Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-11-19
LITTLE ANNE OLIVER.
BY LUCY 4. LEEDS.

girls tone, yet struck by the longing ex-
pressed in it. well, why don't you go,
too, pray? 1 should think they would
want you to help with the bathing and
spades, and buckets and things. l won
der my lady leaves you behind"
oh, but you don't understand, and
please | really must go-I am late as it
Is Sir Roger! l ought not. to be idling
here ehattering to you"
A crimson wave dyed little Anne's face
at this moment as smart Victoria
dashed past the homogeneous pair con-
tanning two exquisitely dressed women
TO whom Gresham turned to raise his
hat.
Pm only Lady Chilcotes daily gov
erness, you know" continued Annie; 81
don't teach anything grand-only just
English and music, and mend their
clothes. l have little brother and sister
at home to work for; we have no par
ents, you see, so of course l have to be
very, very careful and earn all I can
for %lem-and-and l wasn't wishing
for the sea for myself, but only that /
could take them, because the girl isn't
strong, and change would do her good,
and that's all. ood-bye" added Miss
Oliver rather forlornly.
Good bye!' Oh, no. it isn't-weIl
say 'Au revoirP in that blessed language
you're so fond of. l dare say we shall
meet again before long, and l should
take those kids to the sea by hook or by
crook If | were you. You can get sea
side lodgings for a song, I expect No
| can't carry about those weeds any
Innupr vOoliyr VIII al
and look after them? There's a man /
want to sec" Her companion was
across the road in colloquy with some
passing acquaintance almost before Anne
realized the fact, leaving her with the
bunch of moss roses in her hand, and
chuckling all the while at the success
OF his small stratagem to force her to
keep his flowers
Poor little SOUL" he thought to him.
self, mentally reviewing the trifing cpl
sode, as having dropped his note into the
Chilcote letter box he hailed a passing
| hanson to drive to the Carlton, where
he had luncheon engagement. Rather
a tightness in the money market with
her, no doubt; jolly hard at her age to
have to work for her brother and sister
as well as herself, and I'll bet her lady
ship grinds her like slave and under
pays her wretchedly. Why, the price
OF this blessed luncheon Pm going to eat
now, and don't want, would pay for
those brats' journey and back to Rams
gate or Margate, or some such unholy
haunt, and leave something over for milk
and penny buns besides" Which alb
| struse mental calculation affected Sir
Roger so thoroughly that it actually de.
stroyed the flavor of the lobster salad
and quite spoilt his appreciation of the
costly brand of champagne which this
wealthy, good hearted. and absolute.
ly ignorant what to-do-with his money
young man had ordered for the delecta.
ton of his guests and himself
Meanwhile, all unconscious of the in.
terest she had aroused in her new ac
qraintance's breast, little Anne Oliver
went speeding homewards, oblivious alik,
of the scorching pavements that hal.
blistered her feet through her well-worr
shoes. She turned into a dingy little
side street off busy thoroughfare
where, over chemists shop, she and hel
little brother and sister had their shah
by lodgings. She was the happy pos
| SCISSOR OF buoyancy of temperament
that communicated itself to all will
whom she came in contact and which
caused her to find a delight in the veriest
trifie, fund of enjoyment where
duller, less appreciative mind would have
| searched for it in vain. Running I'D tn,
narrow dark staircase of her lodging tive
| steps at a time her bunch of fragrant
rosebuds in one hand, her little purs,
containing those five sovereigns, thu
| guerdon of three months patient unre
hitting toll, in the other she burst Xix,
real ray of sunshine into the tiny sit
ting room and dropped her treasures tt
clasp both its occupants in her arms.
tits all over for a month, darlings
and I've got my money-and see what
! lovely howers!" The small boy and cir
| slender, weedy creatures-the boy about
| 10 years of age, olive skinned and black
haired; the girl only 7, fair and fragile
with the frailed, pinched look of al
underfed town-bred child-clung rap
turously about the newcomers neck Of
though they had been parted from hel
! for months, albeit the three had beer
/ but few hours asunder.
"Show us the pretty gold shillings
Are they enough to take us to Sand
beach and can we dig and throw stones
and build sand castles, like you said We
should?" shouted Gerry. capering fan
tastically round; while Phil added grave
| ly-
81 took Gerry to the dispensary after
school, like you told me, Nan, and the
doctors said she would never be any bet
ter till she had change of air anG
drank new milk straight from the cow
well see about it presently, dear;
| Just let me get cool minute, and, Phil
fetch me some water in the old finger
bowl for these beauties" said the elder
sister, smothering sigh as she took of
| her hat and subsidized into an old wicker
chair with Roger Gresham's roses in hei
lap.
This seat, drawn close to the window
was, with the exception of a hard and
slippery couch covered with American
cloth, the one apology for a restfu
| lounge the room contained. Three paint
ed deal chairs and square table GOV
cred with a faded red cloth a small
chefonnier staggering on three legs will
wad of brown paper to replace tht