The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-13
Our Daily $bcrt Story

do stand more bossing than girls" she admitted.
 The next day. after repeated rings, James the maid rapped at the door. why didn't you come with the hot water when I first rang?" sternly de- 1 manded Anne.
 "The kittIe was off the boil, mum" Anne's laughter rang out in Ameri- can abandon.
 James, you are a dear. stand right where you are. and as you are" James wonderingly halted in obe-
 dience to orders. while Anne began rapidly sketching him.
 trhe hot waters gittin' cold" he finally hinted, but Anne sketched on. "Therei" she triumphantly exclaim- ed to Cousin Matty. Character Sketch No. 1. entitled, "The KittIe's
 on the boil. mum!"
 | A man, tall and fair-skinned. came up the stairs and paused in moment ary appreciation of the situation, and then quickly passed on. From Mrs 1 Crupps and from the fragments of conversation he had overheard be- tween Anne and her cousin he was ap- prised of the object of their sojourn in l London. The American ingenuity in utilizing James as a servant amused
 him. and the glimpse of the girls face interested him. Mrs. Crupps hospi- | ldDlys eHoCEEQ d tH6cAtBks anu ne SOOH
 became frequent caller at the apart ments of the Americans. Reginald Steffins was not devoid Of humor, but he certainly failed to catch
 the point of many of Anne's character sketches. There. was one of herself
 madly gesticulating to a draper whose puzzled countenance and the bewilder- ment of the whole force of clerks sur rounding her were due 10 the fact that
 she had asked to purchase spool of thread
 What did you mean by that?' ask
 ed Steffins cautiously.
 "Oh, dearg responded Anne, T thought the clerks were a stupid lot
 but I guess they weren't. They final-
 ly decided that meant reel of cot ton"
 He looked enlightened. but not en- tertained.
 If she were more like English wom- en-" he told himself that night when alone with his evening pipe, shed be- simply perfect"
 Thereafter he sought to teach her the beauties of English 'as4 she Is spoke" Anne by degrees became in- terested. enthusiastic and cumulative.
 She was not aware that his Anglican ism was infectious uneii Cousin Matty dryly remarked as she gave her commission In shopping one morning,
 Anne. please ask for butchers linen, not green grocer's linen" Anne laughed as she replied: T asked Mrs. Crupp for matches and molasses this morning, and she said she had never heard of either. James finally solved the solution and said I meant treacle and Lucifers-" Gradually Anne adopted the Eng lish vernacuiar and ate marmalade for breakfast, She was tottering on the fS..4I la m or- land, home and duty" including a half spoken proposal from Steffins.
 when rescue came from her native land in the shape of call one Sunday
 morning from one Billy Clarke. "Oh, Billy" she cried with fervor
 when James ushered him into their sitting room. Even Cousin Matty wept
 Hitherto Anne had snubbed Billy or else treated him with cheerful indif- ference. but he was from her home. and all the smothered patriotism with in blazed to life. T was just about to go to church with one of the lodgers here in the
 house. You will go with us, won't you"
 Billy acQuiesced and took the meas ure of Steffins at a glance, and soon remarked and resented his attentions and intentions toward Anne. On the way to church he was silent listen
 CT to their chat, and only replied fin
 curt monosyllabies when they polite ly tried to include him in the eonver-
 sation. He was at Q disadvantage, anger accumulated. When the coiiec-
 tion was taken. he thrust his hand into his pocket for q contribution. He pl oduced guinea. Quickly no searched other pockets--nothing small
 CT. The white-haired dignitary was at his pew. In his present state of feelings, Billy was not willing to fish institution. He laid his guinea on the plate and then coolly and me- thodicaIly proceeded to make change from the plate until hrs contribution amounted to one shilling, English.
 There flashed before Anne's vision the whole scene--the awe-inspring cathedral, the solemn music. the haughtiness of demeanor of the col lector of coin, the silence, the lofty aristocratic assemblage and the dis gust of Steffen's shocked countenance. The situation was too much for American appreciation and she laughed outright and audibly. .Instant' ly the atmosphere of the three was changed She felt Steffin's disAp-
 proval of her and Billy, resented 1t and was quite ready to champion her countryman. Billy realized the rever- sing of the scales. On the way home
 from church he was jubilant and jolly, Steffins, tactiturp.
 Anne" pleaded Billy. as soon as
 they were alone. haven't you made
 enough pictures to leave this land of fogs, showers, candles and extras, and come home with-me?"
 sYes Billy. I've been homesick for Americans and Fourth of July ever since you made that little declaration of independence in church"
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