The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-05-15
WHEN The COOK LEFT.

"What is it?" she asked elias some
body given reception and sighted you
just when you have a new gown? Or have
you the invitation and not the gown"
"Nneither. Oh, it is something per
fectly awful"
him. | suppose, then, your husband
has been treating you badly. Well, as
long as he has you might relieve your mind
by telling me all about it,"
''He hasn't either I'd just like to see
him try it! No; the-the c-cooll is gomez
"Pshaw! Is that all? Well, don't cry.
I'll stay and help you. Let me see, l used
to make lovely omelet at school. 1t was
cooked in a dustpan. Oh, let us give a
dinner party! Hasn't George some nice
friends whom he might asb?'
'Ie-es, he he has. | wish had never
seen any of them! | wish had put off the
wedding year! | wish | had let Georges
old maid aunt come to live with us!"
The visitor looked alarmed "You
haven't any fever, have you, dear? And
does your head feel quite right"
'No, it doesn't. Get me another hand
handkerchief, and | II tell you all about it.
Just look Mt me, will you, and tell me what
| look like"
"l'd rather not dear. You might not
like it. II suppose you have been trying
tn t1a he, l.; II,
haven't you?"
mo, but I've been trying to cook lunch
con George said he didn't feel quite we'll
after it was over, and he went over to the
the drug store to get something to take a
queer taste ont Of his mouth. | don't see
why he need act that way when had the
loveliests roses on the table and other
things, too!'
'Well, don't he low spirited. Well
ligence offices in town. We can buy things
ready cooked, too"
81 don't care. just don't care for
anything. | can never hold up my bead
again as ] live"
''You don't mean to say that George
took too much Of something to take the
queer taste out of his mouth?"
'Of course don't mean anything of the
kind, and you are not true friend or you
never suggest such a thing. | cried little
after he went out, and | must have got
some SCOT on my face and rubbed it in.
Just then the door bell rang, and, thinking
the cook had perhaps relented and returned,
I ran to answer it. 4 was not the cook.
and, oh, Laura, who do you think it was?"
81 don't know. Your motheriu.law,
perhaps"
~ wish it had been my mother-in law
She csn cook. No; it was that horrid girl
George used to be engaged to before he ever
knew me. | never met her, but ! recog-
nized her from her photographs
''If YOU never met her. how do you know
she Is horrid?'
''lIumph Any girl who could not get
along with George must he horrid. Besides
he has no taste at ALL can never see a
trace of beauty in the women he calls
pretty
But tell me about opening the door. -
ooh, when came face to face with her |
thought | should die! Her husband was
with her. Neither OF them Of course knew
me, and"--
II should think not, if you looked as
you do now. How did you manage to tear
your gown so?'
Caught it on nail. They both smiled
when they saw Inc and asked if Mrs Nooli-
wedde was at home. | saw they thought
was the maid and, assuming a brogue-
You know | was always good at amateur
theatricals-I said: Faith, and TINT she is
not Who shall say was afther askin'
for her? -
con, you clever girl! Why, l should
never have thought of such a thipg-not in
a thousand years
'Ies, wasn't it clever? But while she
was taking out cards and expressing regrets
heard George come in the back way. In
my agony lest he come out and betray me,
ran back to the dining room door, but
before could stop him he cried out What
is it, darling?"
"You don't say so! Did they hear him,
and what
81 caught a look of frozen horror on their
faces as they turned and fled down the
steps. Oh, | thought l should just die,
and II wish had"
"But perhaps, after all, they really
thought you were the housemaid."
George says he-he hopes nos, for in
that case what would they think OF him
for calling me 'darling?' !"
And there was a sound of weeping in the
room.