The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-09-23
Second Best
b y L o USE OLNEY
Copyright, 1909 by Associated Literary

II I II
Copyright. 1909 by Associated Literary
>PreSs.)
Ann Marks eye flashed. Direct as
her name. she refused to marry Henry
Jasper. He stood before her, a little
awkwardly, but yet a man that most
women would have considered kindly.
He was not 40, we'll off for the simple
community, highly respected, and his
wife, Caroline, had been dead three
years. Being a mere man, how could
he know that Ann, his old school.
mate, had suffered agonies when, as a
young man, he had courted and mar
ried her cousin?
No n knew why Ann had not mar
ried-she never wore her heart or 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.
II never did think I could be second
best in any mans life" she went on
rather cruelty. And / don't see how
~ NY oSC"oc, dlu ! uOll SdAS II
knows i'll don't see how l can begin
playing mother to another woman's
child. The boy will hate me, as all
children do a stepMother. No; ask
some other woman" The man flushed
angrily.
Don't insult me, Ann. You know
| don't want any other woman. I've
always-you know ! can't tell you
what ! always thought Of you. 1t
wouldn't seem fair to Caroline. who
lid her best by me-"
The world knew she had been a
weak, f%retful, 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 AIMS CHEEKY strength,
her wholesome, healthy kindness. He
tried one word more.
Cam. if you knew how | needed
you, in every way, you would come.
Do you think l have forgotten how to
wv oLl1A SuC olOOh lCl Iiedu. III
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
10 respect AIMS silence.
In the crisp September morning
Ann started out for a walk. She
went owe the hill where she used to
play with Molly, and with Henry and
Caroline. How strangely things had
worked out. She thought of her busy
life as forewoman in a 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
we're soft and kind and dark, like an
animals eyes. She was tall and Wig
0rOus.
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 assaulted her. She
lad heard Molly say his most recent
lousekeeper had left. Should she. go
and have a look at things? She did
lot see the boy about. Probably jim
ME was at his grandmother's. She
:ose and walked across the stubble.
The door was locked, but she found
he key under the mat and entered.
She could have groaned at sight of
The kitchen-dishes unwashed, floor
Tito, disorder rampant. The sitting
:oom, the bedroom, everything was a
sorry sight to her housewifely y
.or she was first and always a house
keeper. Things had been bad enough
n Caroline's' time, but now they were
impossible.
She had no conjunction about en-
:ering-she had always been in and
,ut 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,
hen the floor, then sweeping, busting
md making beds. Before she knew
t three hours had gone, and it was
aoon. She found a bite to eat and de-
:ided to go on even If he caught her
IT it.. She did not care.
Knowing 1t would take weeks to get
everything as it should be, she chose
hose points to put to right that would
make for sheer comfort. She made
some pies and ginger cookies and
loughnuts and boiled some corned