The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-03-11
Near St. Anne's
By JANE OSBORN


| MatrDn Of nn ~old ladies' home ="
| Madge Grnyi II sou had seen her rs
che set out that Thanksgiving eve you.
too. would have rebelied against the
fate that had forced Madge to her de-
cisi0n. II had been merely the result
Of little arithmetic. She received
| $50 a week--a sum that would once
have seemed munificent-for her work
as lllng clerk In q downtown office.
For board and lodging In a tiny .all
bedroom she had 10 deduct SD. There
were six lunches besides. and clothes
and carfares and all those little Incl
dentals that. no matter what your in
come, always come 10 work havoc with
your budget AT 81. Anne's Madge had
been offered $50 a month-but there
would be no -xpenses-no earfare,
board, lodging. lunch or laundry. IL
was not that institutional life seemed
10 hold out any attractions 10 Madge,
but simply because she was tired OF
putting up the fight that seemed nee
essary In adjusting her standard Of
living 10 that'S20 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 a let
ter fun of pity that st. Anne's home,
Of which Mrs. Saunders was q diree-
tor. was In need OF a 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 matronshlp Of 81. 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 10 exert the
supreme tact needed to get on with
the "aged gentlewomen" who lived at
ST. Anne's
II the inmates of ST. Anne's had
been really in need II might have been
easier. but the fact that they paid "A
not lnconsiderable board and that
they themselves regarded st. Anne's
not at all as "A charitable institution
although II was heavily endowed
made the task OF being their matron
none too easy
Imagine the fair-haired Madge,
scarce more than child herself,
mothering all those old ladies. But
to her there was nothing incOngruous
In the idea. So having no more inter
esting plans 20 make for the holiday,
she told Mrs. Saunders that she would !
go out TO ST. Annes to look things |
over" and see If she thought she |
could possibly assume the responsible |
fly that the position required.
Mrs. Saunders had thereupon |
asked her TO 20 out Wednesday after. |
noon and spend the Thanksgiving |
week end there. She wrote to the de- !
parting matron 20 receive Madge and |
10 try to make 81 Anne's seem as at |
tractive as possible
So when twenty-year-old Madge |
started out by train TO the unfrequent- |
ed suburb that harbored ST. Anne's II /
was with the feeling that If she ac-
cepted the positlon-and there seemed |
not the falntest doubt but that she |
would-her last decision would have
been reached. She would simply re-
main AT ST. Anne's the rest Of her life. |
So far there hadn't been very much |
else for her but disappointment she |
refiected-poor little Madge who was
capable of so much enjoyment-and
for such as her retreat like 81. /
Anne's was the best that life could af-
ford. Never had one of the inmates OF
st. Anne's approached that vine-coy-
cred house In the country feeling any
older than did Madge that Thanksgiy-
ing eve.
But she didn't look old-far from II.
The demure little hat and the mex
pensive plain dark suit greatly became
her. II did not require sables and vel
vets 10 set OF the prettiness of Madge
In fact. Madge was Of that winsome
artless type that appear best when
most simply dressed.
She sat IN her seat I'm the rail-
road train watching the retreatlng
isttlANNA II Alf tNtM &iAA +NNhfAlhtl I
sky and the ponds 10 the meadows
showing q border Of ice around the
edge.
And as she looked tear weiled up
from each OF those violet eyes and
met at the bridge Of her dainty nose
and then splashed down on Madee's
hands that lay folded before her What
was the use Of wlping Go awayI There
was 10 one 10 see. or. az least. no one
20 cnre.
Then two more tears started. bur
suddenly were checked. Some one 4
was leaning over her. She looked up
and stuffed q little crg with the hand 4
that had risen 70 wipe away the
vesfices Of her foolish tears
Bob said Madge. and Fob said
"Madee" Then he SAT- down beside
her swell whatever are you do.ugT
he asked. and Madse said ~oh JUST
going 90 Malvern Are yous7
..arrr