Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-11-26

LOOK Anne! do look! Isn't IL Just
as l said? Those chaps'll make lot Of
money presently" whispered Phil ex-
eitedly, falling back to speak to his
sister
He could hardly be pursuaded not to
stay and listen to the music, but the
question of accommodation for the night
was too important to be neglected.
At the end of the esplanade the ground
dipped suddenly, leading by a steep in
cline to the small harbour with its
shipping, its busy sailors and loafng
long shore men. Beyond the harbour
stretched a long struggling strip of coarse
| turf, with thistles and sea pinks, and at
the end of this three or four white
washed cottages nestled under the cliff,
their tarred garden palings only divided
by the grass from the shore on which
the white-crested waves broke all day
long
Grannie Burns cottage was the first
in the group, and a written card in the
window proclaimed the welcome news
that she still had rooms to let
1t seemed like haven of rest to little
Anne to find herself domiciled in the
stuffy little parlor, crowded with wool
mats, shells, boxes, cases of stuffed birds
and spar ornaments. There was an inn
mense hoTse-hair sofa across the window
that must assuredly have been built with
the house, as no amount of engineering
could possibly have induced it therein
afterwards, and slippery horse-hair chairs
to match that pricked Gerry's long, thin,
| stockinged legs when she sat on them;
there was not a ceiling one could not
touch with ones hand, and the doors
| opened with latches like Red Riding
| Hoods grandmOther's cottage, and the
| staircase leading to the tiny, white
washed attics could only be called a
| ladder; but everything was as spotlessly
clean as soap and water could make il,
! including Granne Burns herself. The
rent for the little sitting room and two
bedrooms was only a few shillings a
week, and within fifty yards of them
was the beach and the sea-gauzy blue
that summer afternoon. with here and
there a white sail like bird flecking the
horizon.
"It's the very cottage you drew in the
picture, Anne, where the holiday SOW
ereign had to go; just like it, only bet
ter, and it smells of fish and everything!"
exclaimed Gerry ecstaticly, taking her
place at the tea table, smartly set out
with Granny's best cups and saucers in
honor of the visitors, and graced with a
plate of shrimps and a pot of straw
berry jam, in addition to the boiled eggs
and brown bread and butter ordered by
! Anne
why can't we live here for ever and
ever, and never go back to smoky, hor-
rid old London?"
| Ia ~
same time. Well she knew that however
frugally their money was spent the holt
day sovereign would need, alas, several
companions to allow of their seaside
visit lasting more than two or three
daysl Phil, more observant than his
little sister, caught the sigh, and pointed
triumphantly to an old sofa on which he
had deposited the two instrument cases
with loving care
1--WE can stay in Sandbeach for ever
so long if we play on the Esplanade and
make money out of the visitors /
know we can, if only you don't get faint
hearted, Man," he said in a confident
tone. Il asked that jolly porter about
it as we came along, and he told me
there was nothing to prevent our trying
what we could do. only he said we should
have to see first about getting a pitch.
I think that means being able to take up
the same place on the front every day
without other shows turning you out
like Punch or the niggers, you know.
The porter said that Jim Burns. the po-
grannie's son-could tell me all
about getting a pitch when he was off
duty. He lives in a little shop on the
quay-his wife sells sweets there-so
presently l shall run up to see him, and
| shall take the fiddle with me, l think.
and try tune as | go along. / might
get some pennies, mightn't /, Nan, and
they'll be better than nothing?"
Loath to disappoint the boy or check
his ardor, Anne gave reluctant consent.
Gerry scrambled down from her seat and
clamored to go with her brother, but this
idea was promptly negatived by Phil
himself, to his eldest sisters great relief
Nonsense, Gerryi You're only little
girl that goes to bed early" he said in
whitening tones. You'd only be in my
way until we've got something real set
tied. You stay with Nan and 90 and
pick up stones on the beach till l come
back; | won't be long"
He snatched his beloved fiddle out of
its case. wrapped it in an old bandana
handkerchief, tucked it under his arm,
stuck his shabby cap rakishly on his
dark curls, and ran off, little Anne and
Gerry standing to watch him from the
threshold of the cottage door. They
could follow his slim, erect figure with
their eyes for a considerable distance.
until he stopped short amongst a group
of fishermen gathered on the quay.
To Pc