The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-07-28
BEAUTIFUL MAID MARY
BY HARMONY WELLER.

Mary Perkins did not answer the adj
vertisement for 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 man should do It.
| When he answered Mary Perkins
ring at the door bell EVERY 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 thick1ensed glasses she
wore. Her skin was of dull, almost
Indian hue.
Il have come In answer to your adj
vertisemenI for maid" she said, and
EVERY opened thu door
His writing den was nearest to the
entrance, and 'thi9her he led Mary Per-
kins-
"All that is essential for me is" he
said to her, that you can keep house
tntelligently-and quietly" He looked
at the girl in SO helpless way that
could manage in half a day l would
| much prefer your being here only from
ten oclocktuntil after my dinner in the
middle of the day."
That will suit me-" Mary replied.
And from the very beginning Mary
took complete possession of Eyerly's
establishment
So excellent was Mary's 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 is" thought Everiy, cit is easy
IL Mary win stay and serve dinner"
He went forthwith to thu door and
called her.
When she stood beside him, Everly
found his eyes opening trifie wider
than was usual with them. Mary
seemed SO different, so altogether diff
ferent from the girl she had been. It
took him moment or SO to realize
that the thick-lensed glasses had been
discarded; that the skin was curiously
fair and the hair wonderfully riotous.
You called me, sir?" Mary sug-
gested-
Il called the old Mary. What have
you done TO yourself"
Il grew tired of looking so plain"
she admitted when / applied for the
position | was very much IN need and
felt certain you would not engage
me as a maid If" she broke off with
downcast eyes
Il most certainly would mott" said
EVERY with conviction. He sighed a
second later and Mary asserted her
rights as a successful domestic.
my fingers have not lost their cum
ming with the culinary art just because
am less homely than you thought me.
I can serve as good a meal and keep
your house as clean AZ l ever did"
4 am perfectly we'll aware of all
these facts" Everly admitted, "but
that does not alter the fact that you
are far too lovely, too altogether beau
tiful to" he broke of and smiled at
the humor of the situation.
TOO beautiful to what?" asked
Mary.
-Well-the fact Is" admitted Ever
~. that it has been the dream of my
life to have home to which I can In
wife my friends. / wanted, next Sat
urday night, 10 give 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
a dinner that will make the editors ac-
cept every story you send them"
And have them all wing with
each other for your attention when
they see you-no, thanks" Because
EVERY was completely mystified as to
his own sudden emotions and quite UNI
able to cope with the situation he
turned to his typewriter That move
ment had always been Mary's cue to
exit.
It was scarcely FIVE minutes before
he heard her soft knock on his study
door. When she came In he laughed
aloud. partly from relief and partly
because of his new emotion.
Mary's skin was dark; her heavy
glasses were in place, and her hair
was severely drawn back
How many covers shall arrange
for-for the dinner party, sir?" she
questioned
EVERY jumped to his feet, took the
glasses from her eyes. dragged the