The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-03-09
COUSIN WILLIE

How l DO wish we could have o rip
pie of Incident in sur daily life" said
Aillicent Mere, claaing her book with
4 sigh.
Nothing ever happens to u.s." said
her cousin Catherine, with smile, as
she bent forward TO pick up a dead
leaf off her pet geTHnium.
Millicent and Catherine More were
girls OF twenty-five and twenty five
'Sld maids the ssventeen-yearolderS
called them-who taught school md
supported themselves comfortably by
/ their own unaided efforts.
Millieent was pretty, with rcd lips, y
clear, bright complexion and Hdir
touched with the warm auburn gold
that artists copy and poets rave of.
and Millicent had not quite given up
her little dream IF love and matrl
mony.
Catherine was small and plain, with
ordinary gray eyes, hair like every
body else's and not the slightest pre-
tentions to beauty.
Upon this particular December af
ternoon, just as the girls were deploriug
| the monotony OF their daily life, the
postnian tapped At the deer with =
letter.
"Uncle George 10 dead in Australia"
gasped Millcent.
ooh. Nilly-and he has left an
orphan hoy added Catherine the
tears trimming into her eyes. ave
must adopt him, Milly-we must bring
him up"
Millicent drew back a little.
81 don't see why" she said, some
what coldly. Uncle George never did
anything for u.s."
perhaps, dear, he was even poorer
than we. At all events, he is dead
now-and the child is left alone in the
world. I'll sit down and write to the
lawyer this minus"
1t was lovely June day. with the
sky blue and clear as baby's eyes
and the air full Of scents from the
blossoming huckwheat fields Gather
Inc More, having, not without diff
Guilty, obtained temporary substitute
in her school, went to New Yorl; to
meet her new charge on the steamer
Harvest Lass, which had been tele-
graphed from Sandy Hook the day be
fore.
Little Willie will knew me-" she
said to herself, "hecauSe I sent my
photograph by the last mail. w2ntf4
my face to seem familiar to him, poor
lone lamb"
She stood on the pier eagerly scan
ming the countenance o. every child
that landed, her face Frightening once
or twice as she saw boy whom she
thought might be Willie, when all of
sudden hand was laid lightly on her
arm and she found herself looking up
into q handsome bronxed face far
above her.
"Sirw she cried, starting back.
81 beg your pardon" SaId = frank.
pleasant voice. 81 did not mean to
alarm you. But 10 this Miss More"
She inclined her head
81 am your cousin William"
And this time Catherine started back
In more surprise than ever.
''Sir, she said, you are mistaken.
William is little boy"
Hardy" returned the tall stranger,
"unlSss you would call me a little boy.
Dear Cousin Kitty, no one ever told
yeu | was child or poor. 1t was your
0Wn inference. Thank heaven, | am
independent and wealthy, and, az
have come to mans estate. l think it
IL rather my duty to take care of you
than allow you to take care of me-"
Catherine looked at her handsome
cousin in mute amaZement. This
grand upsetting of all her theories and
ideas was more than she could com
prehend just at once.
But, WHIP
But. Catherine. Nay, my dear little
gray-eyed cousin, the lawyers have
told ME how willing you were to adopt
and care for the homeless orphan, and
how my Cousin Millicent shrank FROM
the task. And from the bottom Of my
heart l thank you for what your are
ready to do"
How Dorcas started when she saw
what sort of fellow little Willie
had proved to he. How Mrs. Hopper
g1gSled behind her bonnet frames when
she thought Of the little childs crib
and the picture books upstairs.
"Of course, such an elegant gentle
man rs that will 20 to the hotel" said
Mrs. Hopper. But he did not. He
stayed at the cottage, sleeping on the
back pArlor sofa until other accommO-
dationA could he provided for him.
And when Millicent came over with
her prettiest smile and outstretched
hand the young Australian received
her with an odd, curt GOODNESS that
made her feel excessively uncomfort-
able.
"Ysu see, Cousin Milly," said he.
"you didn't want to be bothered with
me: you thought the Australian au-
thorities ought to be compelled to pro.
vide for me-"
And when Mrs. Hopper heard that
little Catherine Mere was to marry her
rich cousin she wasn't at all surprised.
'It's the most natural thing In the
world" said she, "only it's a pity that
Catherine isn't q little prettier'
But Catherine More was satisfied
with her lovers declaration that to
him her face was the sweetest in al!
the world.-ExchaRge.