The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-26

|
home and that she, Miss Pinch, would
| keep house for him. He knew, more
over as we'll as if Miss Pinch told him
which she certainly did not-that it
was she who had paid for Richards
education.
That night, as Miss Pinch was pre-
pairing for bed, she said to the parrot:
Polly dear, think 1 have found
friend
And across the court rang with
| blatant energy the strains of Annie
Laurie" as played by Tom Downing s
| phonogroph.
Spring had come. The square was
a bower of green and whenever Miss
Pinch could snatch half an hour from
her work, she fastened thither to sit
by the fountain or walk the asphalt
paths. 1t was here one evening She
told Tom Downing a most important
piece of news Richard was coming
to New York, early in June
I'm very glad, nam; and If there's
anything 1 can do to make his visit
pleasant I'll be glad to do it, Perhaps
you'd like the loan of the photograph
for an evening"
Thank you; but think Richard and
his friend will be sure to want to go
somewhere. See something of the city
Most likely they'll want me to go, too"
"Oh, 1 see. You'll go.to the theater."
81 don't know where they may wish
to go, ard l shan't care much, as long
as I'm with Richard" she concluded
with happy little laugh. 81 haven't
seen him for over two years"
Tom smiled sympathetically
On the morning of the eventful day
on which Richard was to arrive, Miss
Pinch was UP bright and early, seated
by her window at work, with the par
rot in his accustomed place on the ia
BILE opposite, gravely and silently
watching her every movement from
his perch.
What's the matter, Polly? Why
don't you talk to me?"
DRY up" grumbled the parrot.
"Dick taught you that. He did his
best to make you a rude boy" The
little woman smiled over her recollec-
lions of Richards efforts to corrupt
the parrots speech and morals. A
pleasant and unusual breeze lifted the
stray curls on her forehead. People
were astir in the houses opposite and
looking up, she caught Tom Downing's
| eye as he God at the window and
smiled ac1> at her. Slowly the hours
crept on with nothing to mark them
but the Ginning of the clock in a
neighboring church tower. The color
deepened in Miss Pinchs cheeks. Her
| eyes e&pGCldHLiy, Out SJlll n0r
| busy fingers flew At IL o'clock she
| prepared and ate her simple dinner.
HE must be here soon, now" she
| thought, as she reseated herself by the
| window
Two o'clock-3 o'clock O'Clock.
How frequently the hours chimed
now. There must be something wrong
with the clock. she was sure. At 6
Miss Pinch laid down her work and
sat twisting her fingers nervously.
| The parrot watched her Nsuspiciously
He had never seen her in this mood
before.
IT'S a beautiful world" he ven
tured, insinuatingly.
yes. yes, Polly-it's-Oh, why don't
! he Gomez"
The red in Miss Pinch's cheeks
faded out and the bright light that
had shone in her eyes all day grew
dim.
At 9 o'clock the next morning Miss
Pinch was startled by knock at the
door.
"At last!" she cried, excitedly, and
! ran to answer the summons. But it
was only a messenger boy who hand
ed her a note. With trembling hands
| she tore it open and read:
Dear Aunt Lucy: Frank and 1 have
been on the jump ever since we got
| here yesterday noon, and l have not
| been able to find a spare moment in
which to see you. To-day is to be a
repetition of yesterday. 1t would hard
| ly do to bring him to call upon YOU.
He is one of those particular fellows
You will understand the situation,
so that there is no fear of your feeling
! hurt If l don't go to see you this trip.
| In September I may be able to run
up to New York again-if 1 can get
the funds-and then we will have
good time all to ourselves With
| best love, am, your affectionate
| nephew, Richard"
"P. S.-we leave by early train to-
morrow. Will you send me some
money. so that I shall find it when 1
get back to Cambridge? Ten dollars
will be enough, if you can't spare
more. r."
She picked up her work mechani-
cally.
IT'S beautiful world" mumbled
the parrot, after long silence.
Not so beautiful as it was, Polly
not so beautiful" and dropping her
face to her hands, she sat quite still.
1t was also dark, when Miss Pinch
who had forgotten her usual 6 o'clock
meal, put on her hat and walked slow
ly toward the square. She was wait
ing on a crossing for some vehicles
to pass, when a beautiful and FASH
well-dressed men, attracted her listless
attention. AS the party drew near
her eyes suddenly frightened and she
started forward. her hands out
stretched toward one of the gentle
men, exclaiming. "Oh, I'm so glad
to" but with wondering gaze the
trio passed her by. She shrank back,
as if some one had dealt her a blow
in the face, murmuring below her
breath, oh, Dick, Dick, how could
you do that!'
Exactly what happened next Miss
Pinch never knew. She had reached
the middle of the long crossing when
a cab came whirling down the avenue.
She heard a confused babble of warn
ing voices and with a startled cry.
stretched out both hands, to feel one
of them grasped by a man. who put
his arm strongly about her and drew
her into safety.
That was a close call. man," said
Tom Downing in a voice that trem-
bled, as he stood beside her on the
curb, still holding her hand.
Miss Pinch looked up at him with
quivering lips.
Il should have been run over IL II
hadn't been for you" and them she
gently withdrew her hand
TNH tFvNmH