Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-01-13
ssEssa a -zs7Esa@4Yas5a-- 1890
Second Best
What Ann Said and What
She Did
BY LOUISE OLNEY


Ann Marks eye flashed Direct
as her name, she refused IT, marry
| Henry Jasper. lie stood before her
Il little awkwardly, but yet man
that most women would have con
sid,red kindly. He was not forty,
| we'll off for the simple community,
highly respected, and his wife, Caro-
line, had been dead three years. Be-
ing mere man, how could he know
that Ann. his old scloolmate, had
suffered agonlcs when as young
| man he lad courted and married
her cousin
No one knew why Ann had not
married. She never wore her heart
| on her sleeve. Now. in spite Of
| herself, her heart softencd to him,
noting how his hand RULED his hair
as ii always did when he was puz.
zlcd and unhappy.
81 never did think | could be see
ond best in any mans life" she
went on rather cruelty. And |
don't sec how Mt my age, thirty
five, and | don't care who knows il
II don't see how can begin play
ing mother to another wolnan's
child. The boy will hate me. as all
children do stepmothcr. No: ask
some other woman The man
flushed angrily. .a..'.
"Don't insult me, Ann. You
know | don't want any other wo-
man. I've always--you know | can't
tell you what always thought Of
you. 1t wouldn't seem fair to Caro-
line, who did her best by me-"
The world knew she had been q
weak, fretful, untidy woman, jcal-
Gus, thriftless, her baby beauty gone
in few years. And it knew of his
loyalty, He could not tell this wo-
man 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.
Gam. il you knew how | needed
you in every way you would come.
DO you think | have forgotten how
to love?" Still she shook her head
He turned slowly away, climbed into
his buggy and drove to his avn
farm, Ann sat thinking, for she
remembered many things. She
finally rose and went into her sis.
ter Molly's house, where she was
visiting.
In the crisp September morning
Ann started out for a walk. She
went over the hill where she used
to play with Molly and with Henry
/ and Caroline. Reaching the top OF
the hill, she sat down in the falling
leaves, pushing the heavy dark hair
back from her face.
Down in the valley she could see
Henry Jasper's house and harnyard
He was hitching the bays to the
buggy. and presently he drove away
| A sudden temptation assaulted her
She had heard Molly say his most
recent housekeeper had left. Should
she go and have look at things
She did not see the boy about
Probably Jimmy was ut his grand
mothers. She rose and walkct
across the stubble.
The door was locked, but sht
found the key under the mat ant
entered. She could have groaned a,
sight of the kitchen ~ dishes un
washed, floor ditto, disorder ram
pant. The sitting room, the bed
room, everything was u sorry sight
Things had been bad enough il
Caroline's time, but now they wcr'
impossible.
She had no cempunction abou
entering. She had always been il
and out before she went 10 the city
He would not care. She Looked 2
the clock and calculated that h,
could not get back from town nn
der two hours. Then she rolled NJ
her sleeves and skirt and went t
work~--,hshes first. then the floor
then sweeping. busting and making
beds. Before she knew it tire
hours had gone aud it was neon
She found n bite to eat and decid
: ed to go on even IL he caught he
1t il.
She had decided that she woul'
keep at work as long as possible am
then slide out the back way whel
she saw him coming. but il was no
. to be. About / she suddenly wa
aware OF vailing in the yard Mn
from the door beheld Jimmy, fis
/. pole in hand. limping along and cry
ing at every step, He was boy Q
. ten, like his father as one pea I
: another. She ran to meet him an
; saw that his foot was cut and bleed