The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-12

Abigail" said Miss Abigail KimbalI
addressing her little niece. 4 trust that
while I am in the city to-day you will not
forget in everything you are my name
saae"
Non" replied the child. whispering
a good-by, for she had never kissed her
Aunt Abigail. not even a goodnight kiss.
Little Abigail left alone for the first
time all day long In the care OF the
servants, took her doll, Polly Jane, and
sat down in the library to think. BY and
by. Mary. the maid. came into the room
with an apronful Of pine cones for the
merry FIRE that danced and cracked in
the wide, open fireplace. The servant's
good-natured face wreathed itself in
smiles. for there sat Abigail stifiy erect
in a high arm chair. making a very
droll picture. indeed.
Mary" whispered Abigail. to-day I've
an awful responsibility. I'm a namesske,
the Aunt Abigail kind, you know. Not
just pretend, either
Land sakes! YOU don't say so. A
Miss Namesake!" exclaimed the maid.
dramatically, dropping her pine cones in
surprise. Abigail smiled. Somehow. Mary
always understood
Yes" continued the little girl. I'm
one. I'd like 20 have missionary meet
ing tea party, really and truly. Aunt
Abigail was going to have one this very
afternoon. If Mr.. Lawyer hadn't made
her go TO the city. I'd like real little
girls at mine, too.
But. Miss Namesske. even IF you was
to have a really one. the children near
here be all poor.
Why, Mary, didn't you know mission
airy meeting tea parties are always for
poor people? I don't think I'd feel 50
a-loney if could only have EN- once in
while-my kind. murmured Abigail. q
pathetic little catch in her sweet voice
/ Then tender-hearted Mary was suddenly
called TO the kitchen.
! "Oh, well, I'll just play missionary after
lunch" whispered the wee girl She
/ looked wistfully out Of the window. II
was showing The nOdding plumes of the
/ great fir trees were heavy with gIstenine
/ snowdrops.
Dear me; I'd rather be tree than q
/ namesake,' she signed.
Abigail was an old. sensitive girl of five
years. Her father and mother both dead
she had lived ever since her third birth.
day with her aunt, Miss KimbaH As
Miss Namesake was odd. she was Otter
very lonely. She called herself little Al
/ Aloney."
Mary was the only one who seemed tC
understand her whimsical, imaginative
ways. while her Aunt Abigail did not
at ali. Maybe her aunt did not under
stand because she had always lived sucf
la sheltered life behind these great fiji
| trees. Then, too, it was a long time since
a wee girl had played I'm the great silent
house. And the lonely wOman-fCr hel
/ Aunt Abigail was lonely, toO-seemeC
| To have forgotten her own childhood
days so barren Of childish things. Sh,
/ had known few children. Taught by d
/ gOverness. brought up according to rule
she knew OF only this one way for hei
niece. Poor little Namesake!
''Oh, 1 feel so grown up sighed Abb
/ gail. She was taking her Aunt AbigaiPy
place for the day, so she understood
| Though the Importance of her "respecta
bility' had a peculiar charm. she was still
/ little All AlOney. There were shadow:
across her just-pretend land, and naughty
elves called tears tangled themselves il
| Polly James curls. Il was LOnesom,
Land everywhere to-day, even if shl
were a namesake.
Then luncheon time came
Mary" demonstrated Miss Namesake
initiating her aunt's manner and tone OF
voice, I do not wish any more jam
/ I'm a namesake, you know"
II
she had never seen her aunt take NOR,
than one spoonful of jam. GoOd-naturet
Mary had taken advantage Of her mis-
tress' absence and was incidentally heap
ing AbigaiTs plate with delicious jam.
Very well. MAN," sighed Mary. smil
ing, though her hind heart ached 20 com
fort little All Aloney IN her brave at
tempts TO be a good namesake.
Polly Jane, whispered Abigail. wheI
she once more sat in the library. 4 can
kiss you to-day, cause I'm a namesake
the Aunt Abigail kind. you know. S.
you sit quietly and think, for I wish Il
read"
She smiled with a little grown-up ali
at her doll Then Miss Namesake tool
a heavy book from the table and begar
to read: that is just pretend to read, fol
the book was upside down. There wer,
lonely tears IN the little girls eyes. Be
sides, she wasn't very comfortable, TO
the tips Of her small boots did not t0ucl
the floor. and. of course, she woUldn
rest her feet on the rounds of Aunt Abb
gals mahogany chairs.
! From her high seat she could see tn,
dark green fir trees boldly silhouetteC
against a gray sky. The wind was sing
ing through their fragrant depths Or
the wide window ledge, four little bird!
were eating crumbs she had so .gener
ously given them earlier in the day.
Il guess they're having a missionary
meeting tea party.
''What?" sighed the hr trees. Abigail
/ listened. She had nearly forgotten some
thing, and now she had thought of a plan
IF Aunt Abigail couldn't have her mis-
sionary meeting tea party. I'll just hav,
one-the really truly kind-in her place
| cause I'm her, namesake. But who'll
/ have TO it,"
"Who?' whispered the FIR trees
oh goody, l know; the happy childrei
nextest to my house" Miss Kimbau liveC