Gloria and Treeless Street

Gloria and Treeless Street

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Title: Gloria and Treeless Street
Author: Annie Hamilton Donnell
Release Date: November, 2005 [EBook #9398] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on September 29,
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Edition: 10
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GLORIA AND TREELESS STREET
By Annie Hamilton Donnell
1910
By ANNIE HAMILTON DONNELL

CHAPTER I.
Gloria sat in her favorite chair on the broad veranda. The shadow of the
vines made a delicate tracery over her white dress. Gloria was lazily
content. She had been comfortable and content for seventeen years.
"There's that queer little thing again, going off with her queer little
bag!" Gloria's gaze dwelt on the house across the wide street. Down its
steps a small, neat figure was tripping. Gloria recognized it as an old
sight-acquaintance.
"I wish I could find out where she goes at just the same time every day!
In all the blazing sun--ugh! I'll ask Aunt Em sometime. And that makes
me think of what I want to ask Uncle Em!" It was natural that Aunt Em
should remind one of Uncle Em. Gloria's thought of the two as the
composite guardian of her important young peace and happiness--as
well as money. For Gloria was rich.
"I suppose I might go down and ask him this morning. It's a bore, but
perhaps it will pay. Abou Ben Adhem, I'll do it!"

Abou Ben Adhem, the great silver cat in her lap, blinked indifferently.
He was Gloria's newest pet, so named with the superstitious fancy that
it might have the effect of making "his tribe increase," and Abou Ben
Adhem's "tribe" was exceedingly valuable. Gloria set the big, warm
weight gently down upon its embroidered cushion.
"Good-by, old dear. Be glad you aren't a human and don't have to go
down town in a blazing sun!"
A few moments later the dainty girlish figure came out again, gloved
and hatted. Aunt Em followed it to the door.
"Walk slowly, dear--just measure your steps! And be sure to take the
car at the corner. Perhaps you can bring Uncle Walter back with you."
It was only Gloria who called him Uncle Em. He was not really uncle
anyway to Gloria, being merely her kind, good-natured, easily-coaxed
guardian. But for ten years he and this sweet-faced elderly woman in
the doorway had been father and mother to the orphaned girl.
"Of course he'll come, if I tell him to!" laughed back Gloria from the
sidewalk. "Auntie, please ask Bergitta to come out and move Abou
Ben's cushion into the shade when the sun gets round to him. He'd
never condescend to move without the cushion."
At the corner no car was in sight and Gloria proceeded at a leisurely
pace to the settee that offered a comfortable waiting-place a block
above. The small, neat person of the House Across the Street was there
with her big, shabby bag. She moved over invitingly.
"But you'd better not sit down!" she said laughingly. "If you do, no car
will ever come! I've been here a small age."
The shabby bag between them attracted Gloria's curious gaze. It might
contain so many different things--even a kit of unholy tools, jimmies
and things! It looked decidedly like that kind of a bag.
"A fright, isn't it? If I ever got time, I could black it, or ink it, or

something, but I never shall get the time. I don't wonder you look at
it--everybody does." "Oh!" Gloria hurried apologetically, "I didn't
mean to be rude! I was just trying to make up my mind what was in it."
[Illustration: "I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DO SEE."]
"Well, did you?" The face of the small, neat person bubbled