El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-06
Married Lies Troubles
HeIen's Return to the Dusty Apart
ment With No Maid Is Most
Distressing.
8y Mabel Herbert Urner

ment with No Maid Is Most
Distressing.
- By Mabel Herbert Urner
| ~ EAR, I don't see him." Helen
was leaning over the railing
~ trying to locate Warren's
father in the waving crowd on the
| pier below.
Right there-just back of that wo-
man in the white dress"
! ooh. yes, now I do" waving her
And by jove, there's Carrie too! See
| herr Just back of father
Helen had hoped that Carrie would
not come to meet them, for she
| dreaded the awkwardness of trying
| to entertain her, while they stood
/ around waiting for their baggage
/ Carrie was always so difficult to talk
! to.
The great ocean liner with the aid
/ of four tugs was now being slowly
/ swung into her dock
There were the usual greetings, the
/ questions about the voyage, the folks
/ at home, and the mutual You're
! looking mighty we'll"
After the first enthusiasm. Warren
and his father went off to see about
! the baggage, while Helen was left with
/ Carrie.
! Helen was uncomfortably conscious
| that Carrie was scrutinizing her
/ clothes When you arrive from Paris
] your IIlGnQS expect You TO look ike
/ a Partisan fashion plate, and Helen
/ knew Their was nothing Partisan" or
| chic" about her simple travelling suit
! I'D no idea so many people would
/ be down to meet the boat so early in
| the morning" was Carries next pro-
! found observation
Yes, there are a great many But
/ I suppose there's always a crowd to
| meet these big steamers"
| When Warren and his father re-
! turned to escape from these strained
| comments Helen suddenly remembered
| that she wanted TO phone to the apart
ment to tell Maggie to have the ice
| box filled So she excused herself and
] hurried to a booth farther down the
pier.
They had written Maggie from
| Paris that they would arrive on the
| 18th, and for her to have the apart
i ment opened and aired
The hall boy who answered Helen.
/ said that the Curtises were abroad and
/ that no one was in their apartment.
NO, this is Mrs. Curtis talking.
! We've Just landed, I'm 'phoning from
! the dock. Connect me with my apart
! ment, I'm sure my maid is there"
{ Then Helen insisted on speaking to
! the superintendent, who told her their
/ apartment was still closed. and that
he had not seen their maid.
What could have happened? Could
/ Maggie have failed to receive the let
! ter? Helen hurried back TO Warren,
/ worried and anxious
she may not have got the letter,
/ Better send her telegram right
/ away he suggested It's just out
/ in Jersey-she can get in today"
I Carrie murmured some sympathetic
| plattude about never being able TO
depend on any servant, and that Nag
! gle may have taken another place. But
| ellen insisted stOutly that Maggie was
/ very loyal, and that she had really
wanted to come back
A Suggestion.
! See here, Warren turned to Helen
| suddenly There's no need of Us both
waiting. III have to stay to pass the
| baggage, but why can't you go on
! get that wire off to Maggie and open
up the placer"
Helen eagerly accepted this excuse
! to escape from the long wait and
| strained conversation with his people
I And TO Carries suggestion that she go
] with her, Helen insisted that she did
not at all mind going alone
With a feeling of depression she IN
4 locked the door Of the darkened, musty
/ smelling apartment
Quickly throwing up the blinds and
I windows, she glanced over the accu-
mulated mass of mail for some mes
| sage from Maggie. Yes, there it was
"a cheap envelope addressed in Mag
gie'S cramped hand
| Dear Mrs. Curtis:
! I got your letter. but I amt coming
/ back any more. / got a place where
( the work amt so hard on me. don't
I have to clean no hard floors. and no
| ironing. I hope you get somebody just
| as good Respectfully,
Maggie Murphy.
! So Maggie was not coming back
/ Helens dismay was mingled with in
| dignation- If she had thought the
| work too hard, why had she not said
J so before they sailed?
Helen looked hopelessly around the
/ dusty diSmantled apartment The
! first thing to do was to get some one
| to clean up. Hurriedly she penciled
| a note to Mrs O'Grady her washer
woman and standby, asking her to
/ come at once-today, If possible; If not
/ the first thing in the morning.
When she had sent the note she got
| otu of her travelling suit and into
! working house dress. She wanted to
1 get some of the busting done before
/ Warren and the trunks came, or there
would be no place to lay anything
when she unpacked.
Very Depressing.
There is nothing more depressing or
| discOuraging than the opening up OF
/ an apartment after several months alb
! sence, and for the moment Helen was
almost hOmesick for their rooms in
Paris. Just now her minds picture
! of those rooms seemed more familiar
! than this, their own home.
( 1t was almost an hour before she
/ saw a cab with their trunks driven
! up and Warren jump out Eagerly
! Helen ran out TO the hall
! Dear, she's not coming back she
I announced tragicaily. as Warren
/ stepped from the elevator followed by
| the boy with their bags.
! who's not coming back? Now.
J where do you want these things putt
! In my rOOm-Tu uupack everything
/ in there Why, Maggie-here's a let
J ter from her. She says she has a place
I where the works not so hard. And
I after she promised so faithfully to
1 come back
/ 7 haven't had time to look over any
/ of the mail yet. on. here comes the
! trunks" and Helen ran to hold open
/ the door. BE careful-dOn't scar the
/ wallsi You can take them right into
\ that last room
When the men had gone. Warren
I glanced around the apartment with
/ an Indifferent air.
| Well you're all right now. I must
/ be getting down to the office"
] Get my umbrella out of that shawl
/ strap, viii you2 Looks like it'll rain
/ before night. JOve, this pace is dusty"
! as he took his hat from the hall table
! Il know. dear. it's dreadful You
/ wouldn't think It would get SO dusty