The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-11-12
* X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
HUMILITY JUST BLUFF
Z WHEN SEEKING FAVORS. J
By Walt Mason.
y: X X X X X X X X X X X x X X X X

" X X X X X * X X X X X X X X X X
an have to hunt up a new wash
lady," observed Mrs. Jamesworthy.
Mrs Travesty, who has been doing
our washing for year, sent word this
morning that she is going to marry
Ira Idol and won't come any more
OF course, it never occurred to her to
give me any notice. She waited until
| sent a message to her, asking her
why she didn't come"
"The base ingratitude of the labor
ing classes gives me perpendicular
pain, in my side-boards," said James
worthy. "a little more than a year
ago we had an excellent laundress,
Mrs. Twice. She was faithful unto
death, and on the morning of wash
day she always doomed up for bust
ness, even if she had to drag herself
here on her hands and knees.
"There was but one objection to this
refined and cultured beldame. She
was always groaning about her mala-
dies, and she had a new one every
week. One week she would be COM
planning of the blind staggers, and the
next Of the heaves, and again she
would be suffering agonies because of
being foundered. Yet she always
managed to do the work and have the
clothes on the line by the time the
cows came home. | have no doubt
that Mrs. Twice would have been sat
isfed with her portfolio to the end of
her days, and the laundry department
of this establishment would have oc-
casioned no trouble.
"But, with your chara cteristic short
sightedness, Mrs. Jamesworthy, you
couldn't appreciate the redeeming
qualities of this admirable crone. You
were always telling me that. you SIM
ply couldn't stand it to hear the wo-
man telling about her varieties of i'll
health, and we'd have to get another
washlady. So Mrs. Twice was cast
FILTERED that she left the town, and
nobody knows where she is today, or
I'd send a minister plenipotentiary
after her and beg her to let the past
bury its dead, and come back to us.
"At this period Mrs. Travesty had
Just buried her third or fourth hus.
band and was looking for lucrative
situation. She made a great hit with
you when she applied for position as
noble grand custodian of the wash
tubs. You said she was just the sort
of woman you long had sought, and
mourned because you found her not.
She was in rugged health, was very
polite, and had cheerful disposition.
She was entirely too polite to suit ME.
She was too free with bows and becks
and wreathed smiles.
"a long and painful experience has
taught me to look with suspicion upon
people who are too laundering polite
when they want something. The prob
ability is that when they have got
what they want they will become so
independent that you will have to take
off your hat to them when you speak
to them. 1t was thus with Mrs.
Travesty When she wanted the stu
alton she was so obsequious it was
painful to contemplate her; and when
once she was inaugurated, and thought
she had the job hog tied, she became
quite naughty and was always speak
ing of the princely offers she had re-
ceived from plutocratic families.
"And now she abondons US to our
fate. Not the least obeisance made
she, but with mien of lord or lady she
tells US to go to. But if she thinks
she can escape retribution, she doesn't
know the stern character of Elijah
Jamesworthy. Ira Idol, whom she
threatens to marry, is janitor of the
building where | have my office, and
can easily have him discharged,
and then she will be back here beg
ging for the portfolio she is throwing
up. But the moving finger writes,
and having writ moves on, and not all
Mrs. Travesty's tears can make it
cancel half line, Mrs. Jamesworthy.
When she leaves here she leaves for
keeps"