The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-03-31

Anne Wilbur walked TO the WINDOW
and looked out at the spring sunshine.
Tall graceful and very lovely, her
the light. There was no one to ad-
mire Anne save the little orowu eyed
secretary A-ross the room, and she
looked and adored with all her foolish
heart. She thought 1t must be glorious
TO be young and rich and lovely and
quite her own mistress, as was the
case with her employer but then the
little secretary thought OF her own
large family of brothers ana sisters
and was Immediately very thankful
that she was not as lonely IS Anne
Wilbur, who lived In the stately house
with n cold and stiff guardian aunt.
Miss Wilbur looked out at the sun
shine and the deep grassy yard behind
the dwelling, with its careful grouping
of Shrubs. its freshly raked brown
earth beds where prim rows of tulips,
daffodils and crocuses Haunted their
gay dresses.
1t was merely n city lot, yet money
and skill had combined to make 1t
pleasant retreat from the glaring
streets or the STIFFNESS of the house In
midsummer. Sometimes in the early
morning Anne walked along the gray
eled paths. but 1t was used principally
by the servants In the big house, who
sought relaxation there after the days
work was done.
At the rear wall of the yard there
abutted another lot inclosing shabby
cottage which was sadly in need of
fresh paint; the neglected yard sur
rounding 1t showed the accumulation
of winters debris. The charitable
mantle of snow which had covered 1t
had now melted. exposing old bottles,
tin cans, rags. papers and broken
boxes to the searching light of the
spring sunshine, In all the yard there
was not one tuft of green grass. not
flower nor anything that was beauti-
ful-and yet 1t was spring.
Anne Wilbur owned this shabby cot
tage, and a succession of destructive
original coy prettiness. At last. de
spairing of maintaining 1t in any sem
blance to responsibility. she had or
dered II demolished, only to find that
her agent haze unwittingly leased the
premises to Il new tenant. The little
secretary had just read this news to
her from the agents letter, and Anne,
h a q
ly shoulders, had walked to the win
dow that overlooked the cottage.
For moment there was vexation on
her face that her intention had gone
awry. The next dissatisfaction disap.
peared at Il sudden remembrance In
"A week she was to be married. Her
fiance lived in distant city. She
would not be obliged to contemplate
from her rear windows the shabby
cottage, the tomato cans. the old
brooms, bottomless coal scuttles and
broken crockery. 1t would be for
others to view this inartistic scene,
while she would look upon more invit-
ing objects.
moving van was backed up be.
fore the door of the cottage, and In
its cavernOus depths Anne could see a
pitiful gathering Of furniture The
men began 10 unload the van, and
Anne noted that the few pieces
though somewhat shabby and worn,
were OF handsome quality and In ex.
cellent taste. She also saw that the
windows OF the house had been bright
u tch nd hn nj,
lin curtains hung within.
These things promised II more am
bilious occupant for the house Anne
turned to the secretary: Miss Binns,
will you please telephone to Mr. Col
Inns and ask him about the new ten
anti"
Presently Miss Binns returned. Mr.
Collins says il is widow and her lit
lie daughter. The mother is employed
in millinery establishment down.
town. She seems quiet, refined
young woman. and her name is Rod
man, Mrs. Marcia Rodman."
Anne Wilbur dismissed the little sec
rotary and turned once more to the
window pressing her face against the
and all was silent about the shabby
cottage AS she watched with bag
gard face the back door opened and
woman accompanied by a child came
out and looked at the neglected yard.
The woman was small and slight
with dark, piquant face and sweet
lips. There was flush in her cheeks
as she talked to the child who was n
fairylike image Of the mother. 1t
was evident that they were discussing
the possibilities of improving the
yard. and Anne wondered what they
could do, for it was plainly to be seen
that they were poor. When the moth
er and child had re-entered the cot
tage Anne left the window and sat
down before the glowing crate fire.
There was a fierce joy in her gray
eyes and her fine lips were scarlet
with the pressure she exerted to re-
strain her emotion. 1t had come her
turn at last Five years before she,
Anne Wilbur, petted daughter of the
rich, had lost her lover to the poor
woman who now occupied her wretch
ed cottage. The girl had been a no.
body, and thriftless Jack Rodman had
thrown over friends. position and pro-
fession and eloped with the dark eyed
beauty. Jack had died afterward Den.