Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-09
And THE HOMENEW SUMMER IDEASPRIzE SUGGESTIONS
The Daily Story
When Annie Played Goose
berry.

| ward the Berkshiresi mere anu lnSi
some belated strawberries, tiny speck
OF crimson in the grass, Joined thei
y fragrance to the invigoratlng breath 9
the pines. From an unpninted barn cam
the persistent click-clack, thud-thud OF
"a LOOM where Miss Lettce was weayin
= yards Of carpet from little balls OF col
'u ored rag A voice sharp enough TO tn
I verge Of dlspleasure startled her.
ID "Wlll YOU finish tomorrow, sister7"
e lit don't hardly seem possible"
"A 3" Twas promised, pears to me your,
. uncommon slow. Surely you're not sucf
IL fool as to be thinking o. William Hen
=, derson and such nonsense at your age
. Miss Lettlce's hand invountarily
sought the fastening of her bodice, but
8 tho faint crHckle Of the secreted paper
r was too imperceptble TO reach Mrs. AL
, | lens ears.
. THE letter was delayed. He's coins
away tomorrow"
"Lettlce Howard he's no man for you.
We settled that years ago. I'm ashamed
for you-that you so much as think on
linn now"
Hes free again" Miss Lettlce
spoke deprecatingly.
Free Is it7 If he wasn't good enough
for you when he was young, a widower
with three children certainly ain't no
gain" With a toss OF the head. Mrs
Allen recrossed the road to her cottage.
Miss Lettice sat mserably uncertain,
her hands idle In her lap; she forgot the
loom and Mrs. Harris, who was count
ing on the finished carpet Her thoughts
were with the curly headed lad from
whom her sister had separated her, be-
! cause he failed to settle I'm the town
! where he was born but, like rolling
stone, was forever wandering apparently
| gathering little Of this worlds goods
| Aunt Lcttice you're in love-in love
Don't ask me how / know, because you
| are. You don't listen to what folks are
| saying, and as to the carpet"
Yes, dear, the carpet" Miss Lettice
seized the shuttle and sent 1t flying
through the shed of arp-threads: her
feet mechanically worked the treadle
shifting the heddles, then with the bat
ten 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 IS nothing"
Ihere is, You darling, come 'fess up
I'm not to be put off-it's fellow sym
pathy.' The crimson dCepened in the
laughing face and with soft wheedling
she gained the desired confidence and
MISS Lettice surrendered her letter
1t was in no sense a love letter. vet
1t was the nearest approach that the |
spinster had ever received: possibly she |
read between the lines:
Dear Letttce: am visiting my |
brother Joe till Wednesday. I want so |
much to see you, If I'd be welcome send |
me word. Yours, as ever,
m "wILLIANI."
IL only got 1t last night"
ITS too late to write now" her niece
hurried on. but you must go to Chatham
10 see him. Make believe you're shop
ping. Jennie's going tomorrow. I'll have
Rob ask her to stop for you"
sister would never liSten-besideg IT'S !
not the carriers day"
She's making a special trip for Rob's
mother Just to think-the girl rose ex-
citedly,, ut must be ten years"
Twelve"
And you cared all this tIme-oh, Aunt
Lettice, how could you bear it. Mothers
good as she can be, only she's had so
nuch trouble it's made her a little hard
Do as / say, and III play gooseberry
for you. After breakfast come over. here.
as usual. About 10. walk down the road
TIL the carrier overtakes you then 10
Chatham with her and to Joe Hender-
sons. ask for William and you'll have
hours together. Jennie will pick YOU IN
on her homeward trip. You'll be back
% supper Mother need never know I'M
ess you choose to tell her"
But the carpet-if she doesn't hear
what's wrong"
Later when Annie wandered down the
cad with Bob, the moonlight showed I
heir heads very close together. vhiIa ,
low and again the girl broke into a rim
10 OF nischievous laughter. WATCHING. /
ne Ihother felt pang of jealousy. Rob
vas good match. yet she dreaded tba
ay she must yield her daughter to an
ther' and tonight the time seemed very '
leaF' she went several times n her ,
Dom for forgotten trihes, and each time
mere showed line of light beneath her 7
ister's door. ''S'
Seems to me you're a long time get
ing to bed" she admonished. '
The next day she was too bnsv rro- l.
eIVLns 10 notice Annle's absence or give
nought to her sister; but when the iost j
ar or Jelly was sealed she caught up her :
eve Lettice. ~ v
AS she entered the barn the glare from \
ne outside sunlight blinded her. but even
men that passed she doubted her own n
sht' Rob was working the loom while r.
hnle' rosy and tender, hung over the
ack OF his chair. Miss Lettlce was mo- V
mere 10 be seen, but the carpet was =,
ompleted' Even as she entered Bob
lrew down the shuttle and caught Annie j
round the waist.
Now my reward" she cried his lips =
'eking hers lovingly. 81
''Annie!" At Mrs Aliens cry the -
ouns people turned, but Bob did not =
'lease lne girl NJ
MRS Allen, she's promised-that is :,
lth your approval ! love her-Iu he ~
good TO her as l know how" r
say yes mother-I'm so happy"
mere was painful silence before Mrs Is
zen reluctantly gave consent; then her J'
tterness sought an outlet =,
Where is your aunt?"
eerfully Doo
Done Is 1t, by whom?" ~
MIS- Allen, Mis- Allen" the carrier II
ew her horse up at the barn ana on =,
rs Aliens appearance thrust a note 20
20 20 her hand and hastened on II
daughter did you know of thls?n Mra =,
lens voice shook as she passed ths y
per 70 the girl who read aloud; Al
sister--don't be angry, I just had 10 =.
william, and he could not bear thai %
should part again. I'm very happy III
"LETTICE HENDERSON, dt
Shes married, mother dear. Now irs ~
ne won't you be glad, too?" y
5ut Mrs. Allen turned and waIka5 cl
emily over to the cottage. n,
It's DIT rough on her losing ,,ou
IN the same day" admitted Rob. draw. 10
the girls hand into his. "but wA,u n
iAe ~ al up TO her In the future''
4 fftnnzypHakf ! Ia