New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-22
WHO WAS THE THIRD MAID


with delight at its resistless power; the rain
came kissing down in large drops.
Our hotel was situated on an eminence ove,
looking the town; and rs we slowly ascendeI 70
il IN our cab, We thought We'll. we must nor
be surprised 10 lind our intended abode for the
night has vanished" viz
However, presently We stopped in front =, -.
building which looked substantial enongb 10
withstand anything and in answer TO our drivors
application to the bell, the door was promptly
opened by smartly attired porter lie was
closely followed by person full of smiles and
bows who posted himself in the doorway ready
TO receive us.
a fOrty-pounder had been fired to welcome oTr
arrival: and he of the smiles and bows was
hurled headiong against the muddy wheel of our
conveyance by the samming-to Of the LARGO door
My wife's bonnet blew of and tugged hard az
It's mornings the light in the porch was ey.
tinguished while the wind seemed to give a
shrek of triumph AT the jokes he was PLAYING
upon MS. Here we were. then, in total dark
ness and exposed 10 the drcnching rain How.
ever, half an hour afterwsrd all discom.
forts were forgotten we sat down to an ey
ccllent dinner IA IN carte.
Next morning | was abroad very early. look.
ing for lodgings. Fortune seemed to smile upon
me on this OCCASION for scarcely had proceeded
fifty yards from my hotel when | came upon a
very nice looking row of houses. and in the window
of the first was " Lodgings TO let Knocking a,
the door, it was soon opened by a very neat
looking maid
/ inquired if could see the proprietor. bus
was told that Miss 6. was not yet down. said
! would wait, and was shown into very COM
fOrtablv furnished dnng-room. Soon Miss
appeared, and proved to he a pretty brunette OF
about fyc-and-twcnty, whose dark eyes during
our short interview were every now and then
fixed on me with an intentneSs that seemed TO he
irving 10 read what kind of person | was: while
her manner, though decidedly pleasing, had a
certain restessness in it which ! could not help
observing. Her father and mother being both
dead she kept the lOdgng-hOuse herself |
asked her if She had good cook, TO which she
replied she was responsible for most of that din.
cult part Of the mpna2e herself, keeping two
maids TO assist in the house and parl0r work
She went on 10 say that her drawng-room was
dssected": term common among north country
lodging-house keepers, and meant TO express that
il was undergoing its autumn cleaning. but she
would have il put straight If ! wished ] told
her that we should he quite cOntened with the
dipjng-roOm provided we had n good bedroom.
This she at once showed me- and, soon coming
to terms, ! returned to the hotel
After breakfast went to the bureau 10 ask for
my account. While il was being made ont.
observed casually that | had taken lodgings at
Miss Gs on Cliff Terrace. upon which the ac-
countant looked quickly up and said Oh. Miss
G.s." and then as quickly went on with my bill
| hardly noticed this at the moment, though |
thought Of it atterward.
Eleven o'clock saw rs comfortably ensconced
in orr rooms. After lunch we took a de.lghtiql
expedition, tie weather having greatly moderated.
We found that night, at dinner, that MISS &.
was iirst-ratc cook. and we retired u rest much
pleased with our quarters
We soon made the acquaintance Of the two
maids. Jane. who waited on Ms. and Mary, the
h0usemoid: and two very pleasant and oOllelng
young women we found them.
About the third morning Of orr STAY on going
nm 10 my bedroom after breakfast | was sur
prsed TO find a stran-c maid in the room She
was standing by the bed. smoothing down the
bed-clothcs with both hands and appeared 10 take
no notice Of me but continued gazing steadily IN
front Of her. while her hands went mechanically
Oh smoothing the clothes | could not help being
struck with her pale face; winch wore look
Of pain and tie fixed and almost stony expression
of pp,. r-p q
ton rs found her. On coming down. said TO
my wife: " did not know Miss 6. employed three
servants. There certainly is another making the
bed in our room" | am ShOrt-sigltcd. and my
wife would have il that had made mistake;
but felt quite certain had not. Later on. while
Jane was laying the lunch. | said TO her: q" |
thought thar you and Mary were the only two
servants in the house.
YES. sir: only me and Mary" was James re-
ply. she left the room.
There said my wife: II told You that you
were mistaken And | did not pursue the sub
ject further.
Two or three days slipped away in pleasant
occupations. such as driving, boating, etc. and
we had forgotten AL about the third maid; We
saw but little of Miss g.. though her handiwork
was pleasantly apparent in the cuisine.
ON the sixth morning Of our stay, which
wife, after breakfast, said She would go up
and do little packing while made
ont our route for the. following day. in the
Bradshaw: but was soon interrupted by the return
Of my wife with rather scared look on her face.
Well" she said. You were right after all. for
there is another maid, and she ~ now in our bed
room. and apparently engaged in much the same
occupation as when you saw her there. Size took
no notice of ne. 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 rs having dark hair,
her face very pale. and her mouth very firmly ser.
My curiosity was now much awakened that |
determined Ia question Miss G.. on the subject
But our carriage was now al the door waiting for
ls - = IN n NDpffiOn that would ~
all day.
ON my return. late in the afternoon. meeting
third servant that Mrs X and myself have seen
once or twice in orr bedroom? ,"
Mss 6. looked. | thought, rather scared. and,
murmurnG something that | could not catch
turned and went hurriedy down the stairs into
the Kitchen.
An hour aferward a, we were sitting waiting
for orr dinner. Jane brought a note from Mss g.
inc'osing her account. and saving thar she had
Just had "a telegram SummOnng her - the sick
bet of re- latiuu that in all probability she would
nor be back I'LL after our departure but that She
had left directions with the servants. and hoped
they would make rs quite comfortable and that
we would excuse her hurried departure
few minutes after. cab drove up = the door.
into which. from our window We saw Miss q. get.
ana drive rapidly away.
Later on in the evening. while Jane was clear
inc away the dinner things. ! said t. her: By
'hc-by, Jane. who is the third maid" She was
Just roin- 10 leave the room as smoke: instead ~
replying she turned round with such a scared look
on her face that felt quite alarmed then. hur-
rirdly catching mp her tray. she left the room.
Ihinliinc that further inquiry would be very
dlsagrceahlr 70 her, | forbore again mentioning
the subject Next day. our week being up.
departed for fresh woods and pastures new.
Our tour lei rs considerably further north. but
n month later saw rs hOmeward bound. The
nearest route by rail led us by y As we drew up
az the station we noticed on the platform parSon,
i'm whom we recognized one of the clergy of X.
whose church We had hecn -. Presently the door
of nupnp1 n
lady, wished her aDod-by. the guards whistle
blew and we were of. After 4 short time
fell into conversation with the lady and found her
To be the clergymans wife Among other things.
we asked after Miss c.
oh. Miss c., she replied; "she is very well.
but | hear, poor thing. she has not had very
good season."
=" am sorry to hear that" | replied why Is
Inn nir11Itn M l,nrn