South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-30
Robbie's Service
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By Hilda Morris

Robbie was six years old, and he
adored Miss Gwen Lorimer Miss
Gwen was twenty-three, but that
made no difference to Robbie. To
him she seemed delightful COM
nosite of his mother. his sister. his
hest little girl friend and the fairy
prineess in his story book who had
rippIy yellow hair and was perfect
IN beautiful.
Miss Gwen used 10 come by Rob
bie's house every day or so. She
lived Just a block farther up the
street. and Robbie hung over the
gate to watch for her. Sometimes
he went to see Miss Gwen, too
call. which necessitated the cleanest
of white suits and the most careful
brushing of his shiny brown hair.
Miss Gwen always gave him cookies,
and sometimes she read him stories,
or told him wonderful things about
when she was a little girl and lived
way off on the sea shore. She al
WAYS Wore SUCH III CITY rONA't'f 'f-N--
roses in them, sometimes, and lace
al the throat And she used TO put
her arm around him when she read.
and they sat together on big sort
couch in a sunlit room where ire
burned on the hearth and there were
vases full Of flowers. 1t was no
wonder ne loved Miss Gwen.
There was another person whom
Robbie loved. TOO. next to father
and mother. and that was his uncle
Ralph. Uncle Ralph used to play
bear with him. and ride him piggie-
back and take him riding in the car
and make him feel like a-weil, like
a man. Uncle Ralph was wonder
full person.
Miss Gwen and Uncle Ralph were
friends too. Uncle Ralph went TO
see her. quite often, and sometimes
they went to parties together. Rob-
bic wondered whether Miss Gwen
gave him cookies and sat on the
couch with her arm around him, too.
Robbie supposed that she did. In
his friendly little world everybody
was friends with everybody else, and
since people were always being kind
to him. he had no doubt that they
treated each other in the very same
manner. lie used to tell Miss Gwen
! all the nice. wonderful things that he
knew about Uncle Ralph. and she
always seemed very much interested
and pleased 10 listen. And he always
told Uncle Ralph all the nice things
that had happened when he visited
/ Miss Gwen. and he seemed interested.
too. Robbie loved them both with
/ all his heart
But one day there came a cloud
on his small horizon. Uncle Ralph
was cross TO him. He wouldn't ride
him piggie-back and he looked so
I frownv and queer, the way cook did
when she didn't want him in the
kitchen. And Miss Gwen went past
the house on the other side of the
street. without even looking at him,
although he hung over the gate and
waved 10 her until he almost lost
his balance. II was very disturbing
Robbie did not mention it to any
body. but he puzzled il in hurt ST
! lence. \ week went BY, seven long,
/ long days. and Miss Gwen never
came near him and never asked him
! 10 come over TO her house. And
Uncle Ralph didn't talk TO anybody
al all and he didn't eat SO awfully
much IS he always had. Robbie's
mother kept asking him where was
! his appetite. And nobody paid much
/ attention 10 the little boy; he felt
| awfully lonesome.
Then there came the day that
| Uncle went away. He said good
bye 20 Robbie and gave him a pig
gle back ride. quite like old times
but he looked funny and solemn. He
| was going away 10 war and wher
ne came back he would wear a fine
".,ifornn like the soldiers who had