Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-11-19

boyllke fashion, snatched her about
the neck and kissed her. Then he fell
asleep.
BY this time she had no thought of
going back TIL the chlld's father came.
She moved about the kitchen and din
ing room In her orderly, effective way
"A way buslnessllke, eminently wom-
AMY and good. The waste apparent
everywhere annoyed her thrifty soul.
She saw forty ways to better and save.
She set the table with fresh cloth
and put a good supper to cook on the
stove she had blackened at the cost of
her pretty, plump hands, her one beau
ty save her eyes. II was nearing 0
O'clock.
After little Jimmy awoke and
without warning began to cry. refus-
fpg e tell what troubled him. but de-
nyine that 1t was his foot Finally
Ann Z 4 low rocker, took the child In
= ssN AMI began 10 rock rhim
Great boy that he was, he Struggled to
her, his unloved little heart accepting
the comfort trusting this soft voiced,
smiling, mother armed woman who
called herself Aunt Ann.
As she sat thus her attention quite
absorbed, Henry Jasper came YEARLY
to the kitchen door, his arms loaded
with groceries. his face hopeless He
had been wondering where to look for
Jimmy. who had been allowed that
morning to go to a neighbours.
Then with unbelleving Joy he saw
the clean room, the spread table. the
new air OF comfort, and, best of all, In
Ann Marks kind arms he saw his
sleeping motherless child-a child near
Iy as unmothered before his own moth
ers death as after It. She looked up at
him and smiled
"He cut his foot and came home cry
ing. I came over, and when I saw so
much to do went to work. knew
you wouldn't mind, Henry"
Mind! The hard thing was that she
should come Just to go again; that she
should give him taste OF this calm
comfort, let him see her like this and
deny him a continuance of IT. He was
very miserable In his gratitude.
"Put your packages ON the sink"
she commanded. "and when have laid
Jimmy down will put them away
VIII you open the oven door and look
at the biscultW He obeyed her, then
stood locking while she deftly put
everything In Its place. The milk pail
shiningly waited for him to take II
and 70 out to milk, but he fingered
And Jimmy awoke and wanted to tel
his father about the enormous fish that
nibbed at his hook and got almost
caught and how he had cut his foot on
the broken hottie and found Aunt Ann
to bind 1t up.
Supper Is ready, and you had better
eat before you do the rest OF the
chores. Henry" she said, helping the
boy to limp to his place.
They ate joyfully, talking. laughing
the man wondering how many min.
utes would pass before she rose to go
The future yawned emptlly. She was
asking hi4 aDout his housekeepers
what he paid them, advising him what
he should do. Finally when she rose
he rose too. They stood facing each
other. and her clear eyes smiled
"You are Oh, Ann You hnve been
good!" he said awkwardly. "Shall
hitch up and drive you home. or VIII
you walk?" SO he had taken her at
her word. II was evident that he had
no thought Of anything permanent In
all this But the woman had She
saw here her place, her opportunity.
The old hurt and anger had passed,
and she was again at heart the simple
girl who had loved in secret this man
who was at last hers. She paused a
moment, still looking at him. There
was now no thought OF being "second
best" She would make herself all to
them.
an wash the dishes up first, and
then after you have done the chores
you can walk back with me-" Jimmy
,uA - ....t s.... .t,.G..