Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-12-01
A COUNTRY COUSIN.

The news and the dessert were served
simultaneously.
by George, if l hadn't nearly forgot
ten" quoth Stafford PEREZ He rummaged
in an inner pocket.
Cant find the letter Must have left
it at the office. Anyhow, it's from my
| cousin, Godfrey Chester"
| Now, Henry" interrupted the mild
voice of Mrs. Stafford in amused expos
tulation. why will you keep up that
| fiction about the cousnship? 1t is myth
| zeal, and you know it,
| Its certainly remote" conceded the
| beamng plterfamilias ut the opposite
end of the table. but there once was a
relationship long time ago, | admit
! But Chester and have traced back until
we found it. He's good fellow, Ches-
! ter. Eve always been urging him to
,, manage that our young people may be-
| come acquainted. He writes that his
daughter will pass through Chicago to-
| morrow OH the way to New York, and
| will spend a few days with us. He says
/ he wishes one of my family would meet
her Bless my soul heres the letter
after ALL He put on his spectacles-
! read aloud: You can't mistake her
| She's cury-headed little girl. in gray
| gown and Il hat with gray feathers.
! She's IA nice child, and I'll be glad to
! have her meet your youngsters"
There"
"A child sroaned Ralph, who was
% and studious.
He swallowed his cafe noir at a gulp
and rose disgustedly
Youngsters, indeed" cried Dick dis
| dainfuly. Does he take us for kinder
! gartners|'
! koss. who was the eldest, smiled in
| quite Il superior and disinterested fash
| ion. lie boosted iiourishing mustachc.
| He was studying law. Plainly, the sub
| ject had no interest for him.
But one Of you must meet the childr'
cried the head Of the house. You'll go,
Ralph?"
Cant, sir. I'm doing an article on the
| architecture of the Tenth century. Il
takes lot of research. I'll be all morn
ing in the Newberry library"
Henry Stafford, huge of girth, roseate
of visaSe, and twinkling of eye, turned
his face implorlngly toward his youngest
son.
You, Dick?"
SIR
Dear, dear! If your sister were only
at home"
She'll be back tomorrow afternoon, y
But the little girl gets here in the
morning. She must be met. She is from
n comparatively small town. She would
be quite bewildered were she to find her
self alone in Chicago"
He sent the good-looking young fellow
with the mustache an appealing glance
II wonder now, Ross, if you--'f
| Ross laughed leniently. You poor, per-
! picked old chant Yes, I'll see that -
child gets Eere al right"
Good: said HeDry Stafford, with a
| sigh of relief "GoGdr'
But when the Yves ern train disgorged
its jostling multitude in the Union depot
the following morning Ross Stafford.
standing close BY the iron gates. found
| that he had undertaken Il task of greater
magnitude than he had at the time inn
agined. These was such crush of peo-
pie stout and thin. tail and short big
| and little. There were children-proces-
sions OF them. But they all seemed to
| belong 10 the folks that hurried them
along. Never glimpse could he catch
OF a cury-headed little girl in gray
| gown. wearing a hat with gray feathers.
Or-was the dress brown? BY Jove, He
| wasn't even sure of that.
| The last laggard group trickled away.
| Ross knew the conductor of the Denver
| train spoke To him as he came hurrying
| along.
AN off your train, Brigham
Sure
There was little girl coming to Chi
cago-had curly hair--a blue dress--a
| green ha.-blest if l remember. Wasn't
| she on?''
Alone, was she?"
Yes"
No si,. Didn't come. Sure? Course
| | am
Ross wheeled around. well, I'll tele-
phone the folks that she wasn't on. Dad
/ ND nd
your PARDON
And he suddenly found himself bowling
profoundly. hat iii hand, before a young
woman with whom he had almost collid-
ed in his haste, slender young woman,
a graceful young woman, lovely young
| woman, as his susceptible heart instantly
! acknowledged.
She accepted his apology with a slight
bend of the head-a vivid blush. Half
| way up stairs he glanced back and saw
her standing where he had left her. He
heSitated-Wcnt back.
You are waiting for some one? Can
| be of ServiceT
Thank your What a sweet voice. II
am afraid there has been a mistake. No
| one has come to meet me. May | ask
you to call a cab?'
And when he had done so, when she
had thanked him, when he stood bare
headed on the curbstone as the vehicle
rolled away, he recollected that he had
not listened to tho address she had given
the driver, and he walked off in tower
! ing rage at his own imhecility.
! Never was there so dreary a day. al
though the late August sunshine found its
way into the office. Never had the read
ing of the law seemed such a dull and
! tiresome drudgery. Never before
had the pages blurred into a mass
of meaningless black marks But,
! then-neVer before had a bewitch-
! ing young face come between him
and his books---a face with reddish gold
! ringlets clustered around white fore
head and shy eyes the color of woodland
violetS.
He leaped from his seat as a bright
| Thought struck him. He could hunt mp
the cahman. That was the thing TO do!