The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-02-01
THE new MAID
BY MAY HAWKINS.

aperture appeared in hers, through
which daylight and rain came pouring.
''Oh, l beg your pardon" said he.
I'm terribly sorry" His eyes were
even more apologize than his voice,
his distress evident.
It's all right" smiled the girl sit
doesn't matter at ALL"
Dick had splendid opportunity to
take in the beauty of her dark, reddish
gold hair which curled so tantalizingly
under the little dark green velvet hat.
the gray eyes, smooth skin and the
dimple in her left cheek when she
smiled.
you're sure 1 can do nothing?" he
said.
Nothing, thank YOU" And the girl
was gone, leaving Dick standing dis
sonsolately in the rain.
Mrs. Jarvis Howe came into the
room looking ready to cry. Her sister
looked up in surprise. 'Why, what's
wrong, Lucy?"
"To think that of all days Ellen has
to choose this one to go and get sick.
Here I've invited the Parks and Muir
rays and Richard Goddard to dinner
tonight because it's your birthday, and
now will you tell me who's to serve
1t? It's bad enough to be left with
only one maid, but Ellen was so com
petent | thought we could manage.
Now with her gone will you kindly tell
me what I'll do?"
Call it off"
mo, I've invited those people and
they wouldn't understand"
"All right. Go ahead. Why are you
having Richard Goddard?'
Mrs. Howe shrugged her pretty
shoulders. "Why anybody? l asked
him for you. Look here, May, l wish
you'd stop making grimaces whenever
l ask him around. Richard Goddard
is rich"
"And young"
"WeIl?'
Too young for me-"
Her sister shrugged impatiently and
went to the phone. "Send some one
right away, please" she instructed the
manager of the employment agency
that she called up, who is competent
and can cook. And a serving maid
also. What! None to be had today?
Well, send the cook anyway"
"Tll have to take a chance on the
serving" she said, turning YEARLY
away. II can coach the cook about
serving perhaps, and bride her into
doing her best"
At four the cook arrived. Mrs.
Howe, who had been watching anxious
ly, could have kissed her.
whats she like?" drawled May
later.
81 don't know. She's pretty-but her
clothes. I'll have to go and dig up a
of Ellen's for her. But if she can cook
l won't worry about the serving"
And she could cooki
The dinner guests came and Dick
Goddard attached himself to May. To
please her sister she had done her best
with her toilet and was as interesting
as any one could wish. Mrs. Howe
was jubilant.
DINNER is served, Mrs. Howe" an
nounced the maid from the doorway.
The guests took their places in the
dining room and all went merrily.
Then in came the new maid with the
soup. In the shadowy candle light
Richard did not notice her at first, but
as she put Mrs. Parks plate before
her the light fell on her reddish gold
hair and her gray eyes looked full into
Dicks.
"YouI" he cried, and at the evident
surprise of the few who had noticed,
he coughed and went on: "You were
speaking of the Army and Navy game,
Mrs. Murray. Well, 1 saw" and on
he went. But he was greatly be-
wildered. Surely this was the girl of
the umbrella.
The soup a served and the plates
removed without catastrophe, the fish
and dinner course passed without
event. But Mrs. Howe was growing a
bit nervous Twice the girl had
laughed broadly at a table joke and
said something when a fork was
dropped.
The salad was uneventful. But
when the ice was served the dozen
tiny candles on the cake lighted, and
May given a large silver knife to cut
the first slice, the maid asked audibly,
"How old are you, Miss Mayf"
"Tm twenty-seven," answered May,
truthfully.
"Why did you do It'll"
Dick Goddard got on the car the
new maid had boarded with her suit
case mex morning.
SIN writing a book"
"But you did a dreadful thing" Dick
grlnned.
ITO tell you that Mrs. Howe was
trying to net you for a girl three years
older than you? Besides, l didn't do
IL, she did ii herself"