The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-11-24

! | eQ the leLle1S he WOulQ write 10 nj.
: daughter Agnes, and how jealous he
| would make her, describing the su
perior virtues of his second daughter
: and he chuckled under his mustache
He knocked at Miss Hodgkins
door. 1t was some time before the
lady of the house appeared. Winnie
came to the door with her.
Good morning, ma'am," said
Joe, in his good -natured, independent
voice. "It is pleasant day, isn't it,
ma am :"
Miss Hodgkins, indignant at his
sauvity, and thinking she understood
his errand, remarked, "It is of no use
to describe what you have. sha n t
take any,"
He laughed as her meaning dawned
on him. "Oh, you're mistaken,
ma'am I'm not an agent" said he,
gaily, and stepped in. II don't want
to sell anything 1 want to get some
thing. Hasn't Winnie told you about
her old Steeple-Jack? No? Well |!
We're so intimate feel as if Winnie
and I had known each other all our
lives, almost. 1 came to tell you
that you needn't send her back to
Boston. believe her times up next
week. Well, she hates the city, you
know, and it isn't healthy where she
lives. l guess I know something
about those things. She oughtn' t to
go back, ma'am. She amt made for
it, all kind O small and pretty. I'm
going to take her home, by your
leave, a'am. 1 haven't asked her
yet, but I guess she'll come fast
enough" " The glad, triumphant look
in Winnie S face seemed to say, "See,
I'm wanted by some one I'm ask
ed for p
But suddenly Miss Hodgkins turn
ed so white that Joe sprang to her
side and told Winnie to go for glass
of water. Miss Amy leaned back in
her chair and quickly decided to let
herself faint. 1t would give her time
to think, and besides, she felt an
overwhelming need of solace.
She was led to the sofa, and took
meekly the swallows of water Joe
urged upon her, he in the meantime
inuttering, "Why, the dear woman
Sakes alive p as sympathetically as
if he had been woman himself.
The tone of his voice explained
Winnie's willingness to go with him.
Anybody would go anywhere with a
man who had such tones. For few
moments she indulged in the odd, the
delicious sensation of accepting SYM
pathy. Then she sat up, herself
again-almost. There was, however,
a new meekness in her manner.
Il hope you'll excuse me-" she
said. ''I never do faint but guess
it's warm this morning. You were
saying" and she turned with digni-
ty to Joe.
Just that was thinking 1 would
adopt this little girl here and sort
Sc See fi1 no 5@bjedfl5n! @ fl5 qgR5 down If nFqy
Boston and tend to it, but I thought
I'd consult you first. You don't like
children, they say. Now do !" said
Joe, emphatically, giving Winnie a
nod and smile.
No one spoke. Winnie looked
from woman to man, and from man
to woman, and could not fathom the
situation. Finally the spinster spoke
solemnly: "Come here, child"
There was a tremor in her voice.
Winnie obeyed very slowly.
"Now you listen to me-" continu-
ed Miss Amy. "I've had a lone
some life. I've been mad because
other people had families and rela-
tions and hadn't any. I've almost
forgotten how to speak to people,
even when I do like 'em. 1 didn't
want you to come here, and I was
sorry you came, and l thought you
were going to be in the way, and an
awful trouble and nuisance. But"
Miss Amy choked a little, and went
on: "But you've been just the mic
est, cunnin est little girl I saw how
glad you looked when he'-nodding
toward Joe-"when he told what he
came for. But then you thought
you d got to go back to Boston. Now
you're going to live right here where
you are. I've been thinking God
sent you to me, SOS could have
somebody to do for and tend round
the house. You will stay with me,
won't you? You want to stay with
me, don't you?'
Miss Amy slipped down on the
floor, put her arms tightly around
Winnie and kissed her. Joe leaned
forward and clasped his knees. His
soft heart was touched. If he felt
any disappointment, it did not come
to the surface.
"Now that's just beautiful !" he
cried. "You needn't answer, little
one. You mightn't know what to
say. Of course you'l II stay with your
Aunt Amy. 'Taint many little girls
that have such an aunt as that!
You haven't understood what fine
woman she is"
He rose hastily. "Well, goodbye
to both of you. When come this
way again I'll call in. And Winnie,
you write me little letter sometimes
and tell me how the clock gets on.
Don't cry, little girl. You are
lucky little kid. Goodbye" He
just touched the top of her head with
his mustache and was gone.
Three months went by and the lat
ter part of November had come.
Miss Amy Hodgkins was bustling
brisk1y about the kitchen-indeed,
she was almost humming a tune. If
it had been any one else she would
have been humming tune, for she
was surrounded by spicy odors, and
the sun was streaming, warm and
yellow, in through the windows, and