Evening star., 1914-04-25

Anna had seen that she had not a COM
Portable time of it. Dying Simeon had
made Nina promise. i'll the presence of
witnesses. that she would continue to
give Marilla home and he had made
Marilla promise that she would accept.
so iong she needed it. home from
Anna. So. no matter how Anna felt
about it,, she dared not drive Marilla
away. Her promise to her dead hus-
band was thing too many people knew
about.
-Eut she esteemed Marilla q cruel in
cunibrance. "A nuisance and an annoy
auce. and she liked to tell people what
she had to put UP with from Simeon's
niece. She was telling her aunt now
and Mrs. Chapman was listening with
al the caustc tendencies of her nature
displayed in her thin curling lips and
ihckering jet black eyes.
ou re having quite hard time OF it,
amt ye?' she encouraged.
ANNA sighed and looked up at Simeon's
Portrait. Il suppose Simeon wished to
do his duty b. her. she said And
IN sure ! don't know whatd become
o. her II he hadn't She amt one bit
That's so. And you can't brighten
Der Ike you could a brass button. either,
- rubbing her all the time. | guess
You've found that out
-Nhna colored- She certainly can't
De made to know more than she does
used to think she might marry But
my land. here she is forty and not
Tell her not to give up hope You
"ere over forty when you landed SIM
~ isn as II she was smart Anna
was holding herself in.
She amt to blame for her lack, INV
oeaf. and she's real handy when IL
comes to Niger WORK She's always
tone yours well enough, amt shep
euess she does. It's something to have
,r Sour WORK done for nothing. Maybe
Siin thought of that when he left her
to YOU" ief
Anna rocked fast without replying.
ai"ayS seemed to me as if Sim
I'll Ieit her bit of money and let
woman >ne oio
Anna got up and went 20 straishten a
snar e, UdN- Whatd she do W th money ?
5irr, "tr ~. go, sense enough TO know a
.tu'f rom a dollar. That makes me
.hink. AUNT III. She'll probably burn
lhe Squash while I'm in here talking m
Mrs. Chapuan's sharp little cack1. IL,
lowed her as far as the door aI.oot
diier the squash. do. I've got my mouth
~ hxed for il. she called Then she
'dSed her head on the biscuit c,Isbio,,
and. turning her eyes toward The soIn,,,,, On
NisaSed and stationary Simeon. .aye
WINK that had in it forty different in
S,,e"iehfs toward the making of mischief
she had liked Simeon Budd eyer af,nr
h., married her niece, Anna "i'e'
She was sitting very dccorousIv with
n'r thih Old hands folded the mic
tui" of genteel waiting when Anns
NJ 70 ASSIST her TO the dinner table
"IS- chapman liked to eat and Anna
.a"aNs got up good meal for her
sue shheied roast meat and onion .,auce
anu coffee. and when she reached her
Sh"ir at the table paused to admire the
outlay OF food and furnishing.
You We done well tods.y, MariIla-"
She said
Marilla Poole did not reply. She was
.ne au'etest thing in the world. As far
speech was concerned, she appeared
70 nave no tongue at ALL But she COL
ofed and smiled at Mrs. Chapman's corn
riimeht and then hung her head as if
sne hah done something to be ashamed
OF Marilia was very fiat and thin and
ai eNcs-dark eyes. too-which made
her iace look paler and thinner She
had on a skirt and waist that had al
diherent times belonged to Anna. her
uneies widow. who was shorter and con-
siderabIy stouter.
The three women sat. down and
Nnna helped the food. She and Mrs.
chapman sat quite near each other
at one end of the table, and every
thing seemd to be closer to them