New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-07-08
MARY JAMES BAKER.

Mary Jane, servant at Cowslip Vii
la, Z, Sunnybank Terrace, was in
most things a perfect gem, but as Mr..
Rollit, proprietor OF that establish
ment and Mary James master, de
clared, she was at times esconfounded-
ly cheeky Mary Jane herself, in her
calmer, unruffled moments, did not
deny the soft impeachment, but, with
characteristic candor, readily &C
knowledged it's correctness. tsShekn
it," she said cit was her falling
Now, Mary Jane was such a sweet,
good-tempered-looking girl that no
one but those who knew her intimate
ly would ever have suspected that
her failing, as she put it, was a pro-
pensity for giving back as much as she
received and a little over; but, al
though this one failing, to which she
confessed, was hidden from the out
side world, Mary Jane had another
weakness which, taking decidedly
more tangible form, was clearly visible
to other eyes than those of her mas
ter and mistress. Failing No. 2 was
Joseph Tubbs, the baker. ~
| Strange to say, just as Mary James
weakness No. l was known but to the
Rollit household, SO as regards failing
No. 2 they were the last people to
discover that it existed. For months
the bakers man-for Joseph Tubbs
was not yet amaSter-came and went,
passing in fowery speeches with the
half-quarterns of whites, compliments
with the cottage loaves, and blandish-
ments with the brown; and yet Mrs.
i Rollit, wide-awake woman as she was,
never noticed how Mary Jane pricked
up her ears when he knocked at the
door, nor remarked what surprising
amount of time can be consumed in
the delivery and receipt Of two house
holds and a tin.
But, in accordance with the princi-
pie that lookers-on see most of the
game, the people across the road
the Jobsons, at No. 10, in particular
were not long before they perceived
it.. They soon noticed that the
diurnal visits of the bakers man to
Cowslip Villa were marked by various
little distinctive features not to be
observed in any Of his calls at
the adjoining houses. Never by any
chance had he to knock a second time
at that door, which was invariably
opened almost as soon as he stepped
up to it; and yet, strange to say, no
such time-savlng celebrity was to be
remarked in the subsequent proceed
ings, which seemed always to be spun
out to the greatest possible length; so
much so, that, as she bestowed on
him last parting glance, Mary Jane
sometimes fingered so long it seemed
as if she must shut her own saucy
nose in the closing door.
But even with her movements thus
narrowly observed, all would have
gone we'll with Mary Jane had not
Master Tommy Rollit taken it into
his head to fraternize with Master
BERTHE Jobson, and thus paved the
way for the bringing together Of their
respective mammals, who, once ac-
quainted, soon progressed to calling
upon each other; and, friendly rela-
tions being thus established, what
was more natural than that, one
day, Mrs. Jobson, after making sun
dry purchases OF surprising cheapness
at a sale, should send over to Mrs.
Rollit. to pop in and inspect these
bargains? ~*
Now it so happened that that day
was a foggy one; but whether it was
the knowledge that this being so his
movements would be the more effect
ually concealed, or whether, after his
long round in the dismal streets,
Joseph Tubbs was overcome by the
sight of Mary James beauty, cannot
be accurately ascertained. Certain it
is, the audacious baker made an at
tempt to seize one of the housemaid's
hands that supported the tray, with
the result that in the struggle a. loaf
fell to the ground. And, what was
more unfortunate still, Mrs. Jobson,
over the way, keeping an eye on the
opposite house as she waited for Mrs.
Rollit's coming, was a witness of the
whole transaction; and, feeling salts
fed that she was only doing a neigh
borly action in putting Mrs. Rollit
upon her guard against what was
taking place, faithfully recounted all
that she observed to that lady when
she arrived. --~: .-.
Mrs. Rollit not a little angry with
Mary Jane for her perfdious Conduct,
on her return at once descended into
the lower regions of her establishment
to interview the culprit. H. --
Mary Jane, with the aid of bad
pen a penny bottle of INK of doubtful
color, was busy writing q letter to her
aunt.
'sMary Jane!' commenced Mrs. Roll
lit, severely, "what is this that 1 hear
about you and the bakers MANI"
Mary Jane started. and her face
went crimson. Then she gave little
sniff, which Mrs. Rollit knew from ex-
perience meant war.
"What is it that you hear, ma amp
she asked, when her cheeks had almost
resumed their natural hue
II have heard said Mrs. Rollit, fix
ing Mary Jane with as stern g. glance