Phank
you" to Anne was so unusual as to be
absolutely startling. 1t made her
duties through that meal seem almost
pleasant, although Miss Sisnpkins
complained that the tea was slop, and
. Mr.. Brown said 1t was 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, and
} 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 hungrlly in her
tired arms, he gave no evidence of
knowing that she was sallow and tat
tered and thin as a rail, and tnat her
face was often streaked with tears.
Father Blossom was a floor
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-worm light near his table, Anne
used to slip in, away from the cruel
shafts of Aunt Holmes tongue and
Groom lullabies as she rocked the lit
tie chap to slumber.
Now, upon this night of his arrival,
Mr.. Schwartze, being home loving
mao, not particularly drawn to the
beer saloon or the concert hall, |
roamed about in Mrs. Holmes would |
be fashionable boarding house in quest
OF etertalnment
In tho parlor Miss Gladys, large and
imposing. was languidly entertaining
a tall-collared beaux. In the sitting
room Mrs. Brown, Miss Smplxins and
Miss Rhodes were discussing the lrials
of the boarder
Mr.. Schwartz slipped into a warm
corner with his paper and tried not to
oyerhear Soon, quiet and sweet
above the sharp fault-fnding of the
ladies, sounded stray bits of musical
lullaby:
|, Sleep, little pigeon. and fold your
wings,
Little blue pigeon with velvet eyes
1t was Anne in the second story
back" lulling Baby Blossom to sleep.
! And 1t was Anne who stepped into the
, sitAng-room half an hour later with
something almost like happiness in |
, her eyes and exclaimed softly: i've
go him to sleep-the little lamb"
The three ladies stared at her eoldly, |
and a silence fell upon them.
I'm sorry about your curtains. Miss
Simpkins. I'll get them up tomor-
row."
, II think 1t Is time" said Miss Simp-
kins, dryly, and the gladness died out
! % poor Anne's eyes.
win you hat this chair by the fire,
Miss AIMEE" said sudden voice, and