Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-06-07
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, ~ OF MARY BlANE.

: hospital expenses and the value of her
| services.
1t took Mary Blake a long time to
! get the idea into her head, but once
, there it took complete possession of
her, and the discharged girl had to be
| recalled TO assist in the housework.
ana the kitchen became a scene of
wrangling and discomfort. Mary
Blake was despotic among her own
class of people, and no wonder; she
| found no one who could carry out her
4, plan of work as it should be done, and
with a lawsuit with the city on her
hands she-was not expected to do more
than keep supervision of affairs.
Lawyer Munson won the case. His
| wife and daughter were in the witness
box. where the city attorney badgered
| them until they were frantic with rage.
The presiding judge made eyes at
| pretty Mary Munson. causing her to
blush distressfully. Mary Blake was
as cool and stolid as if she had spent
| half her days in courts, answering
! just as her lawyers instructed her TO,
and she was accorded half the sum ue-
manded. Mr.. Munson had asked for
$4,000 and she was given 1900 in 80
days after the trial was concluded.
The money was paid to Mary Blake
herself, as the records show. Mr.. Mum
son wished it settled in that way, and
he then gave her his bill for law serv-
ices, never imagining for moment
that he would have any trouble in get
ting his pay. But Mary Blake had been
awakening to the value Of her own
services. The Munsons had said under
oath that she was worth 50 a day to
them, yet they had never paid her but
81 a week, during her long term of serv-
ice. She had done a little figuring on
her own account, and the result was a
counter bill that appalled, Mr.. Munson
by its dimensions, minuteness of detail
and summing up. He was caught in a
trap of his own construction.
A compromise was Effected and Mary
Blake at once retired from domestic
service, leaving the Munson family to
get alongas best they might. She went
neither in sorrow nor anger, but with
determination that brooked no ap-
peal leaving Mr.. Munson to mourn the
hour when he took legal view of her
accident.
One day Mary Munson sought her
mother. There Is lady in the parlor
to see you"
"Who il she?" asked Mrs. Munson.
Her daughter laughed, but would not
tell. Mrs. Munson went into the par
Tor win n company smile on her face.
"Goodnessl Is it possible? Mary
Blake?"
Mrs. Munson tried TO keep from
laughing as she shook hands with her
ex-cook. She was rugged out in
cheap silk dress, with many flounces,
wore a feather-bedecked hat and an
imitation seal coat. Her pudgy hands
were crowded into white kid gloves
several sizes too small.
Il wouldn't have known YOU" said
Mrs. Munson, "you look so fine"
''Yes'm, an it's time. Them's the
first pair of kid gloves ever had on,
and me workin' and Eavin' all them
years"
"They built a monument in New Or
leans to a woman who never wore a
pair of kid gloves" said Mrs. Munson,
gently.
I'D heap rather be here than atop
any monnyment," answered Mary
Blake, who had her own ideas Of NOR
tuary art. 'I'm enioyin' meself now
like other folks, goin' TO the theayter
every night and the parks every Sun
day, an I'm never soilin' me hands
with work"
We've one hope" said Mrs Munson,
when her caller had gone, Eat the rapid
pace she is going now Mary's damage
fund won't last great while, and when
it is gone she may get back her COM
mon sense and her usefulness. Until
then we must worry along with substi-
tutes."-Mrs. NJ L. Rayne, in Chicago
Record-Herald.
Poison I'm the Lily OF the Valley.
A German botanist has discovered