The Tomahawk., 1919-12-25
Near St. Anne's
By JANE OSBORN

%, 1919. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.)
Matron of an "old ladies' home"
Madge Gray! If you had seen her as
she set out that Thanksgiving eve you.
too, would have rebelled against the
fate that had forced Madge to her de-
cision. 1t had been merely the result
of little arithmetic. She received
$40 a week-a sum that would once
have seemed munificent-for her work
as filing clerk in a downtown office.
For board and lodging in a tiny hall
bedroom she had to deduct $12. There
were six lunches besides, and clothes
and carfares and all those little Incl
dentals that, no matter what your in
come. always come to work havoc with
your budget. At st. Anne's Madge had
been offered $50 a month-but there
would be no 'eXpenseS-nO carfare,
board, lodging, lunch or laundry. r
was not that institutional life seemed
to hold out any attractions to Madge,
but simply because she was tired OF
putting up the fight that seemed nee
essary in adjusting her standard OF
living to that $40 week. So Madge
was interested when Mrs. Saunders.
who had known Madge before Mr..
Gray's death and the collapse of the
Gray affairs, wrote telling her in let
ter full of pity that st. Anne's home,
of which Mrs. Saunders was Il direc-
tor, was in need Of matrOn and that
Mrs, Saunders remembered how tact
full Madge had been with the old
ladies at the hotel where they had
once spent the summer. Her letter
did not very successfully conceal the
fact that the matronship Of st. Anne's
had not been position very much
sought after and that the $50 had not
been deemed sufficient to the other
matrons to persuade them to exert the
supreme tact needed to get on with
the "aged gentlewomen" who lived at
st. Anne'S.
If the inmates of st. Anne's had
been really in need 1t might have been
easier, but the fact that they paid II
not incOnsitlerable board and that
they themselves regarded st. Annes
not at all rs Il charitable institution
although it was heavily endowed
made the task Of being their matron
none too easy.
Imagine the fair-haired Madge.
scarce more than a child herself,
motherlng all those old ladies'. But
to her there was nothing incOngruOus
a. ca ho1 n inter-
esting plans to make for the holiday,
she told Mrs. Saunders; that she would
60 out to st. Am.e's to "lOok things
over" and see if she thought she
could possibly assume the responsible
ity that the position required.
Mrs, Saunders had thereupon
asked her to 90 out Wednesday after
noon. and spend the Thanksgiving
week end there. She wrote to the de-
parting matron to receive Madge and
to try to make st. Anne's seem as at
tractive as possible. -
SO wien twenty-year-old Malge,
started out by trfiin to the unfrequent-
ed suburb that harbOred st. Annes 1t
was with the feeling that if she ac-
ccptcd the pOsition-nnd there seemed
not the fainteSt doubt but that she
would-her last decision would have
been reached. She would simply re-
main mt st. Anne's the rest of her life.
SO far there hadn't been very much
else for her but disappointment, she
reilected-poor little Madge who was
capable Of so much enjoyment--and
for such as her q retreat like st.
Anne's was the best that life could hf-
ford. Never had one of the inmates OF
ST. Anne's approached that vine-cOv-
cred house in the country feeling any
older tt,an did Madgc that Thnnksgiv-
ing eve.
But she didn't look old-ru' from it.
The demure little hat and the mex
pensive plain dark suit greatly became
her. 1t did not require sables and vel
vets to set off the prettiness Of Madge.
In fact, Madge was of that winsome,
artIess type that appear best when
most simply dressed.
She sat in her seat in the rail-
road train watching the retreating
landscapc--the cold gray November
sky and tlle ponds i'm the meadows
showing border Of ice around the
edge.
And as she looked tear welled up
from each of those violet eyes and
met at the bridge of her dainty nose
and then splashed down on Madgc's
hands that lay folded before her. What
was the use Of wiping it away? There
was no one to see, or, at least. no one
to care.
Then two more tears started, but
suddenly were checked. Some one
was leaning over her. She looked up
and stifIed little cry with the hand
that had risen to wipe away the
vestiges of her foolish tears.
"Bob," said Madge, and Bob said
| s.Madge." Then he sat down beside
| her. "Well. whatever are you doingF
| ne asked, and Madge said: "Oh, just