The St. Louis Republic., 1903-03-15

. mount to the little room. Crhey had lin
gered long over the supper, reveling in the
satisfaction Of once more having "a girl
In the kitchen)
But reckoned without my host. but,
more especially. my hostess.
Per request, staid down to admit the
callers that were coming, and to serve
chocolate and little cakes. the latter hav-
Ing been dispatched to the corner caterers
to get.
The mistress kindly explained to me that
she was sorry to keep me up. but these
were friends from New York, and she did
not know Of their intended visit until Mr..
Brown came home to dinner.
Just as pleasantly as hired girl Is ex-
pected to meet these emergencies, met
this one
When I served the chocolate and cakes in
the parlor, could see that my mistress
was anxious that I display the air Of a
we'll trained maid. and 1 am sure did not
fail her in this Indeed, / am certain that
by my manner the New York woman con-
c'uded l was wholly and entirely the parlor
maid, and that her friend. Mrs. Brown,
must keep several servants. so we'll did this
particular one understand her business.
Mrs Brown got the full credit for my
training. 1 am sure. Since there was no
blunder on my part, you see. it was not
necessary to explain that l was the new
girl"
HER DAY OVER
AT 10 O'CLOCK.
At 1880 I Went to my perch under the
Queen Anne roof.
1t was cold UP there. The furnace heat
did not go up so far. and no stove had been
supplied. Maids were supposed to sit in the
nice warm Kitchen until retiring time. and
/ reflected that from a hygienic standpoint a
sleeping-room should be cool. Reason and
philosophy always come to my aid.
L slipped into my faded kimona. l felt
already need of a verse or two from my old
German poet and philosopher, but was too
tired to read.
I There had been neglect on the part of
some one to inform me that at $50 in the
morning there was an electric gong at the
head Of my bed that would be rung to
awaken me. (The first breakfast was at
o'clock and the last at $50 or S.pthe latter
that of the 1S-year-old daughter.)
At the gray dawn Of morning the gong
sounded. Was 1t fire, was the ship sinking
or what? l sprang into the middle of the
floor Then l realized the what and why,
and at the same time that my head felt
heavy. my arms and back ached, and, for
the first time in my life, did not feel like
getting up.
Down the dark back steps 1 groped,
brought from the shed two buckets of coal,
Lit the kitchen fire, went down and SHOOK
up tHe furnace, shOVeling In good lot OF
coal. work that 1 have often wondered a
woman's arms could hold out against for a
full winter.
Then the day went on as busily as the one
before, ironing taking the place Of scrub
bing.
1 busted the bric-a-brac less daintily. NY
hands We're chapped and sore and / could
see how easy under such conditions the
hands of maid could grow clumsy, and
delicate things be smashed as a result.
That morning after breakfast helped to
make beds and ''straighten up" before
going to the laundry for my ironing,
found all had soft cheese-cloth pads over
the mattresses. My lumpy little mattress
the hardest in the house. had none, yet it
was in the room devoted to the use of the
person about the place who toiled longest
and hardest, and. therefore, most needed a
couch conducive to comfort and repose.
Once that day 1 went up the front stairs
to carry visitors card, and was reminded
that l must go up and down by the back
way
Wednesday the blow fell The Jewel of
a girl had a beau, The 1S-year-old
daughter had several also, and in my short
stay in the family / had already noticed
that there was a maternal encouragement
of the most eligible CT them.
With a blush, half real and half because
of the humor Of the situation. conflded to
my mistress Wednesday afternoon, after
had baked four beautiful loaves of bread.
that 1 had STEADY young man." and
asked where I could receive him-if In the