Evening star., 1927-10-26
The Sunbeam Kid.

ssNN n ISIS SAWYER had been think
NH ing about the letter ever
NJ since the postman brought
it that morning. She had
. read it time after time, try.
Ing to find in ii some loophoie of esca pc
for herself. But now at o'clock in the
Afternoon she was still confronted by
,iwhat refused to be anything but a
problem.
/ II Madeline was dead ana Elhef''
/ MadeGne's husband. had written from
Z The hosnital whittier he had gone after
an accident. the outcome OF Whica
was still doubtful. 1t was StruG
Cling little letter which betrayed ef-
: fort.
.'ATv dear cousin" he began, Just as
if he had always known her, where
as he had never seen her. Fut eN-
,tremity doubtless had urged nm 10
.take advantage OF Madeline feia-
.tionehip TO her. "My dear Cousin-My
. wife was taken away from me the l4th
. 'jnStant. Two days later | had bad
5aU and they brought me here. Don't
know vet how I'm coming out. My
little Girl. Helen, is staying with a
. noichhor. hut it isn't any place for
hcr. | wish YOU had her. You would
Ike her. | know, If YOU want her
please let me know soon. Yours sin
cprelN EIBF.kI tltoSS.
+ Miss Sawyer was surprised at tho
nhiCation this letter aroused in her,
where She had thought there was
none. She had taken her young c"u-
sin. Madeline Archer. to live with her.
with the intention Of doing well hv
her. hut Madeline had proved unrulN
and had finally run off to Newton and
married a man out of her class. Miss
Savers responsibility toward Made-
line had ceased with the act. She had
MOI seen Madeline since and that was
-four years ago. The fact that she had
died and left a mild, as expressed in
this letter, was news to her. And the
appeal Ia her to take the child was
blow which sent her staggering.
Miss Sawyer did not understand
children: she was shy with them and
they knew it. She often thought that
she would rather he shut up in room
alone with a young tiger than with
child. Her acquaintance With chill
dren began and ended with her own
childhood long. long ago. Miss Sawyer
was * and ditfident and retiring. She
lived alone, for aside from Madeline.
che had no close relatives. She had
money enough for her own needs and
something to srare-hut not with q
child. oh. No. Not with a child. She
Yet what should she write back to
this poor man? No doubt he would be
waiting anxiously for a letter.
= perhaps l can get somebody to take
the child" she thought. II know
Mrs Carpenter would, only she has
got five children already. There are
plently of people. though, who haven't
children and might like one if only
Gould Just think
Il She went to the window and looked
with her shortsighted eyes out into
the village street clogced with fresh
/. fallen snow. Just above the huge
hank piled along the sidewalks sh"
saw something red hobhng. 1t looked
like big red tassel and properly be
buced upon small cat. A child!
n II can't think of anything else to-
Gav" she sighed.
J. The red taSseI hohbed to the point
where hor walk. also banked hy shin
Ing whitencSs. Joined the street. Here
the red tassel paused. uncertainty.
then began to bob-hoh straight toward
Dor front door. And now she could
gee a small. chubby figure clad in
warm red woolly thinss-sweater, leg
gins and cap.
n why, it's-its coming here gasped
Miss Sawyer.
I The small figure crawled up the
front steps. trottod with a little spurt
rf confidence to the door and instantly
The he'll began to peal its summons
through the house.
"a Mercy. 1t will use up the battery.
Miss Sawyer hurried to TIE door and
snatched it open.
/ 4. "Do--tlon't do that" she said. And
khe Pink finger withdrew from the
R'lsh hutton while rosy face stuck