The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-01-26
THE UNUSUAL MAID
BY AGNES c. sRoeAN

<SSSSSSS SSSSS-S
Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
He was a very rich old man. Old.
before his time. with the business of
making dollars and keeping them.
Sometimes I think thar the Keeping
was his more anxious labor. And I
the elderly housekeeper who had been
long in James IvOr's service. used 10
sigh over his loneliness and the lack
Of pleasure thar gold brought him.
In his pretentiOuS mansion were cost
~ furnishings and priceless tapestries.
the latter alone could arouse his in
tereSt. And Of all the house servants
who catered To his comfort, Kali. the
butler. and ], the hOusekeeper, were
the only ones known 10 him.
The new maid was one that l.
with all my experience. could not IN
derstand. She was unusual.
why does he set up himself as
EMPEROR she asked one day when
Kali had flown 10 the blue room in
answer 10 Mr.. Ivor's summons. the
throne ROOM" the girl fippantly
called it. She had appeared at the
house in response 10 our newspaper
Help Wanted" advertisement, re-
questing the vacated place of second
maid and receiving it.
''NVhy should you desire to wait
upon Mr. Ivor at the table?' I asked
her impatiently, cor take his mail. up
10 him: Kali and his secretary at
tend to these matters"
Then one day the girl was taken
i'll. l was for sending Fran" as she
called herself to the hospital; but our
physician, whom conscientiously
sent for. smiled and said that Fran
would get along very nicely in the
house and advised that l had better
let her talk the matter over with Mr..
Ivor.
Perhaps it was a state of mind"
which made Fran merely smile as
Kali or ordered her about and which
made her insistent to see our employ
err Several times I had been obliged
TO take the mail from her hands as
she was trickiIy Fastening with it up
The stair She may be an anarchist,
l reflected, one of those terrible peo-
pie who are rebelllOus against men
of great wealth. SO to settle all
quickly I took it upon myself to dis
charge Fran, and she refused to go.
Openly. and still smiling, refused.
l had no recourse but to see Mr..
Ivor. This is u new departure of
yours" he said, testify, troubling me
with your servant problems. If this
maid is i'll send her to a hospital. If
she is unsatisfactor discharge her"
Il have tried both measures" I an
severed him. land she refuses to leave
the house"
For the first time he turned an in
terested glance toward me.
what did Doctor Struthers adviser"
he asked.
THAT she talk the matter over with
you" I replied, perplexedly.
AEr. Ivor stared. Then before either
of us could speak the unusual maid
came into the throne rOOm-the blue
room, I mean She appeared not
abashed by her own holiness nor dis
mayed by Mr.. Ivor's cold dignity.
How do you dO?" she greeted my
white-haired employer. II am so glad
to see you at last. I have been second
maid in your household for weeks"
(which does not" answered Mr..
IvOr, concern me at all. I learn,
however. that you have been i'll and"
Il am better" she brightly inter
rupted.
She was examining a tapestry on the
wall. All eagerly she turned back TO
the frowning owner.
why" she exclaimed, 1.-The tapestry
is a genuine"
The name she gave it escaped me,
but Immediately Mr.. IvOr was at her
side. eager as she, in pointing out the
beauties of that tapestry hobby of his.
Then all at once he stopped and fired
a question at her: How are you SO
well. informed regarding tapestries?"
ne asked her, and "whO are you. any
way?"
Fran laughed. She has a pretty note
Of laughter.
THAT is the very question I wished
you to ask she triumphed. land you
will be surprised at my answer. You
had best be seated. You look frail-
closeted too much in your tapestried
ROOM You must spend more time
hereafter out in your beautiful gar
dens. You need the fresh air and sun
shine. which may not be bought.
am Allan's wife," announced the girl,
your son Allan's wife. You have
been lonely without him. know, as
lonely as I should have been if I had
mistakenly refused love that was
mine. because I happened to have no
wealth or know it's ways. What is
wealth after all but love. The love
OF a son for his father. OF a woman
for her own When you disowned Allan
because of his loyalty TO me, when
rr,,, rafnSed to give either of us vel