The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1916-01-20
JOB THAT
FAILED
BY SARAH BAXTER
I'm q ladY'S maid

In the room where the telephone in.
strument is and sleep there. In case
burglar comes into the house you can
call the police. But you needn't feaI
MS breaking down the door of your
room. Burglars never do that"
Mrs. Peabody" | said. you're very
good to trust me with such valuable
property. I'll have your jewels for you
when you come back"
But remember. Mary" she said, Il
am trusting you only, not the other
servants. There's no need Of that"
"Yes'm," says |.
| didn't tell the others. but the dav
after Mrs. Peabody left James. the but
Ter, came into the room for something
and saw me lock the door OF the closet.
What are you locking up so care
fully he asked me.
Its none Of your business" says |.
Yes, it is. Mr.. Peabody put the
house in my care while the family is
away, and if there's valuables any
where I'd ought to know it"
Fearing he'd talk about it before the
other servants, thought I'd best tell
him that mistress jewels were in the
closet.
Thursday before the family came
home was my day out. | thought at
first that | wouldn't go on account OF
the jewels, but they were locked in the
closet and | would take the key with
me. So | went. When ! came back
| went in at the servants door and up
to my room. where took off my coat
and hat and put on my black and
white uniform. Then went out into
the hall.
There is a long mirror in the hall,
and usually when passed it gave a
glance at myself in it But this time
| was in hurry. SO didn't.
But at the end Of the hall. where
there was no mirror. ! saw myself
coming toward myself. stopped.
wondering what was the matter, for
the mirror hadn't been moved. and
couldn't understand seeing myself
Then the figure came toward me, and
| saw that ii was a real woman, and
what broke me up was that she was
not me. | caught at the banister to
keep from falling; then l gasped:
who are your
I'm Mary Murphy" says she, look.
ing astonished.
mo; you're not I'm Mary Murphy.
myself"
You Mary Murphy! Then. who
am I?'
Something has gone wrong with
me-" | moaned, rubbing my eyes. I'm
Mary Murphy. and you're Mary Muir
ply too"
You look just like me for all the
world" says she, looking frightened
Pm afraid something's going TO hap
pen. seeing myself this way. I'm go,
ing away from you"
James came up the stairs, and see
ing the two of us looking Just alike he
looked queer
James," | cried, what does this
mean? Am Mary Murphy, and is
that my other self, or is she Mary
Murphy, and IL don't know what"
James stared at us both for some
time, as If he didn't know which was
which; then he pointed to my other
self and said:
That's Mary"
Anyway" says the other maid. I'm
going away from here. | can't stand 1t
to see you there looking just like me-"
Cook, hearing the talking. came up.
and when she saw the two Of us look
ing just alike, she raised her hands
astonished.
Cook" | said. who is this woman
who is just like meF"
IL don't know" says cook. "She |
came in a little while ago, and sup
posed she was you. She went upstairs |
and that's all know"
as she me or am | mer'
Cook looked at us both. then said to |
the other one, Say something" But |
the other one wouldn't speak. Then / |
thought that she wouldn't because |
cook would tell the difference In our |
voices.
Somehow at that moment i thought |
Of the jewels. Wasn't this some way |
Of getting them? | wondered II this |
woman hadn't dressed herself in
maids Uniform TO make believe she |
was me, came In when l was out and
taken them. But how was 1t that she
looked Just like me? The thought made
me furious. ran to her and grabbed
her. She struggled to get away. and In
the fracas heard something strike the
floor, and there were the jewels scat
tered all over it
James" cried, go to the telephone
and call the police"
James didn't stir. He looked fright
ened. Then | told cook to go, and she
did. The woman held struggled, and
| asked James to help me, but he
didn't He looked kind of daft.
The police were not long coming. 1t
turned out that James. who was bad,
knew a woman who looked just like
me. He put up job with her to get
the Jewels He took a wax impression
Of the lock of the closet and made a
key to fit it. Then he telephoned the
when went out, and she came
right around dressed in maids uni
form. James expected her to get the
Jewels away without any one knowing