The Tomahawk., 1903-08-27
to her face! went in to apologize to

to her face! I went in to apologize to
her, and what an apology I made of
it! I'm deadly ashamed! I'll never
be able to look myself in the face
again. And oh, I'll have to write and
tell mamma-my little lady mother!"
Cant you smooth it over somehow
with-with the enemy?"
Il shouldn't dare try again. I'll go
to my room and think"
And while Kathies sat contritely
thinking, Miss Hutton was thinking
too, her heart stirred as it had not
been in years.
"And I can't imagine what people
like you were born for!"
Something in that last hot speech
of Kathie'sa had caused her to take
from her worn trunk the old-fashioned
album that held small picture
marked "Susie at five" 2
She looked at it long, the little sun
ny smiling face, the round, bright
eyes, the dimpled chin. Nobody Won
dered what she was born for in those
days, she fancied, when Susie" was
FIVE -or even 10 or Is. She remem-
bered the dear, grizzly old gentleman
who called her "Morning-glory," and
how the home name Sunshine had
clung to her for years and years.
When had she lost it? When had she
changed from the Sunshine" of
younger days to the Selfish, snappish,
disagreeable woman" of now?
'Susie at five" seemed to look Miss
until every corner of her hardened
heart was a-quiver with remorse and
shame.
'I would never have expected to be
like this" she said, with sudden
choke, shutting her eyes tightly upon
the slow tears that were filling them.
II used to imagine myself growing
into a sweet patient old lady, given to
dainty gowns and caps and the plan
ming Of surprises for the youngsters.
A soured, dyspeptic schoolmarm would
have been my last idea of myself. I
can see it now, though it has all been
SO gradual-how in my efforts to care
for my own health I have lost all con-
sideration for the world outside, and
simply grown more and more self
absorbed, nervous and ugly tenn
pered.'
Outside, the March gale ratified the
shutters and creaked the gate, but still
Miss Hutton sat thinking, thinking.
That night at dinner she passed
Kathie the rolls and smiled as she said:
There's corner one, Miss Kathie,
brown and crusty. I know your pref
erence, you see," and Katherine was so
amazed that she almost dropped the
bread plate.
"She has always taken the corner
rolls herself" said Anita, in comment
ing upon the matter next day.
"Anita Baxter, don't say a word!" said
Katherine, solemnly. 1T makes me
want to talk in whispers. After all the
dreadful things said to her! And do
you know she's at home taking csre Of
Johnnie Barnes this minute, while his
mother goes to church. And sh. was
cooling over him as If she'd takeu care
of babies all her life. He mus be a
forgfving little chap or he'd howl in her
face, remembering all the untiattering
remarks she's made about him"
The week long Miss Hutton, gentle,
quiet, was an object of mystified won
der to her fellow boarders; and when
on Saturday night, she invited them all
to her room, increduI4ty could stretch
no farther.
I'm scared of my life," said Anita,
though there ought to be safety in
numbers"
Don't be funny" said Katherine.
For my part, whenever l think of her
I feel like going down on all fours.'
But for all that she looked with
pleased eyes about Miss Hutton's cozy
rooms that bore such holiday air. It
was cool spring night, and the dancing
fire in the little CRATE threw rosy light
upon the fresh white curtains, the little
open piano and the bowls of early cro-
cuses and jonquils that were scattered
about. Through the doorway one caught
gl1mpses of dainty tea table appetiz-
ingly suggestive to hungry schoolgirls.
When everybody had arrived, even to
bustling Mr.. Shepard and the dimpled
Barnes baby, Miss Hutton, her face
gone suddenly white, walked to the
fireplace, and turned to them with
something in her manner that hushed
all other voices in the room.
Miss Pasini is coming to sing for
us presently" she said, "and 1 hope you
will enjoy it, but before she comes there
is something I must say if you will
kindly hear me. A week ago something
happened which set me thinking
which made me realize what a miser-
able sort of person-what a failure
have been. want to apologize all
round. I really want to be different. l
want friends"
And there the voice, first so nervously
hurried, thenso faltering, broke off with
choke, and it was impulsive Kathie
who took quick step to the older wom-
an and placed her warm arm around
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