The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-11-26
Second
A Best
Henry Took Ann at Her
Word, but Little Jim
my Rebelled.
BY LOUISE oLNEY.
Copyright. 1909. by Associated Lit
erarv Press

BY LOUISE oLNEY.

OhA w q tlAah tuut lnOob
women would have considered kindly.
He was not forty. well off for the sim
pie community. highly respected, and
his wife. Caroline, had been dead three
years. Being mere man. how could
he know that Ann, his old schoolmate,
had suffered agonies when as a young
man he had courted and married her
cousin?
No one knew why Ans had not mar
ried. She never wore her heart on her
sleeve. Now, in spite Of herself, her
heart softened to him. noting how bis
land ruffied his hair as 1t always did
when he was puzzled and unhappy.
II never did think could be second
best In any mans life" she went on
rather cruelty And l don't see how
at my age, thirty-nve, and don't care
who knows it'll don't see how I can
begin playing mother to another wo-
mans child. The boy will hate me, as
all children do stepmother No; ask
SEINE other woman" TAe man flushed
angriiy.
Don't insult NE, Ann. You know /
dent want any other woman. I've al
ways-you know I can't tell you what
always thought of you. II wouldn't
seem fair to Caroline. who did her best
by me-"
The world knew she had been a
weak. fretful, untidy woman, jealous,
fhPiffladc huIArs kfasy Yatn le, N
few years. And 1t knew OF his loyalty.
He could not tell this woman how in
the years she had been about his house
helping Caroline his heart had gone
cut to AIMS CHEEKY strength. her
wholesome. healthy kindness He tried
enc word more
"Ann, II you knew how needed you
in every way you would come DO you
think have forgotten how to loveg"
Still she shook her head. He turned
slowly away. climbed into bis buggy
and drove TO his own farm Ann sat
thinking for she remembered many
things. She finally rose and went into
her sisters house, where she was visit.
ing. Molly looked at her curIously ns
she entered. waiting TO be told some
thing. for she had guessed Henry's
errand. But she was forced to respect
AIMS silence.
In the crisp September morning Ann
started out for n walk. She went over
the hill where she used TO play with
Molly and with Henry and Caroline
How strangely things had worked out {.
She thought Of her busy life as fore
woman In n big shop her practical
busy useful lonely life How soon
her visit to the old place would be
ever! Reaching the top OF the hill she
sat down in the falling leaves. pushing
the heavy dark hair back from her
face Her big eyes were soft and kind
and dark. like an animals eyes. She
was tall and vigorous.
Down I'm the valley she could see
Henry Jasper's house and barnyard
He was hitching the bays 10 the bug
gy. and presently he drove away A
sudden temptation assaulted her. She
had heard Molly say his most recent
housekeeper had left. Should she go
and have look at things7 She did not
see the boy about. Probably Jimmy
was at his grandmother's. She rose
and walked across the stubble.
The door was locked. but she found
the key under the mat and entered
She could have groaned at sight Of the
kitchen-dishes unwashed. floor ditto.
disorder rampant. The sitting room,
the bedroom, everything was a sorry
sight TO her housewifely eye. for she
was first and always n housekeeper
Things had been bad enough In Caro-
lines time. but now they were impos.
sible.
She had no conjunction about en-
tering. She had always been 10 and
cut before she went to the city. He
would not care She looked at the
clock and calculated that he could not
get back from town under two hours
Then she rolled up her sleeves and
skirt and went to work-dishes first,
then the floor, then sweeping. busting
and making beds. Before she knew
1t three hours had gone and II was
noon. She found bite TO eat and de
cided to go on even II he caught her
at 1t. She did not care.
Knowing 1t would take weeks to get
everything as 1t should be, she chose
those points TO put TO rights that would
make for sheer comfort. She made
some pies and ginger cookies and
doughnuts aud boiled some corned beef
from the barrel. trying not to see the
condition the cellar was In The after
soon wore on. and still Henry did not
return. She mended some of Jimmy's
clothes. poor child!
She had decided that she would keep
at work as long as possible and then
slide out the back way when she saw
him coming but II was not TO be.
About she suddenly was aware OF a
wailing In the yard and from the door
beheld Jimmy, fish pole In hand. limp.
ing along and crying at every step.
FIFE was a boy of ten. like his father as
enc pea to another. She ran to meet
him and saw that his foot was cut and
Needing. She picked him up and car.
rled him in. washed his foot. dressed
II and put him on the sofa. where she
fed him. As she came to take away
the plate be suddenly. In the most un.
boyIike fashion, snatched her about
the neck and kissed her. Then be fell
asleep.
By this time she had NO thought Of
going back till the ehiId's father came
She moved about the kitchen and din
ing room in her orderly, effective way
"a way businesslke, eminsntIy won
anly and good. The waste apparent
everywhere annoyed her thrifty soul