The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-09-25
My Lady
| And Perkins.
By C. b. LEWIS.
o.,vrtsnted, 1907. by Associated
IVY Literary Press.
g. 4. 4. Il. 4. 81 8. 1. =. =

IT. hoe become nearsighted and a bit
Che wss rheumatic, and she haG
F,,rbt stoop and somewhat of an I'M
lain pait. But for the vigilance Of
w. maid. Perkins, she would have
''a,od every month of her age and
W. W. for the old woman she was.
pr II was Perkins who skillfully padded
-. GOWN. and applied the dainty pink
~ sa white complexion and who gave
a.. daily lessons in the art of remain
inc young woman.
y was Perkins who had told her for
.,a last dozen years that she looked
Under forty and who made each birth
dar count one less instead of one more.
" bpr way, and it was a good way,
n,rlins was a jewel Of the first water.
Nv lady had wealth. When, at the
400 If forty, she had married again,
a0lv 70 become a widow for the second
lime within three years, her cash in
anne had been largely added to.
At fifty third ardent sutton ap-
rnored but my lady decided to pre-
corre her widowhood and retain con-
troI of her money. At sixty she had
herself and she had Perkins. Five
Years previously, when the woman had
come to her, she had said:
perkins, am frivolous thing of
thirty-fve:"
"Yes'm," replied Perkins as she men
tally added twenty years to the figures.
~ am frivolous, but not quite fool"
Nom"
"And want you to help me from be-
coming one
Certainly, NM"
"If you see me flirting or acting gid
dy, as most young women are apt to
do at times, put your foot down and
stop it"
~ will, NM"
Should ] really fall in love, Perkins
should be so giddy and frivolous
and foolish as to think of marriage,
put both feet down and bring me to
my senses ere it is too late. That's all
this evening, Perkins"
Thus Perkins became lady's maid,
chaperon and adviser combined. She
was the keeper of the keys and the
watchdog of the treasury. She was q
good Judge Of human character and q
close estimator Of how far Irritation
could 90 and still come under the head
Of harmless.
On several occasions, when things
had gone their limit, she had announc-
ed the fact, and my lady had turned
her back on the affair.
1t was one season at Nice when
things went wrong. Perkins was find
ing it hard work to keep the wrinkles
rubbed away My lady was beginning
10 notice her own stoop and limp, and
she was almost ready to acknowledge
that she felt all Of forty-eight and
few minutes over.
Count Dubois made his appearance
at this opportune moment. He was
real French count, if that was worth
anything. He was also a spendthrift
and j gambler. He had about reached
the end Of his tether when he got
around to Nice on tour Of adventure
and ran across my lady and her
friends
His reputation soon caught up with
him, but in Europe a title excuses
much. There was almost at once an
open Irritation between my lady and
the count, and for a time the Argus
eyed Perkins watched it and said moth
ing
However, when Mrs. Grundy had be-
gun to nod and wink and whisper be-
hind her fan, she took my lady in
hand. On all previous occasions the
dear old thing had heaved sigh or
two, shrugged her shoulders and sub
mtted to the inevitable, but on this
OCCASION to Perkins great surprise.
she proved obdurate. =.
Perkins. am surely in love-" she
replied
"But you can't be. You are too-too
young"
But know that | am in love, and
shall marry the count, poor boy"
Perkins came back at her with
enough statistics to swamp the char
acters of three or four adventures.
but my lady had made up her mind
and nothing could move her. Perkins
knew when to argue and when to con-
zeal herself behind the portieres.
Before the count left the pariors next
day she was in possession Of all needed
particulars. There was to be yacht
ing party Of a dozen friends. and dur
ing the trip the engagement would be
announced-two weeks later a mar
rage and honeymoon trip
The yacht would not make the har
Dor until late hour in the evening.
and the count would call for my lady
IN carriage. He further threw out
suggestion. 1t was that Perkins be
locked in her room at q certain hour to
prevent her wandering about Nice dur
Ing the evening hours and getting lost
or falling off the quay.
Human jewels such as she had been
known to disappear off the face of the
earth While fnnocently taking the night
ar of that charming resort.
But Perkins won't be advertised for
as lost jewel" said Perkins to her
SER as the count left the house, and
lot the next few hours her face wore
an expression that ought to have put
uly lady on her guard, but didn't
she was so mild and gentle and af-
iectlonate and she seemed so far from
suspecting any sort of plot that she
could have asked for a raise of salary
and got it on the spot AS she didn't