Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-10
CONSTANT CROSSBIE
Chambers Journal.)

very decent diggings, old man, said,
lazily. "Still. they're not any better than
your last. What made you changer
II had very little to do with it, an
swered Crossble. ut was Mary Ann"
/ turned and looked at him searchingly.
No; he was not quzzing. for his look
was, II anything. rather more serious
than usual But in a moment he pro
ceeded to explain.
you'll remember my old rooms at al
Basil street? Well, Mary Ann came there
about three months ago as housemaid.
Something about her--I ought TO say
everything about her-captivated me AT
once. Her grace, her smiles, her manners
were all remarkable, and l had never
seen anything like them. There was no
affectation, no nonsense. and everything
she said or did was a part Of herself
native and natural. or course, you can
guess the result of all this. / adored
her before week was out, and In
fortnight had proposed
YOU'D think that any ordinary house.
maid might consider Ii a compliment 10
have the refusa! of two hundred year
and what some of the critics call a
rising literary light. But Mary Ann, be-
ing quite an extraordinary housemaid
treated the matter very sensibly. she
said she liked me pretty well, but she
could not give me an answer then. We
hadn't known each other long enough.
l tried to persuade her that we should
have plenty Of time to get acquainted
after the wedding. but she couldn't see
II. A week later she told me that she had
found another sItuation-this time in
Bayswater.
IL was frantic. What Going to
Ieave?' said. Does this mean that you
don't want 10 see me again|
"'Ohl no, SIR she said, quietly. 1t
does not mean that. I'm taking another
place, that's ALL
'Tn two minutes I had made mp my
mind. There were rooms vacant in the
very house she was going to, and week
later / had taken possession. / was
with her once more.
THAT rest was all too brief. She seemed
TO have very strong objection to
staying more than a few weeks in the
same service, so in a month she had
found another situation. and was off
again. / couldn't understand 1t. The
people all liked her, and wanted her to
stay. and | begged her TO take a final
situation with me. It was of no use.
"'No,' she said, firmly; / like
change. and II you really love me you
will wait a little longer. l believe you're
ashamed OF me because I'm house
maid.
81 protested I'm vain; and she went.
"But | had determined not TO lose sight
of her for a single moment, so l made
the necessary inquiries, and soon found
myself installed as ledger where she
was again the housemaid. This Is the
place, and I've been here three weeks
now. | know II can't last, though, and
I'm expecting every hour TO hear that
she has found another situation. That's
the whole story"
Crossbie sighed as he concluded. I
was gazing at him in doubt and wonder,
hardly believing my ears.
"Do you mean to say" began at last,
"that you have fallen in love with =
housemaid, and that you change your
lodgings every two or three weeks because
the girl takes II into her head TO change
her situationY"
He nodded gloomily.
"And. her name is Mary Ann?" I muir
INJURED.
at is" said Crossbie. with a melancholy
smile.
/ thought the matter over He was
sane enough, as sane, in fact, as any
hard-working literary man could be ex-
pected to be. Yet his story revealed a
state OF things as mad as any l had
ever heard Of.
Il know what you're thinking about"
he said suddenly, throwing the end OF
his cigar through the open window. you
think I'm crazy. But wait till you see
Mary Ami I'll ring for supper"
He rang. and in a minute or two Mary
Ann entered with cloth. Crossbie
glanced at me curiOusly and must have
been satisfied with the effect, for 1 am
sure that my surprise was plainly visible
in my face.
Mary Ann was a lady. Mary Ann was
sweet Mary Ann was charming. House
maid indeed she was, but an angel in a
pretty cap and apron may be an angel
stil.
"Crossbie," I remarked, when she had
gone. please. forgive my suspicious. Go
to the North Pole. old man, II you Ike,
or take pair of back garrets in a White
chapel alley. I'll guarantee that you are
the sanest man alive
He cheered up n little. and smiled.
ITS a queer thing, Of course" he said
"but I am determined 10 go on with H.
She speaks of another three months, and
OF course that's not long to wait for such
girl But these continual changes are
quite beyond me-"
perhaps she breaks things" I suggest
ed softly.
NO" he said with decision. ITS not
that She never breaks anything OF
makes any trouble. Why, the landady al
| Basil street was crying after her-actu-
ally crying. Nobody ever cried after me
think she must be OF a roaming dispO-
stion, or something of the kind. Perhaps
she has gypsy blood in her veins, though
she doesn't look like Il. At any rate
can't be sure of her for a single week. anC
| never felt so unsettled in all my life"
/ sympathised with Crossbie. He was Q
really good fellow, a hard worker, anC
one who could always be depended upon
wondered that any housemaid in the
wide world could treat him in such q
| way, or fail to see his merits al glance
| And to keep him changing his rooms
| every month. and travelling from one enc
| of London to the other, was adding IN
| jury to insult. | rather wondered. 100
| how he could stand IL, for Crossbie was
one Of those fellows who love their crea.
| ture comforts. He must be hard hit, IN
| deed.
him to cheer up and make the pest OF II
| After all. l said IL was better that Mary
Ann should do all her roaming before
marriage than after. With that senti
ment he fully agreed.
Ten DAYS later | called 70 see him again,
and found that he had gone. Nobody
seemed to know where, and for long
time | could find no trace of him.
Long afterwards, however we met once
more. and he related the whole story or
his singular experiences subsequent 10 the
date of my visit. IL is remarkable his
| tory.
Mary Ann had soon tired OF the Ken
singtOn situation. CrOssbie saw the
| change coming. yet he groaned inwardly
when at last she declared her intention.
| 'sWhat? on again. dear? When will
| YOU give II up and settle DOWN."
She looked at him reproachfully.
.tf,... No. CHI 40 WI