Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-10-05
FROM JEST TO EARNEST.
CHAPTER II.

Moors in Spain" and many other works.
ia left the children a great deal to his
ala housekeeper, but educated them him
SsIf: that is to say set them almost i'm
Doss;ble tasks to perform and never
Troubled his head whether they were
Sona or not. The girl faithfully obeyed
his highest behest, waded through dry
hooks. made notes and resumes galore,
and a. she was very intelligent she pres
antlv acquired quite a heterogeneous
'rass Of information. So much indeed
+bat radiant at the success of his "sys-
tenn he set the child on research work
COR himself when she was IA.
The boy was a healthy, jolly, English
how. fond of outdoor sports, and cherish
inc a great dislike for study; in despair
4ke professor sent him to local gram
mar school, where he learnt little Lat
in little mathematics, and became a
champion cricketer and football player.
Svbil was always proud of Tom, with
his fair skin, blue English eyes, and
frank, happy temperament. He was a
hero in her eyes, and if he was stupid at
his lessons-she helped him every night,
studying both Euclid and algebra on
purpose to make dark things clear to him
well, "you should just see him on the
cricket field, that was all" she told her
uncle proudly.
When their uncle died suddenly after
four days. illness it was found that be-
yond small, steady income coming
from the sale of his books there was
nothing for the children, as the old
housekeeper still called them.
The professor had left large house
full of solid, old7fashioned furniture,
which it was a pity to sell. so Mrs. Car
roll proposed that they should lend it to
her to furnish a lodging house in the
west end. She herself would pay the
rent, and they could live with her rent
free in return.
A friend of the professor had offered
Tom a clerkship in a bank in Oxford
street, and the lady who had for years
typed his manuscripts wrote to ask
whether Sybil, whom she had seen on
rare occasions when her uncle had
brought her up to town, would care to
be trained as typist and short hand
writer.
The girl was delighted at the idea, and
when at length the moving to- Jermyn
street was accomplished, she began her
years apprenticeship in Miss Simpsons
office.
1t was Saturday morning, a fortnight
after SYPHILIS exciting experience in the
private dictation room, for exciting 1t
was to "the child" after copying for
practice, as beginners always did, the lit
erary fotsam and jetsam of the office,
the MSS. which had been done and left
on Miss Simpsons hands unpaid for.
When the first three months were up
she had been advanced to doing things
shat mattered" Sybil was critical to a
degree unusual in girls, especially in girls
of her age; she had not been the close
companion and assistant of her learned
uncle for nothing. and often she shook
her head as she typed.
Dear heart" she murmured under her
breath, shaking her pretty head, who
would think people would write such I'M
grammatical foolish stuff!
On this particular Saturday in April
Sybil got up earlier than usual, for she
and Tom had promised themselves the
exciting pleasure of witnessing the Ok
ford and Cambridge boat race Tor the
first time.
They had been thinking about it for
weeks, for both brother and sister was
enthusiastically fond of Aquatic sports,
and Tom himself was capital rover.
Mrs Carroll had furnished one of the
rooms, a large back room looking on to
the garden, with the furniture that used
to be in the professors study, and it
was here that they had breakfast and
supper together every week day, for be-
ing both out all day it was only at the
first and last meals that they met.
Sybil always insisted on getting the
breakfast ready herself. There were al
ready two barristers boarding in the
house, and the girl said Mrs. Carroll had
quite enough to do without thinking OF
them.
So she grilled the bacon and made the
toast and the tea, and at half-past z,
half an hour earlier than usual, she
tapped at her brothers door.
"Come in" said his fresh young voice,
and, entering, she found him adjusting
his navy blue tie, bought for the occa-
sion, for they both wore dark blues"
on account of their uncle, who had been
Univ" man and much attached to his
college.
Tom, dear, breakfast is ready. Let
me settle your tie"
Thanks, Syb."
Toms arms dropped to his sides and
he stood like soldier on parade while
his sisters quick little fingers made
smart knot in the refractory tie.
They went downstairs side by side,
Toms arm round SYPHILIS waist.
Mrs. Carroll used to say they were
Just ike sweethearts.
oh, Tom, it's a heavenly day! We
shall have jolly time. I've packed the
sandwiches and the fruit and every
thing"
oh, l say syb, ought to have got uF
and helps5 ycS.''
Sybil smiled. Tom always said that
on every going out" day, but she kSsw
ms weakness, and never expected to see
MN down any earlier than usual, even
after the expression of the most noble
resolves in the direction of early rising
the night before.
oh. | didn't want you, Toni 1 soon
made them; two's too many to do
things"
Tom was always as hungry as hun
vt, ana did not speak until he had taken