Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-09-11
Author of "Pollyanna."

] now III L uluH give SOlue Ol IL TO
to all these others. And I'm going
to--l'm going tor she reiterated. as
she fed from the room.
As the door shut crisply, Miss
Maggie turned and looked at Mr..
Smith. But Mr.. Smith had crossed
again to the stove and was fussing
with the damper. Miss Maggie, after
a moments hesitation. turned and
went out into the kitchen, without
speaking.
Mr.. Smith and Miss Maggie saw
very little of Miss Flora after this
for some time. But they heard a
good deal about her. They heard of
her generous gifts to families all over
town.
"Oh, yes-and that's what's the
trouble. They're too nice. She feels
smothered and oppressed-as il she
were visiting somewhere, and not at
home. She's actually afraid OF her
maid. You see Miss Flora has always
lived very simply She isn't used to
maids-and the maid knows it which,
if you ever employed maids, you
would know is terrible state of af
fairs"
"Oh, but she-shcll get used to
that, in time"
Perhaps" conceded Miss Maggie,
but | doubt it. Some women would,
but not Miss Flora. She is too in
herently simple in her. tastes. Why
its as bad as always living in ho-
tell she walled to me last night. You
know on my trip | was so afraid al
ways I'd do something that wasn't
quite right, before those awful wait
ers in the dining rooms, and | was
anticipating so much getting home
where | could act natural-and here
I've got one in my own housed"
Mr.. Smith frowned, but he laughed,
too.
Poor Miss Floral But why doesn't
she dismiss the LADY,"
"She doesn't dare to. Besides,
there's Hattie, She says Hattie is al
ways telling her what is due her po-
sition, and that she must do this and
do that. She's being invited out. too,
to the Pennocks' and the Bensons';
and they're worse than the maid, she
declares. She says she loves to run
in and see people, and she loves to go
to places and spend the day with her
sewing; but that these things where
you go and stand up and eat off a
jiggly plate, and see everybody, and
not really see anybody, are nuisance
and an abomination."
well, she's about right there"
,huckled Mr.. Smith.
Eyes, / think she is" smiled Miss |
Maggie; "but that isn't telling me
low to make her contented."
"Contented! Great Scottp snapped |
Mr.. Smith, with an irritability that
vas as sudden as it was apparently
Il didn't suppose you had
o tell any woman on this earth how
o be contented-with a hundred
thousand dollars!'
at wonld seem so, wouldn't it'?'
you mean--you'd like the chance
o prove it? That you wish you had
hat hundred thousand?" |
"Oh, didn't say-that," twinkled
Hiss Maggie mischievously, turning
way.
1t was that same afternoon that
ar. Smith met Mrs. Jane Blaisdell
II the street.
You're just the man | want to
ee," she accosted him eagerly. |
Then I'll turn and walk along
18th you, if may" smiled Mr.. Smith.
What can do for your"
well, ! don't know as you can do
nything,' she sighed; but some
ody's got to do something. Could
ou-do you suppose you could in
crest my husband in this Blaisdel1
usness of yours?"
Mr.. Smith gave a start, looking
uriously disconnected.
"B-Blaisdell business?" he stam-
lered, why, IL thought he was
-er--interested in motoring and
off"
"Oh, he was, for a time; but it's
90 cold for those now, and he got
lex of them, anyway, before it did
ONE cold, just as he does of every
hing. Well, yesterday he asked a
uestion-something about Father
'laisdelPs mother; and that gave me
he idea. Do you suppose you could
ct him interested in this ancestor
usiness? Oh, | wish you could;
IS so nice and quiet, and it can't
ost much-not like golf clubs and
adde's and gasoline. anyway. Do
on think you could?"
why, II don't know, Mrs.
murmured Mr.. Smith, still
little worriedly. II could show
i'm what I've found, of course"
We'll, | wish you would then. Any
way, something's got to be done"
he sighed, Hes nervous as a witch.
lie can't keep still minute. And
e isn't bit we'll, either. He ate
UGH lot of rich food and all sorts of
tuf on our trip that he got his
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