The Cairo bulletin., 1914-05-31

BEAUTIFUL MAID MARY F.:
1851. 2tJ :
BY HARMONY WELLER. :


Mary Perkins did not answer the adj
vertisement for a maid out OF a spirit
of adventure. On the contrary, she
was in absolute need of employment
in order to make both ends Of her
financial life meet The embroidery
she did was not remunerative enough
to pay expenses and Mary had no fur
Their business training.
The young author who had adver-
tised had pondered long and deeply
before putting forth his need in the
newspapers, yet there was no alterna-
tive. He must have some one to look
after his home and he was old-fash-
toned enough to feel that woman and
not O man should do It,
When he answered Mary Perkins
ring at the door bell Everly hoped It
would be an applicant waiting there.
The girl standing outside was slight
Her hair was neatly brushed back and
her eyes looked curiously large
through the thick-lensed glasses she
wore. Her skin was of dull, almost
Indian hue
Il have come In answer to your ad-
vertisement for a maid" che said, and
EVERY opened the door.
His writing den was nearest to the,
entrance, and thther no led Mary Per-
kins
"All that Is essential for me is," he
said to her. that you can keep house
intelligently-and quietly" He looked
at the girl in so helpless a way that
Mary was tempted 10 laugh. III you
could manage In half day / would
much prefer your being here only from
ten o'clock until after my dinner In the
middle of the day"
That win suit me-" Mary replied.
And from the very beginning Mary
took complete possession of Everly's
establishment.
So excellent was Marys cooking
that Everly ventured TO suggest one
of the dreams Of his authors mind.
Always, since the beginning Of his
literary career he had wanted to have
editors and publishers dining at his
own table.
That u.s." thought Everly, 1T is easy
II Mary will stay and serve dinner"
He went forthwith to the door and
/ called her.
When she stood beside him. EVERY
found his eyes opening tritle wider
than was usual with them. Mary
seemed so different, so altogether diff,
ferent from the girl she had been. It
took him a moment or 80 to realize
that the thick.lensed glasses had been
discarded; that the skin was curiously
air and the hair wonderfully riotous.
You called me, sir?" Mary sug-
gested.
II called the old Mary. What have
you done to YOURSELF"
Il grew tired of looking so plain"
he admitted When applied for the
,oston | was very much In need and
[ felt certain you would not engage
ne as a maid if" she broke off with
lowncast eyes,
Il most certainly would mott" said
VERY with conviction. He sighed a
econd later and Mary asserted her
lights az successful domestic.
MY fingers have not lost their Gun.
hing with the culinary art just because
am less homely than you thought me.
can serve as good a meal and keep
your house as clean as ever did"
Il am perfectly we'll aware of all.
these facts" Everly admitted, but
that does not alter the fact that youi
are far too lovely, too altogether beau
tiful to-" he broke of and smiled at
the humor of the situation.
TOO beautiful to whatf" asked
Mary.
'Well--the fact Is" admitted Ever.
~, that II has been the dream of my
life to have home TO which can In
vite my friends. wanted, next Sat
urday night, TO give a small dinner
party TO six men, that is-providing
you would have been willing TO ar.
range everything for me-"
And why may not' can stay all
day Saturday and will plan and serve,
dinner that will make the editors ac-
cept every story you eend them"
And have them all vying with
each other for your attention when
they see you-no. thanks" Because
Everly was completely mystified as TO
his own sudden emotions and quite un.
able TO cope with the situation he
turned TO his typewriter. That move
ment had always been Mary's cue to
exit.
II was scarcely FIVE minutes before
he heard her soft knock on his study
door, When she came IN he laughed