The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-11-26


After little olmmy awoke ana
without warning began to cry, refus-
ing TO tell what troubled him. but de-
nying that It was his foot. Finally
Ann got low rocker. took the child in
her arms and began to rock him.
Great boy that he was. he Struggled to
her. his unloyed little heart accepting
the comfort. trusting this soft voiced.
smiling. mother armed woman whe
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 unbellevlng 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
~ as unmothered before his own moth
er's death as after It. She looked up at
him and smiled.
"He cut his foot and came home cry
ing. came over. and when / saw ~
much to do I went to work. I knew
you wouldn't mind, Henry"
Mind. The hard thing was that she
should come just to 80 again: that she
should give him taste OF this calm
comfort, let him zee her llke this and
deny him q continuance Of It. He was
very miserable in his gratitude.
Put your packages on the slnk,"
she commanded. "and whea have laia
Jimmy down / win put them away.
VIII you open the oven door and look
at the biscultT he obeyeA her, thea
stood looking while she defuy pat
everything in its place. The milk paH
shiningly waited for him 10 take 1t
and 60 out to milk, bat be fingered.
And Jimmy aweke ana wanted to tell
his father about the em1rnous fah that
nlbbled at his hook and got almost
caught and how no had eut In foot or
the broken bottle and fouRA Auat Ana
to bind It up.
Supper Is ready, ana yea haa better
eat before you DO the rest Of the
chores, Henry" she SAID, heiPtng the
boy to limp to his place.
They ate joyfully. talking, laughing.
the man wondering how many mis-
utes would pass before she rose to 70.
The future yawncd emptAy She was
asking him about Ills housekeepers,
what he paid them. advising him what
he should do. Finally whcn she reese
he rose too. They stood faoHE each
other. and her clear eyes smiled.
you are oh. AAn. you have been
good!" he said awkwardly. ''Shall |
hitch up and drive yon home. or will
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 mas
who was az last hers She paused a
moment, still looking at him. There
was now no thought Of being "secona
best" She would make herself all 10
them
"I'll wash the dishes up 6rst. asa
then after you have dose the chores
you car walk back with me" Jimmy
set up q sudden wall from his chair.
where he still sat at the table.
II don't want you 10 20 sway" be
cried. and I won't stay aloAs while
papa goes with your AAa went be-
hind his chair and put her arms around
him. She did not look at the ehIld's
father.
Listen, Jimmy. Auntie must go to.
night. but II you will be good TIL papa
comes back will come again"
when will you? How long will you
stay" he demanded. with the definite.
ness OF childhood No uneertainty for
Jimmy. She did not hesitate.
Il will come bnck-ln the morning
and will stay siwsys-if papa says
that ! may
Jimmy, forgetting his foot. jumped
at her neck like little boa construct.
or. But bis father set him down.
wanting her himself Just then.
Are you going 10 let her stay.
pnpa" Then Henry Jasper laughed,
and the burden OF unhappy years roll.
ell from his shoulders Ann was pres
entity forced TO hand him the milk paH
as HAT to let her get at the dishes.