Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-02-13
this afternoon

this afternoon"
Discharged your echoed our Junior.
'Why, thought she thought so much
Of your
'.And so did I, sir, but she discharged
me just the same"
"But what forY' persisted the other.
That's just what I don't know, sir.
begged and prayed her to tell me, but
she wouldn't even see me. So came
down here. thought maybe you could
help me-"
''Well, let me hear about it just as 1t
happened" said Mr.. Royce soothingly.
Perhaps can help you.''
"Oh, IL you could, sirr she cried.
'You know, I thought the world and
all Of Miss Frances. I've been with
her nearly eight years, and for her to
go and treat me like this-why, it just
breaks my heart, sir! I dressed her
this afternoon about 2 o'clock, and
she was as nice to me as ever-gave
me little brooch, sir, that she was
tired Of Then she went out for
drive, and about an hour ago came
back. went right up to her room to
undress her, and when knocked, sir,
a strange woman came to the door and
said that Miss Frances had engaged
her for her maid and wouldn't need me
any more, and here was a months
wages. And while I stood there, sir,
in my face. After I'd got over it
bit, begged that I might see Miss
Frances, if only to say goodby, but
she wouldn't see me. She sent word
that she wasn't feeling well and
wouldn't be disturbed"
Her sobs mastered her again and
she stopped. could see the look Of
amazement on our juniors face, and
did not wonder at it. What sudden
dislike could her mistress have con-
ceived against this inoffensive and de-
voted creature?
"You say this other maid was a
stranger?" he asked.
Eyes, sir; she'd never been in the
house before, so far as I know. Miss
Frances brought her back with her in
the carriage
''And what sort of looking woman is
she?''
The girl hesitated.
"She looked like a foreigrzr, sir"
she said at last. "a Frenchwomans
maybe, by the way she rolls her r's.'
1 pricked up my ears. The same
thought occurred at that instant to
both Mr.. Royce and myself
'Does she resemble Miss Holladay?"
he asked quickly.
Miss Holiday? Oh, no, sir. She's
much older-her hairs quite gray"
Well, certainly, Miss Holiday had
the right to choose any maid she
pleased and to discharge any or all Of
her servants; and yet it seemed
strangely unlike her to show such
seeming injustice to any one.
'You say she sent down word that
she was ill?' said Mr.. Royce at last.
WAS she i'll when you dressed herw
''Why, SIR" she answered slowly, 81
wouldn't exactly say she was ill, but
she seemed troubled about something.
think she'd been crying. She's been
crying a good deal, off and on, since
her father died, poor thing" she added.
That would explain it, certainly, and
vet grief for her father might not be-
the only cause Of Frances Holladay's
tears.
''But she didn't seem vexed with
you?"
''Oh, no, sir; she gave me brooch,
az told you"
thing" said Mr. Royce slowly, after a
moments thought. "Of course it's
aone Of my business for Miss Holiday
must arrange her household to suit
herself; yet, If you don't get bacG with
your old mistress, I may perhaps be
able to find you a position somewhere.
else Suppose you come back in three.
or four days, and I'll see what can
To-"
"An right, sir. and thank you," she
said, and left the Office.
I had some work of my own to keep
me busy that night, SD devoted no
thought to Frances Holiday and her
affairs, but they were recalled to me
with renewed force next morning.
Did you get Miss IIolladay's sig
nature to that conveyance?" Mr.. Gra-
ham CHANGED to ask his partner in the
course Of the morning.
mo. sir" answered Mr.. Royce. with
just u trace of embarrassment. II
called at the house last night, but she
sent down word that she was too i'll
to see me or to transact any business"
Nothing serious, hope" asked the
other quickly.
mo, sir. I think not. Just a trace
of nervousness, probably"
But when he called again at the
house that evening he received a sim
liar message, supplemented with the
news impaired by the butler, servant
Of many years standing in the family,
that Miss Holiday had suddenly de-
cided to leave the city and open her
country place on Long Island. 1t was
only the end of March, and so a full
two months and more ahead of the
season. But she was feeling very ill,
was not able to leave her room, indeed,
and believed the fresh air and quiet
of the country would do more than
anything else to restore her shattered
,,orx-aS Go tho ybolo household with