Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-01-07
Miss NanneSake
BY Nan Todd.
Copyright. 1907, by Nan Todd


addressing her little niece, Il trust that
while l am in the city today you will
not forget in everything you are my
namesake.''
'No-m." replied the child, whisper
ing goodby, for she had never kissed
her Aunt Abigail. not even a good
night kiss.
Little Abigail, left alone for the first
time all day in the care of the servants,
took her doll, Polly Jane, and sat down
In the library to think. By and by
Mary, the maid, came into the room,
with an apronful of pine cones for the
merry fire that danced and cracked in
the wide open fireplace. The servants
good natured face wreathed itself in
smiles, for there sat Abigail stiff1y erect
in a high arm chair, making very
droll picture indeed.
Mary" whispered Abigail today
I've an awful respectability Pm a
namesake-the Aunt Abigail kind, you
know; not just pretend, either"
"Land sakes. You don't say so! A
Miss Namesakev' exclaimed the maid.
dramatically dropping her pine cones
In surprise. Abigail smiled. Somehow
Mary always understood.
ssYes,' continued the little girl, 'T'm
one. I'D like to have missionary
meeting tea party, really truly Aunt
Abigail was going to have one this
very afternoon if Mr.. Lawyer hadn't
made her go to the city. I'd like real
little girls at mine too.'
"But, Miss Namesake, even if you
was to have really one the children
near here be all poor"
'Why, Mary, didn't you know mis-
sionary meeting tea parties are always
for poor people? / don't think I'd feel
so aloney if could only have 'em once
In awhile, my kind" murmured Abigail,
a pathetic little catch in her sweet
voice Then tender hearted Mary was
suddenly called to the kitchen.
"Oh, well, I'll just play missionary
after lunch" whispered the wee girl.
She looked wistfully out the window.
1t was showing. The nodding plumes
of the great fir trees were heavy with
glistening snowdrops.
Dear me, I'd rather be tree than
a namesake," she sighed.
Abigail was an old, sensitive girl of
five years. Her father and mother
both dead. she had lived ever since
her third birthday with her aunt, Miss
Kimball AS Miss Namesake was
odd, she was often very lonely. She
called herself 'little All Aloney."
Mary was the only one who seemed
to understand her whimsical, imagina-
tive ways. while her Aunt Abigail did
not at all. Maybe her aunt did not I'm
derstand because she had always lived
such sheltered life behind these
great fir trees. Then, too, it was a
long time since a wee girl had played
in the great silent house. And the
lonely woman-for her Aunt Abigail
was lonely. too-seemed to have for
gotten her own childhood days, so bar
rem of childish things. She had known
few children. Taught by governess,
brought up according to rule, she knew
of only this one way for her niece.
Poor little Namesake!
"Oh, feel SO grown up" sighed
Abigail. She was taking her Aunt
Abigails place for the day, SO she un-
derstood Though the importance of
her Responsibility" had peculiar
charm, she was still little All Aloney.
There were shadows across her just
pretend land. and naughty elves called
tears tangled themselves in Polly
James curls. 1t was Lonesome Land
everywhere today, even if she were
a namesake.
Then luncheon time came.
MARY demonstrated Miss Name
sake, initiating her aunt's manner and
tone of voice, Il do not wish any more
jam. Tm namesaSe, you know"
The little girl had suddenly remem-
bered she had never seen her aunt take
more than one spoonful of jam. Good
natured Mary had taken advantage of
her mistress absence and was Incl
dentally heaping Abigails plate with
delicious jam.
'Very WE'LL ma'am,' sighed Mary,
smiling, though her kind heart ached
to comfort little All Aloney in. her
brave attempts to be good namesake.
"Polly Jane whispered Abigail
when she once more sat in the library,
Il can't kiss you today, cause I'm a
namesake, the Aunt Abigail kind, you
know. So you sit quietly and think,
for l wish to read"
She smiled with a little grownllp air
at her doll Then Miss Namesake took
heavy book from the table and began
to read-that is, just pretend read, for
the book was upside down. There were
lonely tears in a little girls eyes. Be
sides, she wasn't very comfortable. for
the tips of her small boots did not
touch the floor, and of course she
wouldn't rest her feet on the rounds of
Aunt Abigairs mahogany chairs.
From her high seat she could see the
dark green fir trees boldly silhouetted
xxJ~~x II,