United States or Sudan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Gladys, who was only the between-maid, but was nevertheless stout, breathless from her climb and the sentiment of the occasion, produced from a deep pocket a dirty envelope, which she laid upon the table. "Many 'appy returns, Master Jeremy." Giggle... giggle... "Lord save us if I 'aven't gone and forgotten they spunes," and she vanished. The present-giving had begun.
And, after all, when one is hanging principle the execution may as well be complete. "You may give me that one instead of the other," I said, and paid the difference. On my arrival at the rectory Hephzy met me at the door. The between-maid took the packages from the trap. I entered the drawing-room and Hephzy followed me. She looked very grave. "Frances is here, I suppose," I said.
Now something HAS happened." "I never wanted things to happen to make Mother unhappy," said Roberta. "Everything's perfectly horrid." Everything continued to be perfectly horrid for some weeks. Mother was nearly always out. Meals were dull and dirty. The between-maid was sent away, and Aunt Emma came on a visit. Aunt Emma was much older than Mother. She was going abroad to be a governess.
"Yes, she came an hour ago. Doctor Bayliss, the younger one, brought her in his auto. She hardly spoke to me, Hosy, and went straight to her room. Hosy, what happened? What is the matter?" "Nothing," said I, curtly. "Nothing unusual, that is. I made a fool of myself once more, that's all." The between-maid knocked and entered. "Where would you wish the parcels, sir?" she asked.
One fine afternoon the invalid came downstairs. The "between-maid" had arranged chairs and the table on the lawn. We were to have tea there; we had tea every day, of course were getting quite accustomed to it. Frances I may as well begin calling her that looked in better health then than at any time since our meeting.
Then there's Charlotte, the housemaid, and Baker, the 'between-maid' between upstairs and down, I suppose that means and Grimmer, the gardener, and Johnson, the boy that takes care of the horse. Each one of 'em seems to know exactly what their own job is and just as exactly where it leaves off and t'other's job begins. I never saw such obligin' but independent folks in my life.
Judson was introduced and, the "between-maid" having brought another chair, he joined our party. He accepted the first of the three cups and observed. "I hope I haven't interrupted an important conversation. You appeared to be talking very earnestly." I should have answered, but Hephzy's look of horrified expostulation warned me to be silent.
Although she was elderly and had lived in Lady Anne Hamilton's house since she was fourteen, when she had come as a between-maid, she had not forgotten how to flounce. "Mark my words," she said in the kitchen, "she'll make a clean sweep of us, same as Miss Mary, as soon as ever the funeral is over. Supposing as how we gives the notice!"
Word Of The Day