The St. Johns herald., 1901-05-11

} A Maid to- 0rder.


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 should not be there to witness the sue cess of the occasion for which they had all worked so hard.
 The older girls reasoned, pleaded, rep resented, but Gertrude stood firm. PART II. Mrs. CaulkingtOnS critical eyes were already boring holes in the drawing room furniture, and the luncheon hour was but three minutes in the future.
 Isabel, in her prettiest silk waist, was arranging the oyster plates upon the table, preliminary to ushering their guest into the dining-rOom.
 Suddenly purling of gingham skirts brushed the silence of the place, and a soft voice sounded in Isabels ear.
 If you please, Miss" said the voice. Miss Gertrude done send me. l am de maid to ordah."
 "Good graciOus!" shrieked Isabel, un- der her breath. She started back, the oyster plate in her hand narrowly es- caping calamity.
 She said Good graciousw once more, and very fervently when she turned. For there, not a yard from her side, waiting to be assigned to her duties, stood the most desirable of cOlOred WaitreSSeS.
 She was tall, we'll poised, and, bar ring her skin, a strikingly handsome young woman. Her pink gingham gown fitted to perfection and closely resem- bled one worn by Gertrude for morn ings on the porch. Her dainty ruffled apron was strikingly like one which Isabel herself wore while sewing. Perched saucily in her black, ripply hair she wore a bit of a cap, which, when examined at close range, seemed to be nothing more than tuft of white lace cleverly pinned.
 Isabel took a second look at her new acquisition and dropped into chair laughing weakly.
 Miss Gertrude done send me, Miss" the maid repeated softly. And she said fo' yO' to jest go set in de parlo' and leave all the servin' to me-"
 "Oh, Gertrude, Gertrude" gurgled Isabel. "What nonsense won't that child attempt?"
 The luncheon was faultlessly served. Never was waitress quicker, lighter, softer, more all-seeing, more graceful.
 Even the critical Mrs. Caulkington was impressed.
 Afterward, when the luncheon party had adjourned to the drawing-room, the guest deliberately led around to the subject of domestics.
 Do you find it as hard to get good girls in the suburbs as we do in the city?" she asked 'I imagine not, for that young waitress of yours is perfec- tiOn itself"
 "Well, good girls are very scarce here," answered Isabel. "And I've no doubt we'd have endless trouble if we had to change. But, you see, we have raised Anna ourselves. She knows our own ways and suits us perfectly. We've had her for more than ten years. I know she'll never leave us unless. of course, she marries and has a home of her own"
 My dear girl, you simply have a treasure" cried the visitor with warmth. 'If I were in your place I would shiver at the very thought of losing her. And, do you know, since I've seen how perfectly your little table is arranged and served, Pm really afraid of what Miss Isabel will think when she comes to me in the city. I hope you will close your eyes to a num- Der of things in my housekeeping, Miss Isabel"
 "Oh, am not critical, Mrs Caulking- ton," laughed Isabel. "And everyone knows how hard it is to get maids like Anna nowadays. What to Eat.