The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-09-06
A MAIDS READY WIT.
She Knew How to Dis
eliminate.

hee ", ma am" Her black face wore
q look of chronic WEAKNESS, to which
her half-buttoned dress testified. But
Penelope was aristocratie; she moved
in high society, and prided herself
on her knowledge of social etiquette,
says the New York Times.
"Oh, my!" groaned Mrs. Hardy
from the couch; II suppose I'll have
to see her. But my poor head!
Didn't she send up card?"
mo, IN, she didn't JUS seem to
have no card"
"Well, tell her I'll be down in q
minute"
Penelope sighed and turned to drag
her tired feet out of the room and
down the stairs to the lower regions.
Slowly, painfully, Mrs. Hardy rose
and dressed and then descended with
her sweetest smile in readiness, to
find that her ''lady" visitor was a
prospective waitress as black as Pc
nelope herself.
81 thought you told me, Penelope,
that lady wished to see me?" said
Mrs. Hardy, sternly, when the appli-
cant had departed.
eyes, 'm," replied Penelope, II says
lady"
swell, that's just the trouble; you
don't know lady when you see one.
Now, hereafter, find out what people
want and who they are before you
come upstairs. Do you underestimate"
Eyes, m; is that alp" Penelope
was too tired to enter into social ar
guments; she preferred to let the
question go by default.
The next afternoon Penelope again
toiled slowly up the steps to an
nounce visitor.
"a woman's downstairs to see yo',
ma'am."
well, what's her name?"
"Don't know; said never min the
name; JUS tell yo' she was here"
"But told you always to inquire
peoples business"
Eyes, m, but she wouldn't tell me
that, either; said she'd tell yo' her
self"
Mrs. Hardy hesitated. Should she
see this mysterious visitor who re-
fused to give her name? 1t was Pfeb=
ably some one in search of work, or
else beggar. And her head still
ached,
''Oh, WELL tell her I'll be down di-
rectly!" she said, impatiently.
In view of the unimpeFtance of the
visitor she simply threw a shawl over
her shoulders and descended in wrap
per and slippers, not even waiting to
| smooth her hair, What was her con-
sf,-~nation on entering the parier to
see fal~hionably dressed lady arise
and come toward her
"oh, my dear Mrs. Hardy, am 50
sorry to have disturbed you! l am
Mrs. Williams. And see you've been
living down, too. Unfortunately,
didn't have card with nae, only
called on the part of the managers
of charity to be given this summer
at the Lenox to ask you to be, one
of the patronesses. do hope you
will excuse me for troubling you SO
muchi"
At last the awful visit came to a
CLOSE, anu MITE IldIuJ SuhulAOhCu 4 9
nelope.
did you SEN fo' me, Ina'am?''
eyes, certainly did send for you"
said the outraged mistress. 81 want
to have a thorough understanding
with you once and for all. Yesterday
you came up and told me that lady
wanted to see me, and when I went
downstairs / found colored woman,
and to-day you announce woman
and I go down in my slippers and
wrapper, and find one of the most
fashionable ladies of the town in the
parlor. Now, hereafter when my
friends come to see me ! want you to
understand they are ladies, and that
your country people are women. Do
you understand"
For awhile Penelope said nothing.
Once she opened her mouth, but
closed it again without speaking.
"Yes, 'm," she at last replied; II
makes no doubt yo're right. 'Wom-
an s'pose, is the more nobler tern" "
Peeresses I'm House of Lords.
England is interested in the pre-