Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-03-21
A Trenchorous Memory.

n
treacherous memory If Brown wero
addicted to borrowing money it would
be very bad thing for his friends, for
he would never remember his indcbt.
adness, even though he were honest
enough to pay. Perhaps that is tho
reason Brown never borrows ANYTHING
if he can help it. He knows his weak
ness and doesn't take any chances.
Tho other day Brown was at a we'll
known restaurant in the city Of Detroit.
and he got away with n thirty-cent din,
ner. He pulled ont so 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
a regular freQuentcr 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 tho thing himself, but he did
not do it. Finally she spoke to tho
proprietor of the restaurant.
"Mr. Brown" she said, "owos thirty
cents for lunch lie had hero the other
day, and he has not offered to pay it.
Had better remind him of it?"
"Woll," said tho proprietor, "you
must do it rather carefully, you know;
he might take offense. 4 man never
likes to be reminded of n debt that he
owes. Perhaps had better speak to
him about it."
Then the young ladysscalled the wal
tor who generally attended on Mr..
Brown, and said:
Did that gentleman, who has Just
gone out, pay you for dinner that lie
Ind 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 nj
once, snid the waiter, IF were you.
I'll speak to him, if you like"
well, We had better wait and see
shnt the proprietor says first"
Next day when Brown came in and
went to pay his bill tho cashier said in
q hesitating voice:
You remember, Mr.. Brown. that
there was thirty cents due for lunch
the other day..
BLESS my SOUL" said Brown, sur.
priscd, so there was. 1 didn't pay
that, did II"
"No,' she answered, "you did not.
well, well, take it out OF this" and
Brown pnid his bill.
The next day tho proprietor met
Brown coipi9g ewax from the cashiers
desk. H669kf see If he wore
going to fatS lsahisty cents, and
noticing thass st.o Sl}a not, he tapped
him on ttis Ilps dtsssho. WAS going
ont. xfa4i ~ 10 Nd
II nm sorry 70 intelsupt You, Mr.
Brown, but you owe MS thirty cents for
lunch that you had here the other
day."
ooh, limits all right" said Brown. al
had forgotten entirely about it. Well,
here you are, quarter and nickel,
thatll make it square, won't it?"
"ThntT be all right, Mr.. Brown"
said the proprietor, rs he pockcted
the cash.
The day following Mr. Brown took
his lunch ut his usual table, and tho
waiter, seeing it was good oppor-
tunity, and having noticed that he did
not pay his thirty cents Mt the cashiers
desk the day before, said:
Mr.. Brown, you remember the
thirty-ccnt check you owed two or three
days ngo?"
mo" said Brown, al don't. What
about it?"
Well, said the waiter, "you didn't
have the money 10 paY it that day."
Hadn't II" snid Brown. "Well, l
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 paying his check that
day the waiter plnnked down the
thirty cents which he had just collected
and said:
"Thnt'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, lie paid tLnt to NO." said the
cashier.
"Yes, but lie paid it to me, too" said
the proprietor.
And so, Us Brown frcguonted an hon
est restaurant, he got sixty cents back,
whereas his poor memory might have
cost him that sum of money Detroit
Free Press.