The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-22
The Lady Gwendolyn
By ANNE STORY ALLEN

+ & ~ i
aged to Chamber on to one of the benches
and surveyed the scene before her with
delighted eyes.
The afternoon sun was warm, and yet
it had not quite melted the snow mantle
on the shoulders of the big statue oppo-
site. The trees wore their snow blankets,
and the grass was almost entirely COW
cred with the white carpet she had been
so anxious to see.
Now, it is one thing to fare boldly
forth upheld by sense of injury and
the novelty of adventure, and it is quite
another thing to wend ones way home
ward when ones sense of injury has ut
terly vanished and novelty has become
monotony.
The afternoon sun was not quite so
warm on the bench when the Lady Gwen
dolyn made the discovery that she had
seen enough Of carpeted grass and
blanketed tree branches Snow was pref
ty cold stuff to look at any, way, and it
suddenly seemed to the Lady Gwendolyn
that she had been looking at it very
long time.
She climbed down from her bench with
a stiffness that surprised her, and with a
growing sense Of insecurity walked toward
the avenue. The park seemed a very
large place, and she was glad to get out
of it, yet as she stood on the sidewalk
two big tears forced their way from be-
hind Wdnking lashes.
Through which Of those streets lay the
way home? Which way should she turn?
Everything looked strange and UNI
friendly.
When Ellen Ryan cut her hand on the
broken goblet she was picking up in re-
Spouse to the floorwalker's order, the doc
| tor OF Rush & Hurry's big store dressed
the wound neatly and, patting her on the
shoulder, said: There, you'd better run
home for the rest of the day. You'll be
all right Tomorrow >
SO Ellen, with her hand in a bandage
and a stiff feeling in a palm of it, hurried
! homeward, thinking that if Aunt Julia
| had been too busy, there was yet time
to take the little sister for a walk.
Running up the stairs she was bumped
into by Mamie Reagan, who was running
| down at breakneck speed
They amt found her yet was her
excited salutation I'm goin' out again.
Yer aunt's carryin' on awful"
EIlen's heart seemed to stop beating.
She grasped at Mamie Reagan's dress
and opened her mouth, but Mamie had re-
sumed her headlong fight.
Ellen tottered up the rest of the stairs.
her ears assailed as she neared the door of
their rooms by means within and the
sound of Mrs. Reagan's voice.
There, now" she was saying, don't
take on SO. Mamie Reagan'n find her,
She's a regular detective. tell yer. There
she'll be back in a minute. All the cops
on the beat knows Gwendoleen.' Then.
| as she caught sight of Ellen, Lord
| whatll do with hero
Now it's all right" she began, shak-
ing a bottle of household ammonia at
| Ellen.
| Ellen crossed the room to her aunt.
when did you miss her?'' she asked.
II just went in Mis- Reagans ROOM"
explained Aunt Julia. Il wanted her to
keep the baby carriage Miss Van Tassel
| 4.II
| all on''-
when did you miss herr broke in the
stern young voice.
Aunt Julia sat up and put her hand to
her head.
cit was o'clock or maybe half past.
Z, and it always
Had you promised to take her to any
placer"
I'VE was goin' to the park-she'd been
| tellin' me that foolishness ye'd told her
about the snow fairies and
Aunt Julia voice rose to sobbing wall
as Ellen turned and left the room with
out explanation or comment
| She dashed down the stairs at a speed
that rivaled Mamie Reagan's and started
on mad run west.
"She may have found her way there"
she muttered to herself.
A messenger boy, two newsboys a
a suit case and a pretty young woma n
with her hands in big nuff formed an
unconsciously interesting group about a
small solitary figure. Blue defiant eyes
looked out of a white face from under a
wideb onnet frill and two little white nit
tens were doubled up by tense baby fists
Ellen bore down on this group. Intuition.
instinct, sister heart, all told her that here
was the Lady Gwendolyn. She pushed
aside the newsboys, stepped on the mes
senger's toes and knocked against the suit
case.
j "Gwendoleen!''>
Nellie. my Nellie!' came from the
depths of the white bonnet. The Lady
Gwendolyr was caught up into fierce en-
$ brace and the cut hand. needless of wound
and bandage, pressed the little head close
to "Nellen'S" heart.
: "She ought to be discharged said the
pretty young woman.
"Gee!' said the messenger boy. You'll
be in luck If you don't get de bounce fer
dis
u Ellen looked wonderingly from one to
another. Then 1t rushed over her-she
was Gwendolyn's nurse. The baby sister
, had been taken for q lady-a real lady, "
Yes, ma am," she said meekly to the
young woman. I'll be more careful an
other time
Taking firm hold on the little hand.
she addressed the small figure in clear
and distinctly humble tones.
Come. Miss Gwendoleen. she said.
Eyer aunt will be worryiu' about YER
The Lady Gwendolyn obeliently trotted off
by her nurses side
Half block away smart brougram
, was dashing toward them. There was a
glimpse of a sable collar, an ugly, kind
, face, and 1t had stopped.
The footman jumped over the wheel. the
carriage door was opened and the big
, voice of Miss Van Tassel called:
well, if her isn't the little sister and
. the big one too! The whole Ryan family
| in a bunch! Bundle 'em in, Thomas, and
Wen drive 'em home
Tom bundled em in closed the door
and sprang to the box. Just at that
moment the man with the suit case and
, the young woman with the big muff came
into sight
; The Lady Gwendolyn. confidence re-
} stored. smiled at them through the open
, window. and Ellen, rigid and erect on the
: very edge of the cushions, reflected the
smile respectfully.