Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-03-08
A Treacherous Memory,

|
treacherous memory. If Brown were
addicted to borrowing money it would
be a very bad thing for his friends, for
he would never remember his indebt-
edness, even though he were honest
enough to pay. Perhaps that is the
reason Brown never borrows anything
if he can help it. He knows his weak
ness and doesn't take any chances.
The other day Brown was at a we'll
known restaurant in the city of Detroit,
and he got away with q thirty-cent din
ner. He pulled out $40 bill and
offered it to the cashier at the desk.
| The cashier looked over the change and
finally said that she could not change
| the BILL and remarked that it did not
matter; he could pay the thirty cents
the next time he was in, for Brown was
q regular frequenter of that restaurant.
Next day he came and next, and next,
and next, but never thought of pay
ing the bill. The cashier, who was
a modest young lady, hated to ask him
for the thirty cents, thinking he would
suggest the thing himself, but he did
not do it. Finally she spoke to II @
proprietor of the restaurant.
"Mr. Brown" she said, "owes thirty
cents for lunch he had here the other
day, and he has not offered to pay it.
Had 1 better remind him of 2"
"Woll," said the proprietor, "you
must do it rather carefully, you know;
he might take offense. A man never
likes TO be reminded of debt that he
owes. Perhaps 1 had better speak to
him about it,"
Then the young ladysscalled the wal
ter who generally attended on Mr.
Brown, and said:
did that gentleman, who has Just
gone out, pay you for dinner that he
had here the other day."
no." answered the waiter, "he did
not"
well, he owes us thirty cents, and
! don't know whether to speak to him
or not"
why, I should speak to him at
once" said the waiter, eff l were you.
I'll speak to him, if you like"
well, we had better wait and see
THAT tho proprietor says first"
Next day when Brown came in and
went to pay his bill the cashier said in
neS1tatlnS voice:
"You remember, Mr.. Brown, that
there was thirty cents due for lunch
the other day"
"Bless my SOUL" said Brown, sur
prised, $50 there was. 1 didn't pay
that, did II"
NO." she answered, "you did not.
well, well, take it out of this" and
Brown paid his bill.
The next day the proprietor met
Brown coming away from the cashiers
desk. lie looked to see If he were
going to pay the thirty cents, and
noticing that he did not, he tapped
him on the shoulder as he was going
olt.
"Iam sorry to interrupt you, Mr..
Brown, but you owe us thirty cents for
a lunch that you had here the other
day"
"Oh, that's all right" said Brown. al
had forgotten entirely about it. Well
here you are, quarter and q nickel,
that'll make it square. won't it?"
"That1l be all right, Mr.. Brown"
said the proprietor, as he pocketed
the cash.
The day following Mr.. Brown took
his lunch at his usual table, and the
waiter, seeing it was e. good oppor-
tunity, and having noticed that he did
not pay his thirty cents at the cashiers
desk the day before, said:
Mr.. Brown, you remember the
thirty-cent check you owed two or three
days ago."
NO." said Brown, II don't. What
about it"
Well" said the waiter "you didn't
have the money to pa7 it that day"
Hadn't II" said Brown. "Well,
will pay it to you Now, and that will
make us all right, won't it? ?"
Certainly" said the waiter, and
Brown for the third time forked over
the thirty cents.
AS Brown was paving his check that
day the waiter planked down the
thirty cents which he had just collected
and said:
"Tbat's for Mr.. Browns lunch the
other day
"What other day." said the proprie-
tor, who stood there.
"Why, Mr.. Brown owed us thirty
cents, you know"
why, he paid that to me-" said tho
cashier.
"Yes, but he paid it to me, too" said
the proprietor.
And so, as Brown freluented an hon
est restaurant, he got sixty cents back,
whereas his poor memory might have
cost him that sum of money detroit
Free Press.