The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-01-14
Near ST. Anne's
By JANE OSBORN
"a. 1919. By Mcclure Newspaper syndicate. ,


Madge Gray! II you had seen her as
she set out that Thanksgiving eve GU.
too. would have rebelled against the
fate that had forced Madge to her de-
cisi0n. It had been merely the result
OF a little arithmetic. She received
$2O a week--a sum that would once
have seemed munifcent--for her work
rs filing clerk In downtown Office.
For board and lodging In n tiny hall
bedroom she had to deduct $12. There
were six lunches besides, ana clothes
and carfares and all those little Incl
dentuls that, no matter what your In
come. always come to work havoc witt,
your budget. At st. Anne's Nudge had
been offered $50 month--but there
would be no expenses--nO carfare,
board. lodging, lunch or laundry. 1t
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 $50 week. So Madge
was Interested when Mrs. Saunders.
who had known Madge before Mr..
Gray's death and the collapse OF the
Gruy affairs, wrote telling her in a let
ter full OF pity that st. Anne's home,
Of which Mrs. Saunders was a direc-
tor. was In need of matrOn and that
Mrs. Saunders remembered how tact
full Madge had been with the old
Indies 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 a position very much
sought after and that the $50 had not
been deemed sufficient to the other
inatrOns to persuade them to exert the
supreme tact needed to get on with
the aged gentlewOmen" who lived ut
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 IA
not inconsiderable board and that
they themselves regarded st. Anne's
not Mt all as charitable institution
although 1t was heavily endowed
made the task Of being their matrOn
none too easy.
Imagine the fair-halred Madge,
scarce more than child herself,
lnothering all those old ladies'. But
to her there was nothing homogeneous
In the idea. So having no more inter-
esting plans to make for the holiday,
she told Mrs. Saunders that she would
20 out to st. Anne's to look things
over" and see II she thought she
could possibly assume the responsible
ity that the position required.
Mrs. Saunders had thereupOI
asked her to go out Wednesday after
noon and spend the Thanksgiving
weekend there. She wrote to the de-
parting matron to receive Madge and
to try to make st. Anne's seem as at
tractlve rs possible.
So when twenty-year-Old Madge
started out by train to the unfreQuent-
ed suburb that harbored st. Anne's 1t
was with the feeling that II she &C.
cepted the pOsitiOn-and there seemed
not the faintest doubt but that she
w0uld-her last decision would have
been reached. She would simply re-
main ut 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 st.
Anne's was the best that life could af-
ford. Never had one Of the inmates of
st. Anne's approached that vine-cOv-
cred house In the country feeling any
older than did Madge that Thanksgiv-
Ing eve.
But she didn't look Old-fnr from It,
The demure little hat and the mex
pensiye plain dark suit greatly became
her. 1t did not require sables and vel
vets to 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 In the rail-
road train watching the retreating
landscape-the cold gray November
sky and the ponds In the meadows
showing border Of Ice around the
edge.
And as she looked tear welled up
frOrn each Of those violet eyes and
met at the bridge Of her dainty nose
ind then splashed down on Madge's
hands that lay folded before her. What
was the use of wiping 1t 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 stitied little cry with the hand
that had risen to wipe away the
vestiges Of her foolish tears.
''I,ob." said Madge. and Bob said
'Madge." Then ne sat down beside
her. swell, whatever are you doingY'
ne asked. and Madge said: "Oh, just
going to Malvern. Are your"
Bob said he was. and then: "Whar
can you be going to Malvern for?"
''Oh. to see some people," said