The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-02-02
COUSIN WILLIE


''How do wish e could have rip
! pie of incident in ur daily lifer' said
Millicent More, cl baing her book with
sigh.
Nothing ever happens to u.s." said
her cousin Catherine, with a smile, as
she bent forward to pick up dead
leaf off her pet geranium.
Millicent and Catherine More were
girls OF twenty-five and twenty-five
''old maids" the seventeen-year-ol
called them-who taught school and
supported themselves comfortably by
their own unaided efforts.
Millicent was pretty, with red lips, a
clear, bright complexion and hair
touched with the warm auburn gold
that artists copy and poets rave Of
and Millicent had not quite given up
her little dream Of love and matri
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 deploring
the monotony of their daily life, the
postman tapped az the door with
letter
"Uncle George is dead in Australia"
gasped Millicent.
ooh. Milly-and he has left an
orphan hoyw added Catherine, the
tears trimming into her eyes. 1--WE
must adopt him, Milly--we must bring
him up"
AIillicent drew back little.
Il 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 minute"
1t was lovely June day, with the
sky blue and clear as baby's eyes
and the air full of scents from the
blossoming buckwheat fields. Gather
Inc More, having, not without diff
Guilty, obtained temporary substitute
In her school, went to New York 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, because I sent my
photograph by the last mail. l wanted
my face to seem familiar to him, poor
lone lamb"
She stood on the pier eagerly scan
ming the countenance Of every child
that landed, her face Frightening once
or twice as she saw boy whom she
thought might be Willie, when all of a
sudden hand was laid lightly on her
arm and she found herself looking up
into a handsome bronzed face far
above her
''Sir!" she cried, starting back.
81 beg your pardon" said a frank,
pleasant voice. II did not mean to
alarm you. But is 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"
Hardly" returned the tall stranger,
unless you would call me little boy.
Dear Cousin Kitty, no one ever told
you was child or poor. 1t was your
own inference. Thank heaven, | am
Independent and wealthy, and. as l
have come to mans estate, think it
Is rather my duty to take care of you
than allow you to take care of me-"
Catherine looked at her handsome
cousin in mute Amusement 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 thank you for what your are
ready to do"
How DOrcas started when she saw
what a sort of a fellow little Willie"
had proved to be- How Mrs Hopper
giggled behind her bonnet frames When
she thought of the little child's crib
and the picture books upstairs.
"0f course, such an elegant gentle
man as that will go to the hotel,' said
Mrs. Hopper But he did not. He
stayed at the cottage. sleeping on the
back parlor sofa until other accommo-
dations could be provided foP him.
And when AIillicent 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.
"You 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 More was to marry her
rich cousin she wasn't at all surprised.
Its the most natural thing in the
world" said she. only it's pity that
Catherine isn't little prettier"
But Catherine More was satisfied
with her lovers declaration that to
him her face was the sweetest in all
the world.-Exchange