The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1910-11-24
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Annie


Az the black laundress sat down at
her first luncheon In the kitchen she
gaxed at the girl bride tn open ad-
miration.
"Tain' right TO de likes Of you to
watt on me-" she protested. Don
you nevah set no table TO- me again.
You say you JUS start In housekeep.
In? MY! You do bettah'n mos Of
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 stranger to
every one in the building.
"Oh, yas'm, All 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 it should be DONE
Help yourself to more coffee when
you wish it.. ANNIE" was what she
said, after 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. Aim right out! But
the reason finally thew down the
place was the petticoat.'
She waited. and the bride, being
flesh and blood. repeated. 1.-The petit.
coat?"
"Yas'm. Lace-trimmed. She missed
It, an she guessed All had 1t, an 1t
made hahd feelin's. Then she foun'
1t, right wah she put 1t huhse'f-
stuffed in pantry draw un'er the
dish towels! That's the kin D. house.
keepin, she does. Tell you. mis-, a
nice. neat housekeepah like you'll hor
up yo' hans to see how Mis- Adams
runs things. Well, Abs suttinly had
q fine lunch. but mex time Ah'm sho'
goin' to wait on myself"
That evening the girl bride con-
fided 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 we'll to 60 slow, and shan't be
too cordial when she calls. AS for
Annie, she's so willing to wait on her.
self believe I'll join that lunch club,
even If it 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 story book. Annie came
regularly to wash and iron, in the
empty fiat, while the bride. absent at
her all-day club, RECALLED 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!
Still it was odd, and that Mrs. Logan
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 despised 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.
Il came" she said, ITO talk to you
about Annie. the laundress. feel sure
you don't know what she's doing on
washing day while you're away"
II beg your pardon" was the indig.
nant response. Il find everything
done exactly as wish it on my re-.
turn" n
But do you know where she geta
her lunches?" h.
Here in my kitchen. with my per
mission"
There! told them you didn't
know. She's been going from family
to family in the building, asking for
lunch and telling q pitiful tale Of how
you go to your club and leave her
with nothing in the house to eat. and
-
What" The bride was. gaspins