Evening journal., 1914-01-31
HOW MARIA FOUND RELIEF
A True Want Ad Storiette
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"Nlaria," II was Mrs. Adams sharp,
shrill tones that sent quiver through
Maria's over-wrought nerves.
Maria stopped. She shifted the heavy
hod Of coal from one hand to the other,
but she did not reply.
"Marial" This time the tones were
pitched higher and vibrated with impa-
thence.
Maria came up the stairs from the
dark cellar and at sight Of her Mrs.
Adams gave sound Of disapproval.
'1've told John. the hoy that takes
care of the walk, to bring up that coal"
John isn't here, ma'am. He's gone
on an Grand"
Mrs. Adams muttered an unintelli-
gble reply and gave prompt orders
about the supper.
Maria turned YEARLY in her spotless
kitchen The Adams boarding house
was clean. Cleanliness was its only
virtue.
Mrs. Adams husband had never been
allowed to enter the Kitchen door, nor
the front door. without first removing
his shoes. He was never allowed to
smoke in the house.
After the IS years of martyrdom,
he died In all those years, Mrs
Adams had never called him by his
/ first name. Only when he entered into
the response of death did she say;
Robert was a pretty good man, as
men go" Maria came to Mrs. Adams
/ from "The Home of the Friendless,'
] and sometimes Maria and the little
! Sc a week millinery clerk in the hall
/ bedroom called the boarding house
! by the same name.
Maria was tired of boarders. She
was tired of dishes and busting and
/ telephones and distinctly tired Of
Mrs. Adams.
1t had never occurred to that LADY
that Maria was a personality nor that
she was faithful, if slow, honest, If
stolid. But through the past year
of faithful stolidity, Maria had been
accumulating a worldly knowledge
which would have horrihed Mrs.
Adams.
One day, the grocer's boy gave
Maria a newspaper. She devoured the
funny pictures at night She read
the news from the courts of Europe
with painstaking care, skipping he
long names of royalty. She read the
society columns. She hid the news
paper. Mrs. Adams did not believe
in trashy newspapers. They lit
tered" up, and no girl should waste
any time reading.
There was another part Of the pa
per that fascinated and enthralled
Maria. II was the Want Ad page
On her Thursday afternoon out
Maria. her heart beating fearfully
her hand clutching the hand bag
which held 10 cents and Want Ad
took a trolley into the outskirts of the
city. A kindly-faced motorman look
ed at the address and assured Maria
they we're speeding in the right direc-
ton
When she reached the door Of th'
house bearing the number of the
Want Ad. Maria recovered her com
posure. A sweet-faced woman opened
the door and asked Maria in.
"Yes. that was the Want Ad tina
her sister had written" She ques
toned Maria closely and seemed t'
understand intutively what Mari;
had no language TO express. Therl
were no boarders, and the wages
we're IS a week. It was a fortune
I to Maria.
"I1l come tomorrow" she said.
Mrs. Adams wrath was awful 4
, confront at the prospect of losini
Maria, but Maria was like adaman
and her only reply to Mrs. Adams
TRADE Of questions was: 1T will b.
! easy enough to find another girl
, Just put Want Ad in the news
! paper"
In the end that was what Mrs
{ Adams was forced to do, but sh
| never replaced Maria, and Maria
/ happy in her new home, recommend
ed the Want Ads to all her gir
friends.