The Green Forest tribune., 1910-02-18

women would have considered kindly He was not 40, well off for the simple community. highly respected, and his wife, Caroline, had been dead three years Being mere man, how could | he ktOw that Ann, his old school mate, had suffered agonies when, as a young man, he had courted and mar ried her cousin?
 No one knew why Ann had not mar ried-she never wore her heart on her sleeve Now. in spite of herself, her heart sOftened to him, noting how his hand ruffled his hair as it always did when he was puzzled and unhappy
 T 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-35, and l don't care who knows it-I don't see how l can begin playing mother to another woman's child The boy will hate me. as all some other woman" The man flushed angrily
 Don't insult me. Ann You know l don't want any other woman Pve always-you know cant tell you what l always thought of you. It wouldn't seem fair to Caroline. who did her best by me"
 The world knew she had been a weak, fretful, untidy woman; jealous, thriftless, her baby beauty gone in a few years. And it 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 out to Ann's cheery strength, her wholesome, healthy kindness He tried one word more
 Ann, if you knew how 1 needed you, in every way, you would come Do you think l have forgotten how to IoVe?' Still she shook her head He turned slowly away, climbed into his buggy and drove to his own farm Ann sat thinking, for she remembered many things She finally rose and went in to her sisters house, where she was visiting Molly looked at her curiously as she entered, waiting to be told something, for she had guessed Henry's errand But she was forced to respect Anns silence.
 In the crisp September morning Ann started out for a walk She went over the hill where she used to play with Molly. and W. th Henry and Caroline How strangely things had worked out She thought of her busy life as forewoman in big shop. her practical, busy, useful lonely life How soon her visit to the old place would be over 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 wig orous
 Down in the valley she could see Henry Jasper's house and barnyard He was hitching the bays to the buggy, and presently he drove away A sudden temptation assailed her She had heard Molly say his most recent housekeeper had left Should she go and have look at things? She did not see the boy about Probably Jim. mic was at hfs 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 housewifelv eyes for she was first and always a house keeper Things had been bad enough in Caroline's time. but now they were impossible
 She had no compunctton about en. tering-she had always been in and out 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. dusttng and making beds Before she knew It three hours had gone. and il was noon She found bite to eat and do- clded to go on even if he caught her at it She did not care
 Knowing it would take weeks in oe+ everything as it should be she choee those points to put to right that wouId make for sheer comfort She made some pies and ginger cookies and doughnuts and boiled some corned beef from the barrel. trying not to sae the condition the cellar was in The afternoon wore on and still Henry did not return She mended some of linn. mics clothes, poor childi
 She had decided that she wouId keep at work as long as possible and then slide out the back way when sbe saw him coming. but it was not to be About four she suddenly was aware of wailing in the yard, and from the door Deheld Jimmie. fishpole in hand limping along and crying at every step He was a boy of ten, like bis father as one pea to another She ran to meet him and saw that his foot was cut and bleeding She picked him m and carried him in, washed his foot | dressed it and put him on the sofa where she fed him As she came to take away the plate he suddenly. in the most unboylike fashion, snatched her about the neck and kissed her. Then he fell asleep
 By this time she had no thought of going back till the child's father came She moved about the kitchen and din ing room in her orderly. effective way "a way businesslike. eminently wom- anly and good The waste apparent everywhere annoyed her thrifty soul She saw 40 ways to better and save