OLD PETER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 4 (Supplement)

OLD PETER.

By PHYLLIS HUGHES

<6\/0U know," said Alison, looking J at Big Michael with eyes that were curiously dreamy in contrast with her bright, eager little face, "if I were big and strong like you I would never be content to stay at home and do nothing to cure the depression." "Wouldn't you?" smiled Big Michael, taking her little hot hand in his strong brown ones. "What would you do?" "I would buy a ship," said Alison. "And I would sail right round the world and visit all the strange countries, and make friends with the people who live there you know. And then—"

"And then —?" prompted Big Michael softly. "And then," continued Alison, "1 would come home again to New Zealand you know, and 1 would write a book all about the wonderful countries I had visited." "Yes?" said Big Michael, wondering how this was going to help the depression. "Yes," said Alison. "And at tha end I would tell everyone that none of those wonderful countries is half as wonderful and splendid as little New Zealand. And, of course, everyone would be anxious to come and see if that is true. It is true you know"—loyally—"and they would spend heaps of money here, and that would cure the depression, wouldn't it, Big Michael?" And again, anxiously, "Wouldn't it, Big Michael?" "Oh yes indeed," declared Big Michael reassuringly. "Oh yes, 1 guess that would do the trick all right." "Yes," agreed Alison. "And then daddy wouldn't have to work any more and we'd all be rich. And I expect— Yes, I expect I'd be able to have the operation, Big MicKae!, and I'd grow up big and strong like Hazel." Big Michael rose with a stifled sigh and kissed her flushed cheek. "That would be just fine," said Big Michael. "Yes," said Alison to herself after he had gone. "Yes, it would be fine." When mother came in to say goodnight, Hazel was still there, looking down at her little sleeping, sister with eyes that held a mixture of tenderness and pity. "She is so very little," she said without looking up. "One would think a puff of wind could blow her away. I wonder sometimes how God can let anyone so small and weak suffer so."

"Hush!" the mother said, bending: to kiss the little face. "God knows what is best for us, my dear. He will not let my baby suffer any more than He can help."

Alison often had visitors. There was James Robert, who was Big Michael's little brother, and who was better known as "Little Mike." He came to 3ee her often, and he was

always so gay and happy that he shed sunshine wherever he went. Perhaps it was because Alison was so tiny, and because when she had her "bad days" of pain and misery, she suffered so bravely, that sturdy little Mike was always so kind to her.

"Some day, when I'm grown to be a man," he would often say, "I'll marry you, young Alison, out of all the girls I know." Alison would look at him with wondering eyes and say, "But 1 am only a poor little cripple girl." "I don't care." Little Mike would declare staunchly. "1 like you lots better than other girls." Deep down in her heart Alison knew that she would never marry Little Mike, however willing he might be, because he was not rich. "And I must marry a rich man like old Peter," thought Alison. She did not like old Peter very much. She even felt a secret contempt for him when he came to their house on the pretext of seeing her. She knew that it was Hazel whom he really came to see. Hazel aid not like him either. "1 hate his little eyes," she would say, "and his horrid black moustache. I know he is kind to Alison, but l wish he would not come here." But old Peter came often. Alison saw a strange look of yearning in his pale eyes when he looked at Hazel. "Some day," thought Alison, with the wisdom of nine years, "he will ask her to marry him." Alison hoped Hazel never would marry old Peter. "How much does it cost to buy a ship 1" Alison asked Big Michael one day. "Oh, ever and ever such a lot," replied Michael gravely. "Do you think old Peter would have enough ?" "Yes," said Michael soberly. "Old Peter would have enough." "I wish you was rich like old Peter," sighed Alison wistfully. "Yon could marry Hazel then, couldn't you. Big Michael." "Perhaps," said Michael, smiling a little, "she would wait until I am rich. Do you think I should ask her to?" "Yes," agreed Alison. "Yes, I think you should." So Michael went off to find Hazel and to ask her. Hef did not come back again. When Hazel brought her tea, Alison cried anxiously, "Did you tell Mm you would wait ?"

Hazel pretended not to hear, but when Alison repeated her question, she answered truthfully, "No, I did not tell him so. You see, Alison dear, lam going to marry Peter. He asked me yesterday, and I promised him that I would."

"Old Peter —" cried Alison sharply. "Oh, no you cannot do that. You cannot Hazel. If Big Michael never gets rich I must marry old Peter. Then I shall buy a ship and sail round the world. To cure the

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depression, Hazel — And you must marry Big Michael, because he wants you to so dreadfully. He does indeed. Hazel— I know he does."

Her anxious eyes were pleading desperately, but Hazel only folded her close with the little head pressed against her shoulder, and her tears falling on to Alison's neck. After a little while she began to explain, a? gently and clearly as she could: "You see, darling, the doctor has told us that you will never be well unless we can afford the operation sooa. And you know we are so very up against things just now and daddy hasn't nearly enough money, because it is rather an expensive operation you know. But Peter is very rich, and he has lots and lots of money, and if I marry him, why then, he has promised that you shall have your operation just as soon as it can be arranged. Just think how splendid that will be, Alison. You will be able to run and play with the other children, and you will grow, up big and strong, instead of always being just a poor little cripple" But Alison said stubbornly, "1 don't want you to marry old Peter. You must marry Michael, because he is going to be rich, too, some day." Hazel jumped up. She was struggling to keep back the tears. "Oh, as if I should cai'e," she cried chokingly. "As if I should mind how poor he is if it wasn't for you." Alison lay very still after she had gone. Sometimes her lips moved and she whispered, "If it wasn't for me—" When she fell asleep there were bright tears still trembling on her lashes. During the days that followed, bringing Hazel's wedding day nearsr .and nearer, Alison grew very restless. She asked often for Big Michael, but he did not come. No one seemed to know where he was. There came a day when, with old Peter sitting at her bedside, holding her little hand in his hot, clammy fingers, Alison could be silent no longer. "Old Peter," she began, turning her dark eyes upon him. "Why do you call me 'old' Peter/' he interrupted, smiling a little. "Why," said Alison, "you are old, aren't you?" "Not so very old," he said, and although he was still smiling, Alison thought there was a hurt look in his pale eyes. "Only 35," he added. "But that is ever such a lot older than Hazel," Alison told him earnestly. "Hazel does not mind that," he said, very quietly. "And after all. that is the only thing that matters." "Hazel is marrying you for your money," cried Alison quickly. "She does think you too' old, really. And it is Big Michael she wants to marry, because she likes him lots better than she likes you, and she would not mind him being so poor if it was not for me. But you see, I must have

the operation soon, or else I will be a poor little cripple girl all my life, and Hazel is o'nly marrying you so i that I may have it." She had never before seen old Peter with the look that was on his face now. It frightened her a little, bat she caught at his hand with little clinging fingers. "1 would rather be a little cripple for always," she cried, "than have Hazel' marry you instead of Michael." Old Peter gently disengaged her fingers. "I see," he said softly, and he kissed her forehead before tie went. Strangely Alison did not want to shudder. Instead she returned his kiss, and she heard him say as he straightened himself, "God bless yon, little girl." That night when Hazel came in she said quietly, "I am not going to marry Peter after all. He has told me he wishes to be released and he is leaving New Zealand and going back to America." "Oh! I'm glad!" cried Alison, clapping her hands. "Now you will be able to marry Big Michael and be happy ever after." But Hazel shook her head. "Big Michael will never come back," she said. But Hazel was wrong. One glad sunshiny day Big Michael came leaping up the steps, his face wreathed in smiles, and his laughter ringing out so joyously, that Alison, hearing it, could hardly be possessed of the patience to wait and hear his evident good news. Presently, however, Hazel led him in, hanging on to his arm, and both of them looking so ridiculously happy that Alison had to laugh. They told her between them the good fortune that had befallen Big Michael. How a distant relative of whom he had never even heard had left him a legacy of, in Michael's words, "just a mere couple of thousand or so. Enough to buy a little house and to pay for. an operation for a certain little friend of mine." Perhaps Big Michr.el never- knew just how great a friend Alison really had been to him; for, as old Peter said when he came to say good-bye to her. "It is our secret, Alison child—yours and mine." Alison had not quite understood at first, but she knew now. Old Peter had laughed at her so heartily. "Dear child, you do not recognise your old Peter jn hk role of deceased relative?" Alison, looking at his jovial face, though he looked almost young just then. Her little hand crept into his. "You do not look old to-day, Peter." she said softly. For a moment she saw his pale eyes looking searcliingly into hers. For a moment she saw the sick misery, the infinite heartache, at the back of his assumed gaiety. "And yet." he laughed, "I am older to-day than I have ever been." And Alison, with her child's wisdom. read the deeper meaning in his words. She pressed his hand comfortingly. "Never mind, Peter —dear Peter." "Not 'old' Peter any longer?" he asked, teasingly. She looked up, the tears giving an added brilliance to her lovely eye 3. "No, not 'old' Peter." she said softly, pressing close to him. "Not 'old' Peter, but—'Peter the Great.'"