Having sneezed five times before breakfast this morning, I decided to
go in and consult him professionally. To be sure, he is a children's
specialist, but sneezes are common to all ages. So I boldly marched up
the steps and rang the bell.
Hark! What sound is that that breaks upon our revelry? The Hon. Cy's
voice, as I live, approaching up the stairs. I've letters to write, and
I can't be tormented by his blether, so I am rushing Jane to the door
with orders to look him firmly in the eye and tell him I am out.
. . . . . . . .
On with the dance! Let joy be unconfined. He's gone.
But those eight stars represent eight agonizing minutes spent in the
dark of my library closet. The Hon. Cy received Jane's communication
with the affable statement that he would sit down and wait. Whereupon
he entered and sat. But did Jane leave me to languish in the closet? No;
she enticed him to the nursery to see the AWFUL thing that Sadie Kate
has done. The Hon. Cy loves to see awful things, particularly when done
by Sadie Kate. I haven't an idea what scandal Jane is about to disclose;
but no matter, he has gone.
Where was I? Oh, yes; I had rung the doctor's bell.
The door was opened by a large, husky person with her sleeves rolled up.
She looked very businesslike, with a hawk's nose and cold gray eyes.
"Well?" said she, her tone implying that I was a vacuum-cleaning agent.
"Good morning." I smiled affably, and stepped inside. "Is this Mrs.
McGurk?"
"It is," said she. "An' ye'll be the new young woman in the orphan
asylum?"
"I am that," said I. "Is himself at home?"
"He is not," said she.
"But this is his office hour."
"He don't keep it regular'."
"He ought," said I, sternly. "Kindly tell him that Miss McBride called
to consult him, and ask him to look in at the John Grier Home this
afternoon."
"Ump'!" grunted Mrs. McGurk, and closed the door so promptly that she
shut in the hem of my skirt.
When I told the doctor this afternoon, he shrugged his shoulders, and
observed that that was Maggie's gracious way.
"And why do you put up with Maggie?" said I.
"And where would I find any one better?" said he. "Doing the work for
a lone man who comes as irregularly to meals as a twenty-four-hour day
will permit is no sinecure. She furnishes little sunshine in the home,
but she does manage to produce a hot dinner at nine o'clock at night."
Just the same, I am willing to wager that her hot dinners are neither
delicious nor well served. She's an inefficient, lazy old termagant, and
I know why she doesn't like me. She imagines that I want to steal away
the doctor and oust her from a comfortable position, something of a
joke, considering. But I am not undeceiving her; it will do the old
thing good to worry a little. She may cook him better dinners, and
fatten him up a trifle. I understand that fat men are good-natured.