Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-11-06
H0USEKEEPER'S VACATION
AND WHAT FOLLOWED

When the hot spell in July came,
John insisted that 1 go to the shore
for two weeks. 1 demurred. not be-
cause 1 didn't want to go-I was so
tired of my own table that I would
have gone anywhere-but because l
didn't like to leave john to Malissy's
tender mercies, knowing Malissy as
did.
81 don't see how you could get
along, John"
oh. Malissy will look after me-
said John easily.
No, she won't" I protested III she
would, going away would be simple"
I knew that Malissy needed supervi-
sion to make her of any earthly use.
-1f take a vacation. Malissy will
take one; then who will get your
meals and make up your bed and
clean your tub?"
Il will" insisted John, stoutly IF
Malissy goes OF. You run on to the
shore, and forget Malissy for two
weeks. She's getting on your nerves"
John persuaded me into thinking
that IL was my duty to go. IL was a
fact that 1 was completely fattened
out by the heat. When I went to
market. my brain refused to take in
the relative merits OF potatoes and
beans, peas and spinach. I shut my
eye. poked my finger at a vegetable.
and took it. 1t saved planning.
Before / left I had a hearttoheart
talk with Malissy. I told her l was
going away and wanted her to take
good care OF Mr.. Green In my alb
sence. She was to see that his mel
ons were ripe, that his coffee cooked
fifteen minutes, that his toast was
properly Drowned. that his mattress
was turned every day. and pay heed
to various other minute directions,
such as a loving wife naturally thinks
OF in connection with her husbands
comfort. Malissy listened respectful
ly and gave me glib assurances that
she would look after Mr.. Green. same
as IL l wuz peekin' ovah huh Shout
der" I pretended to believe her and
we parted amicably, though 1 felt a
sinking.
John put me on the train one siz-
cling afternoon. II my ticket hadn't
been paid for. 1 should have turned
back. l felt so guilty leaving John in
such heat with only an irresponsible
negress to look after him.
The shore was delightfully."- cool and
the linn" had an excellent table
For nine days I enjoyed the luxury
OF loafing. 1 got sun-burned and fat.
and, on the tenth day, panicky.
could feel in Johns letters something
wrong. though they were pointedly
cheerful. Without letting him into
the secret, 1 packed my trunk and
came home.
I let myself into a deserted apart
ment. The rooms had q peculiar,
gray look. When 1 went over to my
dressing table, 1 saw that the dust
on it was thick enough to hide the
color of the furniture. Johns bed had
the spread carefully drawn up over
two very soiled and wrinkled sheets
Malissy was nowhere around. Judg
ing from the condition Of the apart
ment, she hadn't been anywhere
around since / left.
! found myself without a maid. and
in dishearteningly dirty home. The
kitchen was full of dirty dishes.
surmised that John had been getting
his own breakfast and using clear
dishes as long as the supply lasted
| COngratulating myself upon the
muscle and enrgy that ten days of ten
mis- and loafing had equipped me with
l called in the janitor. and together
We scrubbed and busted and swept tn,
apartment into a semblance OF cleanli
ness. Ahead OF me, however, Still
stretched several days of hard house
cleaning and the task of breaking in {
new maid.
When John came home at min,
o'clock that night I was in bed, 81
dead tired 1 could only chirp a feebl,
welcome.
Have a good time, honey"
Lovely" / murmured.
you see. it pays to take q vaca
ton"
/ wondered.