The Lakeland evening telegram., 1920-10-21
ANN AND ANDY
sy BERTHA s. CARNEY.
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.. ann n vralmen had been a week now
~ Sousln Allies in the city, and with
each succeeding day Ann felt smaller
auu more awkward. Her hair had alb
so'u'ely refused to bob" at her ears
ei'y fashion, and there were times
lhal, despite her efforts, her tongue
would slip back into the country
e'nacuiar =, that she had spoken for
.ae eighteen years of her life. Sub
s s.ahtiai she looked, substantial she
'e'' ahd, besides all this, there was
the terrible name of Ann for q hand,.
eap-ahd as for the incest young man
VINO lived upstairs-how could she
aver aver gel acquainted with him If one
dared not speak?
l'iese were the thoughts that were
running through the back of little
AIMS head, as she threw the rugs over
'lie piazza railing and attacked them
vigorously with the carpet beater.
she made pretty picture there In
.he morning sunshine, the sleeves Of
aer pink smock rolled up to her ell.
poWs' and her cheeks flushed with the
exercise, and as she worked an old bit
VI doggerel that she had learned as a
child came into her head, and she
sang, because the morning was so
oflght and the young man upstairs was
so handsome-No! That wasn't what
she mad meant to think at all, but she
Kept singing and keeping time with
the carpet beater.
Good morning, Jenny Wren! win
you kindly stop your housewifely ac-
uvitles long enough to allow me to see
my way down the stairs? Your great
clouds of dust have blinded my eyes
to everything except the comeliness of
my industrious neighbor.'
Ann stopped-mouth open, just as
she had been about to carol forth the
highest soprano note, and carpet beat
er raised He was speaking to her, but
he was only joking with her, for even
at her most vigorous swings only
feeble trail Of dust foated out on the
air; but the last thing he had said
AIMS eyes sought the toes of her
sensible round-toed shoes before she
looked across at him shyly.
'Ihn
looking at her, and it seemed as
though if he really wished to navigate
the stairway in such a terrible storm
of dust there was nothing to hinder
his doing so. Instead he leaned
against the railing.
'This Is fine chance to get ac-
quanted," he said. Fate sends me
out on an errand while you are on the
porch and aS we are going TO be Sucl
near neighborS, it's all perfectly prop
er. I'm Andrew Leonard Andy suits
me better, and you're Ann Vramen.
saw your name on your trunk in the
cellar, and you're not yet old enough
to be called Miss Vraimen"
Ann who wasn't old enough to be
called Miss Vraimen, found herself
shaking hands with Andy, whom, she
thought, was old enough to know bet
ter, and after that " was easy.
When she had beat back the redness
into the roses. and the greenness into
the grass. Ann tugged one of the rugs
down from the rail and Andy dropped
on his knees and began to fold 1t with
deft turns of his wrists,
where did you learn to do that?"
Ann inquired. Andy was gentleman,
at least, even though there had been no
formal introduction, and the warning
voices Of her staid country ancestors
for the first time In her life went un-
needed.
"Handy Andy, that's me-" he
grinned. 81 lived for five years on my
unce's farm, 80 miles out"
Underneath the pink smock AIMS
heart gave a futter of pure Joy. Now
she could own up to her Is years OF
country existence. He wouldn't care. |
He didn't--for on the following Sun
day Andy was helping her over the
stubble and exclalming with her over
the five little pigs that had just ar
rived at his uncle's farm.
1t was the third month Of their
friendship and they were on one of
their frequent Sunday excursions to
the farm, when Ann brOached the
subject OF changing her name to An
nette, or Marian, or any other form
of Ann, as long as there was trimming
enough to take away the plainness.
"Cut It out, kiddie," Andy advised.
II surely was fine to be able to boss
Ann. ~ like your name fine. My
prandmother's name was Ann, and just
look at mine-Andy But you don't
catch me calling myself any fool
name like AndrOcluS do your"
Ann laughed How could she tell
him that all the time she had been
planning to change It only for him?
81 like Andy for name; it's so
10 substantial" and then she laughed
again. for was that not the very quail
nv that three months ago she had
most hated?
That's IT," Andy nodded, "a good
substantial name, just like Ann. Why.