South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-18

Dear, / don't see him" Helen was
leaning over the railing trying 20 To-
cate warren's father in the waving
crowd on the pier below.
Right there-just back of that
woman in the white dress"
oh, yes, now / do" waving her
/ handkerchief.
And by Jove, there's Carrie too!
See her? Just back OF father?"
Helen had hoped that Carrie would
not come 10 meet them, for she dread
| ed the awkwardness Of trying 10 en-
\ terrain her. while they stood around
I 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 With a shud-
\ dering jar they struck the floating
/ end OF the pier. the ropes were thrown
| off and the gang-planks hoisted. The
/ air was tense with the eagerness and
| excitement of landing
| Here they are-oVer this way" as
| Warren pushed through the excited
/ crowd TO where his father and sister
were waiting.
There were the usual greetings, the
questions about the voyage. the folks
at home and the mutual. you're look
/ ing mighty we'll"
After the frss enthusiasm. Warren
and his father went off TO see about
! the baggage, while Helen was left with
I Carrie.
"Oh yes. we had a very pleasant
/ trip. Yes. we liked Paris very much. ="
were Helen's stereotyped answers to
/ Carries stereotyped questions.
Why, oh why is the hOmecOmer al
ways greeted with the inane, And did
i you have a pleasant trip - Who
would admit that their trip had not
! been pleasant?
Yes. it was quite warm i'm Paris
/ suppose YOU had some warm wealth
er here"
oh. yes. it's been quite warm" an
/ swered Carrie and this brilliant con-
versation came 10 an awkward pause
Helen was uncomfOrtably conscious
/ that Carrie was scrutinizing her
/ clothes. When you arrive from Paris
your friends expect YOU to look like
a Partisan fashion plate, and Helen
/ knew there was nothing Partisan"
or chic" about her simple travelling
suit
I'D no idea so many people would
ne down TO meet the boat so early in
the morning" was Carries next pro-
( found observation.
Yes. there are a great many. But
meet these big steamers"
When Warren and his father re-
turned. TO escape from these strained
I comments. Helen suddenly remem-
7 bered that she wanted To phone to
the apartment TO tel Maggie TO have
the ice box filled. So she excused her
| self and hurried TO a booth farther
down on the pier
They had written Maggie from Paris
I that they would arrive on the 29th
I and for her to have the apartment
/ opened and aired. in order to keep
/ her they were TO pay her half her
/ regular wagaes for the time they were
away. and she was TO stay at her
/ cousins IN the country.
The hail boy who answered Helen.
said that the Curtises were abroad
and that no one was in their apart
ment.
I mo. this is Mrs. Curtis speaking.
\ We've just landed. I'm phOning from
the dock Connect me with our apart
ment. I'm sure our maid is there"
Then Helen insisted upon 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.
/
/ Better send her telegram right
away" he suggested. ITS just out in
| Jersey-she can get il today
! Carrie murmured some sympathetic
/ platitude about never being able to
/ depend on any servant, and that Mag
gle may have taken another place.
/ But Helen insisted stOutly that Mag
gle was very loyal and that she had
really wanted TO come back
4 CuUgacffOn
See here" Warren turned TO Helen
| suddenly. There's no need of us both
waiting. I'll have TO stay to pass the
/ baggage but why can't you go on
get that wire off TO Maggie and open
/ up the place."
I Helen eagerly accepted this excuse
] to escape from the long wait and
strained conversation with his people.
And to Carries suggestion that she go
/ with her. Helen insisted that she did
/ not at ali mind going alone.
Ten minutes later Helen left the
| pier Disregarding Warren's advice
/ 10 take taxi. she took the first cross
! town car 10 the subway. How strange
! the streets looked, After a few months
I abroad ones own city looks curiously
\ foreign.
Even their own apartment house
/ seemed unfamiliar There was new
elevator boy. 10 whom Helen had to
\ give the number Of the floor.
With a feeling of depression she un-
/ locked the door of the darkened,
\ musty smelling apartment.
/ Quickly throwing up the blinds and
/ windows she glanced over the ac-
/ cummulated mass of mail for some
/ message from Maggie Yes. there 1t
I was-a cheap envelope addressed in
/ Maggie's cramped hand
Dear Mrs. Curtis:
Il got your letter but amt COM
/ ing back any more. l. got a place
where the work amt so hard on me.
/ 7 don't have 10 clean no hard floors,
and no ironing. I hope you get some
/ body Just as good
Respectfully.
Maggie Murphy"
So Maggie was not coming back!
/ Helen's dismay was mingled with in
/ dignatiOn. If she had thought the
work too hard. why had she not said
I so before they sailed?
! Helen looked helpleSsly around the
! dusty dismantled apartment. The first
I thing do was Get someone TO