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

I'm sorry Tor that, SAID the
stranger.
Annabel gave her a quick glance.
Il think l am going to like you
very much" she said. xviii you look
at your room now?"
So she took the stranger up the
back stairs to the airy and sweet
smelling chamber, with its snowy bed
and curtains, and the stranger, as
she laid aside her hat and cape, said
the room quite suited her. Then she
asked Annabel to lend her a COM
mon frock that she could wear until
her trunk came. And Annabel
hustled about and decked her in an
ancient summer gown, and a white
apron and a white cap, and then
stood back and contemplated her
work with great satisfaction.
"Why, you're a picture" she said.
"But you are not thinking of max
ing an art gallery of your Kitchen"
laughed the maid.
And somehow Annabel failed to see
any incongruity in this remark.
She escorted the new help back to
the kitchen, and then hastily slipped
into the dining room and telephoned
to George.
George" she murmured, "a new
girl has come, and 1 know she's a
jewell"
Don't let her slip from the set
ting until | can see her." laughed
George. what is she, an emerald?'
"She's a diamond of the first wa
ter" said Annabel.
eff she's a diamond she must have
carroty hair" chuckled George.
But, say, don't forget about Aunt
Mary"
Not for a moment said Annabel
81 am all ready for her now"
So Annabel and the new maid got
the little luncheon together and ate
it together, for here, thought the
young mistress, is a maid that fla.
miliarity will not spoil.
But right in the midst of this little
repast Annabel stopped short.
Dear me-" she cried, 'I've never
thought to ask you for your name
The maid looked up.
SIT doesn't much matter" she
said. Suppose you call me by the
name the children called me at my
last place. 1t was Auntie."
"It sounds a little familiar" sale
Annabel, "but, of course, I'll call yol
that if you prefer it. George vii
think it funny, though"
"Your husband?"
"Yes. He can see fun in almos
everything. He has even cracked
jokes over my being without a girl
81 am afraid he is a little "irrever
ent," said the maid.
But he began to feel more serious
about it last night" said Annabel.
"How was that" queried the maid
"Why, he had a telegram from hi
Aunt Mary saying she would be her
to-day. He had been expecting he:
for several weeks. She has beel
abroad and with a niece in California
and George hasn't seen her for fou
years. And he was so anxious sh'
should have a good time while sh'
was with us, and even hopes to Goa,
her to stay here indefinitely, becaus
she has no settled home. He think
so much of her you know. She wa
very, very good to him when he was
boy, after his mother died. And h
was anxious to have her see and lik
me, too: she has never seen me, yo'
know. But really, what sort of a
impression could a young house
keeper make when she hadn't a girl?
The new maidI laughed.
"And is this aunt supposed to b
a very exacting person."
"George says she is kindness itsel
but I'm afraid she would be a littl
critical. You know how we wome
are? OF course, I suit George, bu
then he is quite blind to my fault:
I'm really a rattlebrain, you know
Mercy, how I'm going on now!"
The new maid laughed over her tef
cup.
81 think" she said, "that you'v
been hungering for somebody to lii
ten to you"
"That's just it," cried Annabel. 81
was different when Lena was her
She was a German girl and very we
educated, and so sensible. We ofte
read German together, and really sh
used much more careful English tina
1 do. But her mothers health faile'
and she had to go home and loo
after her father and the younge
children. That was five weeks ag'
, and I've been trying to replace he
ever since. And really, you know, it
!, been dreadfully lonesome here eve
since she went away"
81 can imagine it," said the ne
maid. 1--WE been lonesome myse
a good many times" And she quicl
ly and deity cleared away the r.
mains of the simple meal. "You sal
your husbands aunt was coming t,
day."
, $50 she telegraphed," replied Anna
bel. "But she wasn't on the trail
George says she must have been d
layed somewhere, but he expecr
she'll surely be here on the late af
, ernoon express. And I want to hay
J a real nice little dinner for her, yC
. know"
"Of course" said the new mai
with a sympathetic nod.
"And you must help me get it
e said Annabel.
The new maid laughed.
"You have my most gracious pc
. mission" she said.
r "Oh, I'm not as useless as I look