Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-03-20
THE STORY OF ANNETTE.

care for gaiety."
There are worse troubles to bear than
yours" she says. you are young, and
the young soon forget. 1t is the old who
suffer"
/ can hardy keep the tears out of my
eyes and bite my lips to keep them from
trembling at her unsympathetic words.
Cousin Elizabeth goes on looking at me
out OF her impenetrable eyes.
$50 you are Garvin's daughter. 1t is
years since / saw him. You are like
him, but not so handsome; he was very
good looking, but improvident and fool
ish. All, how long ago those young days
seem"
l am angry, indignant, and very miser-
| able, and the man whom take to be one
OF my cousins sees it too and hastens to
turn the conversation.
Il am sure you must be tired and hun
CRY after your Journey" he says kindly
1--WE have already finished dinner, but
will order some more to be sent up for
you, and Mrs Hart shall see to a room
at once. Perhaps you would rather have
something sent up to yonr bedroom and
go straight to bed? You look very wan "
| / eagerly assent, for feel so tired and
overweight that | long to be alone and
away from the presence of this depress.
| ing old woman.
He turns and leaves the room, and
am left alone with my cousin.
us that one of your sons? ?" 1 inquire
nodding towards the door through which
he has just gone.
She looks up with a startled express
sion.
Zone of my ~ she repeats "Why
do you say one of my sons? That is my
son Mohun."
81 did not know how many children
you had, Cousin Elizabeth" reply meek.
| ly. dad never talked much of any Of
his relations except you"
did you know / was great invalid p
she says abruptly.
NO" | reply sympathetically. 81 an
so sorry"
81 injured my hip once, and shall never
walk again without a stick"
"You must let me try to help you a;
much as / can" | say impulsively. .
shall be so glad to do anything for ont
who was always so kind to dad"
THANK you," she says in chilling
voice, "but | am glad to say I do not
require much help, and Miss Lattimel
does all that is wanted"
| feel repulsed again and remain silent
wondering how dad could ever have liket
such an unpleasant old woman I d,
not like her at all, and heartily wish
had never come here. l do not speal
again till the door opens and Mohun re
appears.
'Your room is ready" he says, glanc
ing at me. 'Wili you comet"
"What room has Mrs. Hart prepared !?
Cousin Elizabeth asks hastily.
"The green room"
She gives a sigh of relief, / fancy, as
follow Mohun out of the room. He lead
the way up a flight of broad oak stair
which are polished and slippery, and a
the top there are corridors branching OF
each side.
Mothers rooms are down there" h
says, pointing to the left. "but your room
is on this side"
He leads me to the extreme end of tn
right-hand corridor, and, opening a door
introduces me to pleasant woman pre-
pairing something at little table inside
ood-night," he says, holding out hi
hand, "and welcome, eousin!"
The bedroom into which I am. ushere,
is moderate sized, pleasant apartment
and looks coy with bright fire burning
in the CRATE and little table laid read,
for supper.
Mrs. Hart curtsies to me and look
into my face with keen, quiet scrutiny
"Shure, your journeyll have tired yo1
lentirely," she says. Faith, / came tn
Sane way from Kingstown mesef no
many years back, and sech a journey
never TUX. What wild the screeehin' o
thu ingin and the noise and smoke AM
confusion, 'tisn't meself as knows how
got here"
81 am used to travelling" I say, smil
ing, "but | am rather tired now"
81 am just bringing you a sup of SOU
and glass av good wine and the leas
morsel of chicken, and then shure you'll
| jist 60 to bed and Shape, and it's a differ
ent craythur yen be tomorrow"
my cousin lookt very ill., say som
time after, when have finished my sup
per and Mrs. Hart is helping me unpacl
my box. docs she always look Xix
this9"
"Ah poor blessed craythurl" she ex
claims. tits meself that's sorry for her
If ye'd but seen the fine figure of ;
woman she was before her trouble wa!
on her ye'd never known her"
''What was her trouble 2" l ask.
She pauses suddenly with brush il
her hand and looks at me curiously, ant
then she turns her face away and say
hurriedly
"Shure the death of himself, and wha
other trouble would she be after having
She's Gn altered woman now"
HAS she only one child?" / ask.
'Mr. Mohun is her only comfort" sh,
returns evasively. "She lost her othe
son this good bit back. But since tn,
poor masters death she's not been quit,
herself, and she does not like her troubles
spoken Of"
| lie awake for hours after I am il
bed, thinking of my cousins and tn,
strange house l have entered. What
curious household it is-enough to de
press any onel have taken a dislike Il
Cousin Elizabeth--she is so cold and self
contained and dull, and seems so wrapped
up in her own thoughts. / wonder what
has made her like it. She must hav,
heen very m11ch attached to her husband