Cañon City record., 1911-10-05
ANNIE PLAYED
GO0SEBERRY
And Miss Lettice Answered
the Letter In Person.
BY ETHEL HARRINGTON.

higher toward the Berkshires. Here
and there some belated strawberries.
tiny specks of crimson in the grass.
Joined their fragrance to the inviaor
ating breath of the pines From an
implanted barn came the persistent
click-clack thud-thud of a loom. where
Miss Lettice was weaving yards of
carpet from little balls of colored rags.
A voice sharp enough to the verge OF
displeasure startled her.
"will you finish tomorrow. sister,
-1-it doesn't hardly seem possible
"'Twas promised. Pears to me
you're uncommon slow Surely you're
not such fool as TO be thinking o
William Henderson and such nonsense
at your age
Miss Lettice's hand involuntari'y
sought the fastening OF her bodice. but
the faint crackle of the secreted paper
was too imperceptibie to reach Mrs
Aliens ears
THE letter was delayed He's going
away tomorrow
.I.ettice Howard. he's no man for
you. We settled that years ago. FIN
ashamed for you-that you so much ~
Thick on him now.
Hes free again"- Miss Lettice
spoke deprecatingly.
Free. Is IL: II be wasn't goud
enough for you when he was young
widower with three children certain
ly amt no gain " With toss of the
head Mrs. Allen recrossed the road TO
ner cottage
Miss I.ettice sat miserably unrer
tain. her hands idle IN her Tap. She
forgot the loom and Mrs Harris. who
was counting ON the finished carpet.
Her thoughts were with the curly
headed lad from whom her sister had
separated her because ne failed to set
tie in the town where he WIS born.
but. like rolling stone, was forever
wandering. apparently gathering little
OF this worlds goods. Now he had re
turned and wanted TO see her. II
seemed a cruel prank of fate to have
Joined forces with her sister and In
the form of delayed mail prevent their
meeting. A tear gathered beneath her
| Iashes, but before II fell n pair vi
warm arms wound themselves around
| her neck
| Aunt Lettlce. you're In love. In
love, Don't ask me how ] know. he
cause you are You don't listen To
carpet
Eyes. dear. the carpet Miss Let
tice seized the shuttle and sent II fiy
| ing through the shed OF warp threads.
Her feet mechanically worked the
treadle shifting the heddles: then with
the batten she bent the woof Of rag
into place again and again.
I'VE can't talk through that noise.
she remarked plaintively.
my dear. there Il nothing
There Is, you darling. Come. 'fess
up. I'm not to be put OF. It's fellow
sympathy" The crimson deepened In
the laughing face. and With soft whee
ding she gained the desired conf
dence, and Miss Lettice surrendered
| her letter.
It was In no sense love letter. yet
| II was the nearest approach that the
J spinster had ever received Possibly
she read between the lines:
Dear Lettice-I am visiting my brother
| Joe I'LL Wednesday ! want so much TO
see you II I'd be welcome send me word
Yours. as ever. WILLIAM
IL only got II last night
Its too late TO write now" her
niece hurried on. but you must go to
| Chatham TO see him. Make believe
you're shopping. Jennie's going to-
morrow. III have Bob ask her 10
stop for you
''Sister would never listen. Besides.
it'a NOT the carriers day
shes making special trip for
Rob's mother. Just 10 tbink"- the girl
rose excitedly 'it must be ten years.
Twelve"
And you've cared all this time. oh,
Aunt Letticc. how could you bear ~
Mothers good ny she can be. only she's
had 80 murh trouble it's made her q
little hard Do as say and IN play
gooseberry for you After breakfast
come over here. as usual About 10
walk down the road tiii the carrier
overtakes you. then TO Chatham with
her and TO Joe Henderson's. ask for
William and you'Il have hours togefh
er Jennie will pick you up on her
homeward trip You'll be back to SUP
per Mother need npver know unics-
you choose 10 tell her :"
But the carpet. if she doesn't
hear the loom she'll rome over 10 find
out WHATS wrong"
"Lenve that TO me I've got to think
but I'll fix IL somehow"
During supper Mrs. Allen glanced
anxfously ut her sisters flushed
cheeks and untouched plate with the
morrow WilIinm would be gone. then
Iettice would return to her normn'
self
Later when Annie wandered down
tho road with Rob. the moonlight show
I'd lhalt haad. rx.s.. .Io.a A.zz.si...