The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-04-25
THE THIRD MAID.


rived by train at well-known watering
place in the North of England The
wind was bowling and roaring with de-
light at its resistless power; the rain
came kissing down in large drops
Our hotel was situated on an emf
hence overlooking the town, and as we
slowly assembled To it i'll our cab we
thought, 'Well, We must not be sur
prised to find our intended abode for
the night has vanished"
However, presently We stopped in
front of building hich looked sub
stantial enough to withstand anything,
and i'll answer to our drivers appllca-
ton to the bell the door was promptly
opened by Il smartly -attired porter.
He was closely followed by person
full of smiles and bows, who posted
himself in the doorway ready to receive
us.
All at once there was a terrible bang,
as though Il forty-pounder had been
fired to welcome our arrival, and he of
the smiles and bows was hurled headluny
against the muddy wheel of our con-
veyance by the slamming-to Of the large
door Nv wife's bonnet blew off and
the porch was cXtinguished, while the
wind seemed to give shrek of triumph
at the jokes he was playing upon III.
Here We were, then, in total darkness
and exposed to the drenchlng rain.
However, half an hour atterward all our
discomforts We're forgotten aS We sat
down to an excellent dinner q Ia carte
Next morning | was abroad very ear
ly. looking for lodgings. Fortune
seemed to smile upon me on this oc-
casion, for scarcely had | proceeded
fifty yards from my hotel when | came
upon very nice-looking row of houses,
and in the window of the first was
lodgings to let Knocking at the
door it was soon opened by very neat
looking maid.
| inquired if could see the propric-
tor, but was told that Miss c. was not vet
down. | said | would wait, and was
shown into a very comfortably furnished
dining room. Soon Miss G.. appeared,
and proved to be pretty brunette of
about -, whose eark eyes during our
short interview were every now and
then fixed on me with an intentness
that seemed to be trying to read what
kind of person | was; while her man
ner, though decidedly pleasing, had Il
certain restlessness in il which | could
mot her being both dead she kept the
lodgin. house herself. | asked her If
she had a good cook, to which she re-
piled she was responsible for most of
that difficult part of the menage her
self, keeping two maids to assist in the
house and parlor work. She went on 10
say that her drawing room was dis
Sccted, 4 term common among north
country lodginy-hOuse Keepers, and
meant to express that it was undergoing
its autumnal cleaning, but She would
have ii put straight if | wished. told
her that we should be quite contcnted
with the dining room, provided We had
good bedroom. This she at once
showed me, and, soon coming to terms.
| returned to the hotel.
After breakfast | went to the bureau
to ask for nv account While it was
being made out | observed casually that
| had taken lodging at Miss Ct. on Cliff
Terrace, upon which the accountant
looked quickly up and said, Miss G. ="
and then as quickly went on with my
bill. | hardly noticed this at the
moment, though | thought of it after
ward.
Eleven O'Clock saw us comfortably en-
sconced in our rooms. After lunch We
took IA delightful expedition, the
weather having greatly moderated.
We found that night at dinner that Miss
e.. was 4 first rate cook, and We retired
to rest much pleased with our quarters.
We soon made Il acquaintance of
the two maids-Jane, who waited on us.
and Mary, the houSemaid-and two
very pleasant and nhliging young women
We found them.
About the third morning of our stay,
on going up to my bedroom after break
fast | was surprised to find strange
maid in the room. She was standing by
the bed, smoothing down the bed
clothes with both hands, and appeared
TO take no notice of me. but continued
gazing steadily in front of her, while her
hands went mechanically on smoothing
the clothes. | could not help being
struck with her pale face, which Wore a
look of pain, and the fixed and almost
stony expression of her eyes. | left
her in exactly the same position as |
found her: On coming down | said To
my wife: II did not know Miss CT. en-
ployed three servants. There certainly
is another making the bed III our room"
| am short-sighted, and my wife would
have it that / had made a mistake; but
| felt quite certain | had not. Later on,
while Jane was laying the lunch, | said
to her: Il thought that YOU and Mary
We're the only two servants i'll the
house"
Yes, sir; only me and Mary" was
James reply, az she left the room.
There" said my wife, Il told Won
that YOU were mistaken" And | did
not pursue the subject further.
Two or three days slipped away IN
pleasant occupations, such as driving,
boating, etc, and We had forgotten all
1 Il
tie of Miss e.. though her handiwork was
pleasantly apparent in the cuisine.
The sixth morning of our stay, which
was the day before We were to leave.
NV wife. after breakfast, said she would
60 up and do a little packing while
made out our route for the following
day in the Bradshaw, but was soon inter
rupted by the return OF my wife with a
scared look on her face.
''Well,' she said. you We're right
after all, for their l. another maid, and
she is now in our bedroom and appar-
emily engaged in much the same occupa
ton az when YOU saw her there. She
took no notice of me. but stood there
with her body slightly bent over the
bed looking straight in front of her,
her hands smoothing the bed-clothes.'
She described her as having dark hair.
ntl ldce very L'die- anu ii'l iil''i'Il very
firmly set. Ny curiosity was now 50
much awakened that ! determined to
question Miss e. on the subject. But
our carriage was now the door. waiting
for us to start on an expedition that
would engage us all day.
On my return. late in the after
noon. meeting Miss c. in the passage.
said t. her: Who j. the third servant
that Mrs. X. and myself have seen once
or twice in our bedroom ?'
Miss u. looked, | thought, rather
scared. and, murmuring something that
l could not catch, turned and went
hurriedly down the stairs into the
kitchen.
An hour afterward a. We were sitting
waiting for our dinner, Jane brought a
note from Miss g. inclosing her account
and saving that she had had telegram