Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-06
DAILY NOVELETTE,
ROMANCE Us. RICE
BY Adelaide II. Kemp
BY Adelaide II. Kemp
NNB PRESTON boarded the

A N N II IL Il D oN oo"rueu IN
4 4 crowded Pullman Of through trai
with an expression of absolute wearines
' on her pretty face. Tired from her har,
winter In the office, she felt glad in
deed she had resisted the pleading o
the other girls to spend her three weeks
vacation with them at fashionable
seaside resort. With closed eyes sh,
remembered gratefully the kind letter
from dear Aunt Maria inviting her dowr
to the old home in Maine, where she
spent such happy summers when she
was little girl.
1t was late in the afternoon when the
train came to her station. Coming to-
ward her was n tall, well built young
man with eyes gray. Could this be
Aunt Maria's adopted son, the merry
| freckle faced lad with whom she had
spent such happy days fishing and pick :
ing berries?
With outstretched hand and slow
friendly smile he met her.
"You are little Anne. ! should have
known you anywhere he said.
"Why!" she exclaimed, his calm
deep voice causing an odd flutter in
her heart, "you must be David"
AS they logged along the country road
they were soon chatting merrily to-
gether, quickly bridging over the years
since they last met, as is the way of
youth. Anne breathed in hungrily the
sweet breath of the pines and the tang
of the salt air.
ooh !" she said, twas anything ever
60 lovely"
On the brow of the hill overlooking
the sea stood the lovely old farm house.
As they drove up Aunt Maria's motherly
figure rose from the wicker rocker on
the porch and with kind, ruddy face
beaming with affection, came to meet
her. Anne felt tightening at her
throat, and with sudden mist blurring
her eyes she hid her face in the ample
bosom.
One morning she entered the kitchen
at an earlier hour than usual, to find
it deserted. A few dishes at the end
of the table gave evidence that the men
had finished their breakfast. But the
fire was low and an unusual air of desc
lation seemed to pervade the atmosphere.
Anne quickly ran upstairs to Aunt Ma.
ria's room, only to find that kind heart
ed soul stricken with a severe headache
and unable to dress.
ooh, auntie, why ever didn't you
call me?" exclaimed Anne, laying her
cool little fingers on the aching brow.
"You mustn't worry, dearie. I'll
soon be better" answered Aunt Maria.
"If could only sleep short time. But
there is so much to be done down
stairs"
"Auntie," said Anne, with deter
mination. "I can do everything If you
will tell me what to get for dinner. And
then you can take good rest and feel
all right by afternoon"
Aunt Maria, with a relieved sigh,
gave a few directions, adding at the
last, "and David loves rice pudding. So
you can make a big one and he can
have it for supper, too.
"You will find plenty of milk and
eggs in the pantry" Anne, having
seen the patient comfortably settled for
quiet sleep, returned to the kitchen
and set to work humming cheerily to
herself.
1t might have been two hours later
that David, returning to the house as
was his habit for a little lunch, heard
queer choking noise in the kitchen.
Hurriedly entering, he saw slight
figure huddled on the old sofa.
why, Little Anne" he said, hurry
ing to her side, what has happened?"
For moment she lifted her tear
stained face and glancing despairingly
toward the stove, sobbed Rice"
David looked wonderingly in the
same direction. II don't understand,
he said. Annies face was hidden on his
broad shoulder now and he held her
close.
"Why! Why!" she stammered in
mufied tones, "Auntie asked me to
make you rice pudding-a big one.
And l opened her new five pound pack
age and put it to soak-aild, oh, dear !"
she was overcome now and could say
no more. A look of understanding came
suddenly to David's face. Over on the
stove were kettles of rice, little kettles,
big kettles, even the dishpan had been
called to service. He drew one long
breath and then his peals of laughter
could be heard In the attic. Anne looked
up Indignantly and tried to draw away,
but he only drew her closer. Suddenly
the humor of the situation struck her
and her sobs changed to merriment
equal to David's.
1t was at this Juncture Aunt Maria
appeared in the doorway, her headache
bandage perched on one ear, bewilder-
ment in her eyes. On the old sofa sat
her help blissfully unconscious of hoe
ing undone or dinner to be cooked. Late
in the autumn when they started on
happy wedding journey, David picked
a few tiny white particles from the
folds of his wife's dainty suit.
Look, Little Anne" he said, mis-
chievously, shall we save these for
pudding?"
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