The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-29

which hung upon the wall of her room,
and noting with rapture the passing OF
tedious days and the slow but sure ap-
proach to the beginning OF the next
month, when she was expected at a
friends house for visit.
Zone day, when there were about
three weeks Of monotony still before her,
she happened to be at the village hotel
ordering for dinner some dish from the
landlady for which she was famed.
BE sure to let us have it by 6, MRS.
Sweeny,' she said, for we expect COM
pany to dinner, and you know Aunt
Jane prides herself on her punotuality.
Yes, miss, it shall be there prompt,
although l. don't know as I ought to
promise it, for have my hands full,
what with being cook and waitress and
chambermaid and all, with only one
girl to help me, and she fool, and a
handsome young man in the house with
his father, and they expecting things
nice and neat and having them, too, for
the Star and Crescent shan't fall into
disrepute while I'm alive, that it
shan IT.
A handsome young man?' asked the
heroine of this story with studied care
lessness. Why, when did he Gomez
ga week ago come next Tuesday,
miss, and that jade Minnie walks her
self off yesterday and leaves me in the
lurch this way, and after all my kind
ness to her, too, and she knowing how
hard it is to bring things just to turn
if you are cook and waitress at the same
time-the ungratefu1 girl-and they
having private reom for their meals,
which makes things even harder.
"'I'll tell you what I'll do, Mrs.
Sweeny, said the heroine slowly. I'll
be waitress for the private room today. ;
What, you, miss?'
"sYes, /. 1t will be rather fun for a
change, but you must not tell my uncle
or aunt. Now, not word. know will
enjoy the novelty, and will be here
promptly at / dressed just as Minnie
always was. And silencing the good
landlady's protests she returned to her
home to don a neat print dress she owned
and to borrow a white apron from one OF
her aunt's servants.
Sat O'Clock she reappeared before
the still protesting but very grateful
Mrs Sweeny, and with courtesy an
rounced herself ready to serve the
strangers
MRS. Sweeny pronounced herself de-
lighted with her waitress, as she turned
her around and around, and then arm
ing her with tureen of soup sent her
in to make her first appearance in a
new role.
s'Oh, Kathleen, how did you darep'
we all exclaim in one breath as she
pauses.
Every easy, my dears. just wait un-
til you become victim to a really
monotonous existence and see to what
distance you will go for diversion.
Why, school life is the widest kind Of
fun compared with visit to my uncle
and aunt. But to resume.
'sSeated at table in the private din
ing room imagine good looking man,
very much like Mr. Wrinkle, we will
say, but not quite SO serious looking.
Perhaps he had no occasion to be SO at
that time. Picture to yourself fine
looking old gentleman opposite. Upon
this scene entered the waitress. Neither
gentleman looked up, but went on with
a discussion they were having as to
whether a collegiate course was in all
cases very advantageous thing for a
man. AS they were finishing their soup
the son looked up at the waitress and
asked for some bread, which, Of course,
she had forgotten, not being used to her
duties. After that somehow and much
to her discontinue she met his eyes con-
stantly. She began to wonder if he
could suspect her suddenly assumed
character, but she decided that was ut
terly impossible, and her presence of
mind was in measure restored.
"After the fish Mrs. Sweeny, with
many apologies for the weight, handed
her a dish of roast beef, charging her to
be careful and not let it drop. 1t was
very heavy, and her arms trembled and
her face flushed, and she decided wait
ress' life was not all joy. AS she ap
preached the table with her burden she
stumbled little, and the young man
jumped up, exclaiming impetuously:
Let me help you.
"Their eyes met over the beef, while
a deep blush mounted to the brow Of
the waitress. Then the young man gen
tly took the dish from her hands and
placed it upon the table. The older man
was oblivious of this scene, being alb
sorbed by this time in his paper. The
waitress left the room as soon as posi-
BILE and tortured herself outside with
conjectures as to whether it was custom
airy for members of her calling to be as
sisted with heavy dishes by the guests.
Time passed before she had come to
any decision, and she was obliged to
return to her post with regret for her
rash act ranking in her bosom. How
ever, the meal was soon over, and with
every blessing showered upon her head
by the overworked landlady she return
ed to her home just as her aunt was
beginning to wonder at her absence.
GAS she sought her room with visions
~ 4 II L e H1.r