The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-12-05
When Annie Played
GOOSeberry
by Ethel harrington


either side rs il wound higher and
higher toward the Berkshircs. Here
aud there some telatcd Strawberries.
tiny specks OF crimson in the grass.
Joined their fragrance t. the inyigor-
ating breath Of The pines. From an
Imprinted barn came the persistent
elick-chck. thud thud Of n loom where
Miss Ietucr wus weaving yards of
carpet from little balls Of colorcd rag.
\ voice sharp enough To the verge of
displeasure startled her.
'Will You finish tomorrow, sister?"
u 1t doesn't hardly seem possible
TWAS promised Pears TO me
you're uncommon slow. Surely you're
not such Il fool as 10 be thinking o
William henderson and such nonsense
ut your age"
Miss IetttCe's hand nVoluntarily
sought the fastening of her bodice, but
the faint craekle OF the secrctcd paper
WIS too imperecptihle to reach Mrs.
Aliens ears
The letter was delayed. He's going
AWAY tomorrow
.Lettiec Howard, he's no man for
You. We settled that years ago I'm
ashamed for you that you so much rs
think on him now"
Hes free aeain"- Miss Lettiee
spoke dcprecntingly.
Free, is il? II he wasn't good
enough for You when he was young
a widowcr with three children certain.
| ~ amt no gain With toss of the
| head Mrs. Allen recrossed the road IL
her cottage.
Miss I.cttiee sat miserably unccr-
tain, her hands idle in her lap She
forgot the loom and Mrs. Harris, who
was counting ON the finished carpet
Her thoughts were with the curly head
ell lad from whom her sister had sep
arated her because lie failed to settle
III The town where he was born, but.
like rolling stone. was forever wan
dering, apparently gathering little OF
this worlds goods. Now he had re
turned and wanted 10 see her. II
seemed n cruel prank Of fate to have
Joined forces with her sister and in
the form OF delayed mil prevent their
meeting. a tear gathered beneath her
lashes. but before 1t fell pair of
warm arms wound themselves around
her neck
AUNT Lcttiec you're in love, in love!
| Don't ask me how | Know, because
Nou are. You don't listen to what
t,.{t,
| pet
Yes, dear, the carpet" Miss Lettice
seized the shuttle and sent 1t flying
through the shed Of warp threads. IIei
feet mechanically worked the trendt
shifting The heddles then with the bat
ten she bent the wool of rag into
| place again and again
I'VE can't talk through that noise, -
she remarked plaIntlyely.
My dear, there ia nothing
There IL. you darling. Come, TESS
up. I'm not to be put Off. It's fellow
sympathy" The crimson decpcned in
The laughing face. and with soft vince
ding she gained the desired confidence,
| and Miss Letticc surrendered her let
| ter
It was In no sense a love letter, yet
1t was the nearest approach that the
spinstcr had ever received. Possibly
she read between the lines:
Dear LottIcc am visiting my brother
Joe till Wednesday. ] want so much t.
see YOU IT I'd be welcome send mo word
Yours as ever. WILLIAM
II only got II last night
IT'S too late 10 write now" her
niece hurried on. but you must go IL
Chatham 10 see him. Make believe
You're shopping. Jeunie's going tomor
row. II have Rob ask her to stop for
YOU
Sister would never listen. BESIDES
It's not the carriers day.
She's making special trip for
ltob.s mother. lust 10 thlnk"--the CIR
rose eXcitedly must be ten years.
"TWelvc."
And you've cared all this time! oh
Aunt Letticc, how could you benr IL
Mothers good MS she can be. only shes
had 50 much trouble it's made her q
little hard DO as | say ana I'll play
gooseberry for You. After breakfast
come over here, as usual. About II
walk down the road till tho carrier
overlakcs you, then 10 Chatham Will
! her aud 10 Joe lIcudcrsou's, ask fol
William and you't have hours togcth
or. Jennie VIII pick Won up on hel
homcwand trIp. You'll be back TO sup
per Mother need never know unles.
you choose to tell her"
but the carpet! n She doesn't heal
the loom she'll come over to find out
what's wrong
leave ihnl 10 me. I've got to think
but l'll fix it somehow
Dmiu2 supper Mrs. Allen glanced
anxiousIy at her SISTERS nushed cheek.
and untouched plate With the NOR
row William would be gone. then Let
tice would return 10 her no.mul SELF.
Latter. when Annie wandered down
the road with Rob. the moonlight show
ed thoir heads very close together
while now and again the girl broke
into ripple of miscellaneous laughter
Watching. the molhcr felt pnng OF
J'Hl'ii'N itbt IS as IL EOttn IildlIlis NAl
she dreaded the dry Size must yield her
daughter 10 another, and tonight the
time seemed very n9ar She went scy.
efal times TO her room for forgotten
tribes. ANA each time there showed a
line Of light beneath her sisters door.
Seems 10 me yOI're Il long time
getting TO bed, - she admonished.
"f-Gm most ready" came the re-
ply. If Miss Lettice's voice sounded
less even Than usual Mrs. Allen was
not herself sufficiently calm to notice.
AS was customary in the morning,
Miss Lettice bctooll herself TO the barn,
aud the WORKING of the loom broke
Familiarity on the quiet air. Shortly
after 10 Mrs. Allen. attracted by the
rumble Of wheels on the road, saw that
the carrier was making an extra trip.
She spoke Of II TO Annie, who came IN
hot and tired to MONDAY dinner
call your aunt" she continued. "The
pork will be cold. | got it specially to
tempt her. She's eaten pthing these
two DAYS"