The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-01-19
She Set a rap
For Him
By r. A Mitchell

TO suburban residence. his sum
mons at the front door was answered
by maid In a white uniform, trimmed
far more deliberately than is usual for
servants. Indeed, had it not been for
the cap on her head he would not have
taken her for such.
us Miss Milford at home?
NO, sir; she's not. She's gone to
the city"
That's too bad. I've come a long
distance to see her. The gentleman
seemed much put out He stood think
ing what he would do next.
Beg pardon, sir. Are you Mr.. Fitz
Hugh?'
Yes
Please come in Miss milford left
a message for YOU
Mr.. Fitz Hugh entered the house.
and the maid showed him into a very
pleasant reception room. On a table
he found a note addressed to him. 1t
read:
My attorney has advised me that you
will visit me for conference upon the set
| Element of our interests in the Ornsby
| estate in the hope that We may come. to
an agreement whereby litigation may be
avoided. | have been called away today
and have instructed my maid to keep you
| till my return this evening. Annie will
| provide you with whatever will enable
| you to pass the time SO far as she can.
The maid stood by demurely waiting
| while the gentleman read the note.
! When he had finished he looked up at
| her admiringly and said:
| Miss milford assures me that you
! will DO what you can to keep me till
| her return. The way for you to do
| that is not to give me books to read
| or pictures to look at. but to entertain
| me yourself"
| How could do that. sir" protested
the girl, you being an educated gentle
| man and only d lady's maid?'
You can do it better than the lady
| herself Heaven protect me from these
| intellectual women. They know just
| enough about a subject to show their
| want Of depth and think all the while
| that they are showing their brains.
In my opinion woman is intended for
motherhood and has no business with
! IDEAS
''Oh. sir. you're very hard on us poor
women
Not on your kind-on women who
know everything. Doubtless if you
had left Miss milford to entertain
me she would have bored me with a
lot of opinions that would interest no
one but herself"
What kind of woman is your ideal?'
ITO me anna ility and beauty are
the only requisite traits
Then you don't care for smart wO-
men at all?"
Il don't wish one Of them to come
near me-"
Not even a woman who is capable
of taking care Of her business affairs?
Miss milford wouldn't suit. you. sir
for she's all Of that"
| The maid entertained Mr.. Fitz Hugh
! during the day by listening to him
talk. By the afternoon mail came
note from Miss Milford asking him to
leave a proposition with Annie since
she would be delayed in the city for
several days. He submitted a basis
| for settlement, and Annie picked out
several points in it that would lead
to trouble. He saw. and corrected
them at once and complimented her
on her foresight Then he left her and
| returned to the city.
| In few days he received a note
from Miss Milford that she was sorry
to give him another journey. but she
would be pleased to have him call
again. He went. wishing that he
might find the lady again absent and
| be turned over to the care of the maid
THAT girl he said to himself lis just
what I'd want for a wife-that is. if
she were in the same social class with
myself
On reaching the house he was lad
mftted by butler. which was a great
disappointment to him. He had intend
ed to say Il few nice things to the maid
before seeing her mistress. He was
uShered into the same room as before.
and in due time Annie came into the
room dressed like lady. Fitz Hugh
looked at her surprised.
Mr.. F'itz Hugh she said. pardon
me for, playing maid the other day. |
desired before entering upon a discus
sion with you as to business affairs
of great Importance to both of us to
learn what kind of man l had to
deal with. | found you, am happy
to say. a gentleman of sound ideas,
liberal and capable of understanding
your own interest as well as mine.
You know that it is in your power TO
deprive me of my interest in the estate
if | go to law. In other words, | am
at your mercy. Can you blame me
for learning your disposition before
taking action?
NO. can't rejoined Fitz Hugh
earnestly. Il can suggest a way by
which our interests can be made iden-
teal"
What way?" asked the lady. drop
ping her eyes before his impassioned
gaze.
| SNorrv