The Washington times., 1938-02-03

N1 haired girl came TO the
she2 Her living didn't depend
and endurance.
Maisie did cleaninE for the sew
eral artists whose studios were III
the Avenue Building. She also
rented out two Of the five rooms
in her shabby flat on Emerald
Street. She kept boarders. They
only took dinner with her, so that
left her most of the day to work in
the studios.
She got up at S o'clock every
morning and rarely got to bed be-
fore II. She was putting her only
son John through law school.
Of the seven artists whose
studios she cleaned, Maisie liked
Paul Emery the best. He didn't
look like an artist. More like a
banker.
LIVED IN STUDIO
Unlike the married artists, Mr..
Emery lived in his studio. He had
a bed and table up on balcony
overlooking the studio and that
was where he slept. He ate out.
Maisie cooked things at home
for Mr.. Emery and brought them
tn him while he was sick. She
rubbed his back, too. 1t started
one night when he was hurting
a lot and Maisie blurted out i'm
pulsively, Mr.. Emery, I'll bet I
can make your back feel better.
Let me rub it."
He let her. And every night
after that she rubbed his back,
using the smelly stuff the doctor
left.
You have the most wonderful
hands in the world, MaiSie," said
Mr.. Emery one night. There's
healing in every touch"
After Mr.. Emery got we'll he
didn't forget the little visits they
had had when he was sick. Often,
when she was working, he'd stop
her to ask how John was and if
she was getting along all right.
It pleased her that Mr.. Emery re-
membered and she felt happier
working in his studio than she
did anywhere else.
That is, she did until the red
haired girl began coming to the
studio. The first time she came
Mr.. Emery was out and Maisie
let her in. Maisie thought her the
most beautiful creature she had
ever seen.
The red-haired girl smoked while
Maisie went on with her work.
Suddenly Maisie heard her mutter
an angry little exclamation.
That shoulder straps broken
again!" Then to Maisie, DO some
thing for me, will you?" Reach
down my back and pin up this
strap. 1 can't reach it."
Maisie found a safety pin and
reached inside the girls dress to
fasten the strap.
"Ouch!" the red-haired girl
cried out as Maisie's hand touched
her bare back. Then as Maisie
hastily pinned the strap and with
drew her hand, What on earth is
the matter with your hands?
They're rough as Sandpaper."
WRINKLED HANDS
Maisie looked down at her
hands and for the first time in
her life really saw them. They
were rough and red and wrinkled.
She looked at the red-haired girls
hands. They were smooth and
white and beautiful. Maisie
blushed to the roots of her gray.
ing hair.
All that day Maisie kept seeing
her hands. Even when her eyes
weren't on her hands she saw
them. Red and rough and
wrinkled, with broken nails and
Jagged cuticle.
That night, at the supper table,
Malsie though she noticed one of
the boarders looking at her hands.
Quickly she tucked them under
her apron, out of sight.
From that time on everybody
seemed to be looking at her
hands.
She wouldn't have minded so
much had not Mr.. Emery begun
noticing her hands, too. She was
sure she saw him looking at her
hands, and frowning.
It hurt Maisie terribly, Mr.. EN-.
ery's frowning at her hands. But
of course he couldn't help it, she
defended him Loyalty. He was an
artist and loved beautiful things
like that red-haired girls hands.
1t was what she overheard one
day when she was about to enter
the studio that made Maisie
realize she must leave Mr.. Emery.
She distinctly heard the red
haired girl say, ''I don't see why
you have her around. She hasn't
any figure. Her feet are as big as
sail boats and her hands -
But she's awfully nice" cut
In Mr.. Emery in his kind voice.