Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-06-26


Annabel.
And just then the dining-room bell
1t was a dainty little dinner, the
joint production of Annabel and the
maid, and there was nothing George
could ~criticise. And how Annabel
laughed when George sampled the
golden johnnycake.
"And how does that compare with
Aunt Mary's?" she asked.
''It's all right" said George, whose
mouth was too well filled to permit
of any further eulogy.
'The new maid made it," cried An
mabel.
The new maid did not appear in
the dining-room. Once or twice An
mabel fitted out after some necessity |
for the feast, but George caught
no glimpse of the accomplished
stranger.
did you get a reference with this
new girl?"
AHHtDel StdEteu.
BLESS me- she cried, 81 forgot all
about it,"
George shook his head.
That's bad" he said. "We can't
be too careful about these strangers.
Biscom told me to-day about a girl
they took without a reference. She
stayed one night and disappeared
with his wife's best frock. I'll see
the girl and find out about her"
Don't say anything that will hurt
her feelings, dear. Perhaps l had
better go with you"
."You stay here" said George. "Ill
be right back"
But he didn't come right back. He
was gone a long time. Once Annabel
thought she heard the sound of
laughter in the direction of the
kitchen, and pretty soon she grew
so fidgety that she determined to
follow George and discover what had
become of him.
She softly entered the dining-room
and stole across and opened the door
into the China closet. The swinging
door into the kitchen had glass pan
els in it, and through these Annabel
could look without being observed.
The new maid was standing by the
kitchen table washing dishes, and be-
side her stood George. He had taken
off his coat and there was a big blue
apron tied about his neck, and he was
| wiping the dishes as fast as the new
maid washed them.
And both were merrily laughing.
Annabel softly retreated back to
the library wondering what it meant.
And after a while George returned.
''The reference seems to be all
| right" he said. 81 know some of
the people she mentioned, and I'll
look the matter up more fully to-
morrow"
"Then she thinks she'll stay with
us?" said Annabel.
"Yes,' said George. "She likes
you, and she likes the house, and l
think she's going to like me. Any
way, she said she meant to stay just
as long as we'd make her welcome"
Elm very glad" said Annabel. 81
never was so much taken with a
stranger before"
eyes," said George, ''but don't for
get that we have to treat her well.
We must let her sleep in the front
chamber tonight"
"Why, George, that's the guest
chamber!"
eyes, know"
"And it's all ready for Aunt Mary"
THAT can't be helped" said
George. "We'1l let the-the maid
sleep there tonight, and then we
can make other arrangements. Sort
of let her down easy, you know"
why, George, ! never heard of
such a thing! You'll spoil her"
Every welI,' said George, "I1l take
the responsibility. We've got to
humor her. I'll go up now and light
the gas. The-the maid is tired and
wants to retire early, and she has to
arise early, too, you know"
He paused in the hall doorway and
looked around.
"Annabel," he softly said.
swell, DEAR"
"You're a little goose"
And he went up the stairs chuck
ling.
Annabel did not rise early the next
morning. She was tired and sleepy
and a load of responsibility was of
her mind. She did not know that
George was up at daylight and bust
ling downstairs and rafting about
the range.
But after a while She dimly com
pretended that someone was calling
her. Yes, it was George. What was
he saying?
"Annabel, Annabel, come down, yor
lazybones. Aunt Mary is here ant
breakfast is waiting"
Aunt Mary come! And the hostess
not up to welcome her. Oh, what 6
shame!
How she hustled on her garments
and twisted up her pretty hair.
When she tripped into the library
size looked about eagerly. George
was standing by the mantel, and il
the dining-room doorway the new
) maid looked at her with a smiling
face.
"Where' is Aunt Mary?" she cried.
George answered her questioning
glance by opening his eyes very wide
; and then shutting one of them YER.
tight.
"The reference proves to be al
right, my dear" he said, with a conf
cal quaver in his voice.
hr,cho1 1oolyad from GeOrUa To FIJI