Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-31
YOUTHFUL TALENT.
a Restaurant Where the Mattresses
are Only Ten Years Old.

| From the New York World.
a sirloin steak, with fried potatoes. Do
you want coffee, sir?"
| The speaker was addressing q World re-
porter. who had dropped into Grand street
| restaurant for lunch. OF course she was a
| waitress but strange to say, only ten years
| OF age. She did not seem out of place,
as the restaurant was a small one, the
| tables neat and pretty, and about the
room were fitting other girls of her own
age. The one in question was pretty dark
haired girl, with smiling lips and large brown
eyes. She took the reporters order and soon
returned bringing the dishes with more grace,
and as much skill as one of Delmonico's finest.
After she had arranged the order in appetzing
style before the hungry reporter. she retired at
respectful distance to await further orders.
1T was shortly after o'clock and about fifteen
of the little maidens were in attendance. They
were all dressed alike. and as they formed in
! small groups during an idle moment they were
| very pleasing sight The costume consisted
of a gray WOODEN dress, reaching slightly below
the knees, and trimmed with dark-red embroi-
derry at the waist A fluffy apron, trimmed with
red ribbon, hung Hastily in front. while upon
the head a large snowy bakers cap was jauntily
placed, making them look prettier than ever
All of the girls Wore cardinal stockings. and
| their hair, which hung down their backs, was
neatly woven INTO DralQ ana lleQ WIN req
ribbon. They seemed to take especial pride in
keeping themselves looking as clean and at
tractlve as possible and soon as an apron
commenced to show the least sign of being
soiled off it came and new one was substi-
tuted.
When the little waitress who was attending
the reporter brought his coffee she was asked
how she like the business at her tender years
.'Oh," she replied, with a smile, Il like it
very much. and it helps mamma so much. 1t is
great deal nicer than running around dry
goods store az cash girl, as was once. On.
that was terrible work. and was so tired every
night that could hardly stand"
The reporters curiosity WAS excited. and
when he finished his lunch he hunted up Mr.
Hartman, the proprietor of the place, and
asked him how he came to employ SO novel and
SO youthful a staff of mattresses.
when l first started this restaurant" he
said Il employed men as walters. l soon tired
OF them. however. for they were constantly
going off on sprecs and never could depend
on them. Frequently they left me short
handed and l had to jump in and attend the
tables myself l commenced to lose money and
consequently discharged them ali and put in
their places girls ranging from twenty
to twenty-five years of age Ny trade
commenced to grow rapidly, and thought
had hit the right thing at last. In few
months, however, the gentlemen patrons and
the mattresses became very well acquainted
with each other, and often would see lady
patron lHpatlentty waiting 1or service, while
one of the girls talked to young man at an
other table. This MASKING practice grew to
such an alarming extent that the lady shoppers,
who were among my best patrons, dropped off
one by one. l became alarmed and was in o
quandry as to how to get out of the difficulty
Among my employees was little girl twelve
years of age, whose duty it was to gather the
water glasses and fill them when it was neces-
sary. One day. during a rush. she took an
order and filed it in satisfactory manner. 1
noticed it and Immediately told her to con-
tinue in the work and tell me how she liked it.
That night she said she was very much pleased
with her new duties. so l raised her salary and
set her to work. had at last struck the idea.
AT the end of two months had every large
girl out and their places filed by the little
maidens, who perform the duties just as well
and show partially to none
The faces of the maidens looked fresh and
happy. forming strong contrast TO the tired,
weary cOuntenances of the hundreds of little
cash girls in the big stores in the vicinity.