The Ordway new era., 1910-12-16
Thoughtless
Annie

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you nevah set no table TO me again.
You say you JUS start in housekeep-
in? My! You do bettah'n mos OIL
mahied women. Take Mis- Adams
down on the second flo. You could
give huh lessons"
do you know her. Annie?" the girl
bride demanded In surprise. She had
been at some trouble to find laun.
dress who should be a stranger to
every one in the building
"Oh. yas'm. Ah used to wash TO
Mis- Adams. but. my. my! All thew
down that place."
The girl bride took note of this re-
mark. She had never lived In a fiat
before. but she had extremely definite
theories as to how 1t should be done.
Help Yourself to more coffee when
you wish 1t. ANNIE" was what she
said. after a pause.
"Yas'm. Thank you'm. Now. that's
JUS sample. All like TO folks to
treat me human Mis- Adams. she'd
give me the most owdacious washin's
like to kill me! All toll huh SO to
huh face. Nevah talk bout nobody
benin they back. Ah'm right out! But
the reason finally thew down the
place was the petticoat
She waited, and the bride, being
flesh and blood. repeated, The petit
coat?"
"Yasm. Lace-trimmed. She missed
1t. an she guessed All had 1t. an 1t
made hahd feelin's. Then she foun'
it. right wah she put 1t huhse'f-
stuffed In pantry draw un'er the
dish towels! That's the kim O. house
keepin. she does. Tell you. mis-.
nice. neat housekeepah like you'll hor
up yo' hans to see how Mis- Adams
runs things. Well. Abs suttinly had
fine lunch. but mex time Ah'm sho'
goin' to walt on myself"
That evening the girl bride con.
flded to the young husband that Annie
was a treasure.
OF course l don't attach too much
weight to what she says OF this Mrs.
Adams" she added. charitably. but
It's well to go slow. and ! shan't be
too cordial when she calls. AS for
Annie. she's SO willing to wait on her
self l believe I'll Join that lunch club.
even II 1t does meet on my washing
day. You know I've always said
wasn't going to let my housekeeping
rule me the way mamma does"
For several weeks after that things
moved like q story book. Annie came
regularly to wash and iron In the
empty fiat, while the bride. absent at
her all-day club. regaled her friends
with tales OF her own good manage
ment.
Then a cloud appeared-no bigger
than visiting card. Five weeks had
passed and nobody in the building had
attempted to call on the bride. either
through the front door or the back.
Not that she cared-if all the people
were like that slovenly Mrs. Adams!
on the first floor looked so nice!
A step sounded on the porch and
some one knocked The dreaded
back-door caller had come at last
and in the form Of the despdsed Mrs.
Adams!
"Ah!" said the girl bride in the icy
manner she had been saving for back
door callers. Walk right through to
the parlor."
But Mrs. Adams seemed reluctant
II came." she said. TO talk to you
about Annie. the laundress. feel sure
you don't know what she's doing on
washing day while you're away"
Il beg your psrdm." was the indig.
nant response Il hnd everything
done exactly as wish It on my re.
turn"
But do you know where she gets
her lunches?'
Here in my kitchen, with my per.
mission"
There! told ths,m you didn't
know. ShS's been going from family
to family in the building. asking for
lunch and telling pitt'ul tale Of how
you go TO your club and leave her
with nothing in the house to eat. and
="
What" The bride was gasping
with establishment.
IN the morning she goes to Mary
Cameron. Mr.. Ferris housekeeper. for
her cup Of coffee. and the way she
talks about your housekeeping Is
scandalous. She has told everyone
about that petticoat you missed"
"Paticoat"
pantry drawer"
The girl bride dumbly stared. Then
she giggied. Five minutes later she
and Mrs. Adams were laughing to-
gether like chums.
The next morning Annie was due.
and. to her surprise, her young mis-
tress met her. looking like an aveng-
ing angel.
ANNIE" she demanded. 'where
have you been getting your lunches
the days I've been gomez"
Annie's eyes rolled swiftly. "Lan's
sakei" she exclaimed in dlsRlist