The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-09-23

everywhere annoyed her thrifty soul.
She saw 40 ways 20 better and save.
! She set the table with a fresh cloth
and put a good supper to cook on the
stove she had blackened at the cost
If her pretty, plump hands-her II
beauty, save her eyes. 1t was nearing
six o'clock.
After a little Jimmie awoke. and
without warning, began to cry. refus-
ng to tell what troubled him, but
denying that it was his foot. Finally
Ann got a low rocker, took the child
n her arms and began to rock him.
Great boy that he was, he Struggled
20 her, his unloved little heart accept
ng the comfort. trusting this soft
,oiced. smiling, mediterranean woman
Who called herself Aunt Ann.
AS she sat thus, her attention quite
absorbed, Henry Jasper came YEARLY
% the kitchen door. his arms loaded
with groceries, his face hopeless. He
had been wondering where to look for
Jimmie, who had been allowed that
morning to go to a ~neighbor's.
Then, with unbelieving joy, he saw
he clean room, the spread table, the
lew air of comfort, and, best of all, in
Ann Marks kind arms, he saw his
sleeping motherless child-a child
nearly as unmothered before his own
! mothers death as after it. She looked
~ at him and smiled.
Gle cut his foot and came home
crying. ! came over and when | saw
so much to do l went to work. l
knew you wouldn't mind, Henry"
Mind! The hard thing vas that she
should come just to go again; that
she should give him a taste of this
| calm comfort, let him see her like
his, and deny him a continuance Of
It. He was very miserable in his
gratitude.
PUT your packages on the sink"
she commanded, land when ] have
laid Jimmie down l will put them
! away. Will you open the oven door
and look at the %biscuit?' He obeyed
her, then stood looking while she
| leftly put everything in its place.
The milk pail shiningly waited for
aim to take it and go out to milk, but
| ne fingered. And Jimmie awoke and
| wanted to tell his father about the
| enormous fish hat nibbled at his
| nook and got almost caught, and how
ne had cut his foot on the broken bot
lie, and found Aunt Ann to bind it
up.
Supper is ready and you had bet
ter 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,
he man wondering how many minutes
would pass before she rose to go. The
future yawned emptily. She was ask
ng him about his housekeepers, what
ne paid them. advising him what he
should do. Finally, when she rose. he
.ose, too. They stood facing each
other, and her clear eyes smiled.
"You are-oh, Ann, you have been
good" he said awkwardly. Shall l
1itch up and drive you home. or will
you walk?" So he had taken her at
ler word. 1t was evident that he had
10 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
vas now no thought of being second
oest"-she would make herself all to
hem.
"IIl wash the dishes up first, and
hen, after you have done the chores,
| you can walk back with me-" Jimmie
| set up a sudden wall from his chair
| where he still sat at the table.
81 don't want you to go away" he
cried, land l won't stay alone while
papa goes with you!" Ann went be-
hind her chair and put her arms
around him. She did not look at the
child's father.
Listen, Jimmie, auntie must go to-
/ night, but if you will be good till
papa comes back l will come again."
"When will you? How long will
you stay?" he demanded with the
l%efniteness of childhood. No uncer-
| tainty for Jimmie! She did not hest
late.
81 will come back-in the morning
and l will stay always-if papa says
that l may"
Jimmie, forgetting his foot, jumped
at her neck like a little boa constric-
:or. But his father set him down,
wanting her himself just then.
Are you going to let her stay,
| oapa?" Then Henry Jasper laughed,
and the burden of unhappy years
rolled from his shoulders. Ann was
presently forced to hand him the milk
pail as a hint to let her get at the
dishes.