Evening journal., 1891-08-18
THE LADY CASHIER.

time sheet in my office, see that fol
twenty years have never been one min
ute late, and yet say and believe that
punctuality Is an execrable vice. Who
does not despise the man who always
arrives on time, appearing just when
one is trying TO finish some occupation,
and watch in hand, saying blandiy, Am
l not punctualy Yes, sir, after serving
as a regulator for all the clocks in my
neighborhood for twenty years, | re-
| peat, punctuality is execrable. am
cured of IT, for it was the cause OF the
greatest disappointment Of my life.
Listen, and judge for yourself.
For seven long years had break.
tasted at one restaurant; every morning
at exactly five minutes past II opened
the door and at precisely five minutes
before noon | closed it.
II is useless to describe the lady
cashier; suffice it to say that from the
instant tasted my FIRST cup Of coffee in
that restaurant she reigned in my heart.
Did my glancee express my feelings9
l cannot say, but | know that for seven
years we loved in silence. IL took just
that length of time for me to get neal
enough to speak to her, as had to work
occupied, up to table No. 1, which stood
next to the cashiers desk. was toe
| punctual to arrive an instant earlier at
the restaurant than the six other guests,
and as they were as exact as |, was
obliged TO employ strategy to dislodge
| them.
The first man, at table No. 6, was
easily disposed of. While waiting to be
served / amused myself in cutting corlSs
and the sound set his teeth on. edge and
annoyed him so much that he went into
the next room, and | took his place.
Six months after chance came to my
aid and relieved me Of No. .. A waiter
broke goblet and spilled coffee on the
table, and the occupant being supersti.
tious insisted on changing his seat, so ]
moved up again.
In the course of the next two meals
succeeded in making myself obnoxious
TO No. A, who had habit of taking .
little nap Immediately after his break
fast. contnved, by fitting my chair,
to knock his repeatedly, 80 that at last
he got up and left in fury.
No. held out only one day against
me. | made bread and butter black
with caviare and soaked it in my coffee
and the sight of the mess made my
neighbor so sick that he fed precipitatelS
and hardly had time to get out of tn,
room.
Then l sat next to No. Q. All, Ishall
never forget that mani 1t took me foul
years TO get rid Of him, and but for the
encouraging glances of my angel
should have given up in despair. Per
haps You wonder why | did not come
TO breakfast two hours earlier, when
would have had my choice Of tables
That would have been a simple matter
to most men, but | was a victim to the
folly Of punctuality.
To return to No. 2. tried cork cut
ting, putting caviare in my coffee and
dancing about on my chair, but it wa.
all in vain. Then discovered that the
man was stone deaf besides being blind
in one eye. decided. therefore, to at
tack him through his pocket, and &C
cordingly made a practice of suTrepti
tiously putting cups, glasses and ocean
ters close to his elbow, on the blind side
and he invariably knocked them dowI
and had to pay damages. Every dal
there was heap of broken glass anC
china on the floor between rs, and ever,
day he paid the cost uncomplainingly
The restaurant keeper profted largel,
by these accidents, for he had the affiict
ed guest served with cracked and broker
ware ana charged him the price of new
on its being demolished
AT the end OF four years No. Q had de
stroyed as much table ware as woul
suffice to set up in housekeeping all tn
savages Of Oceanica, those people VIII
have so few luxuries that one pair Q
gloves is sufficient to make clothes fo
ten men. Poor No. g l pity him now
for l have learned that the reason h
chung to his post so pertinaeiously wa
that he too adored the lady cashier.
had no mercy on him, however, and b,
ing at the end Of my resources had r,
/ solved to put the police on his tract
d when he was one day knocked dow
and killed by one Of those butcher
wagons which are allowed, know M
why, to rush through Paris streets
full speed The next morning | seate
: myself at table No. ., where, althoug
: not quite within the promised land,
enjoyed its delicious fragrance.
breathed the odor of the orange flow,
e water which she poured into hideot
: little onion shaped bottles.
S Only one obstacle now separated n
from her, my beloved. II was No. l.
determined to crush him, and from thu
s. day war was declared between us. +
re was terrible man, formerly a capital
OF gendarmes, strong as a Turk, vii
heavy beard and mustache. There WI
+, a certain amount of gallantry and sent
= ment, however, under his rough exterio
Az for he used to fx his great eyes upon Il
- lady cashier, and repeat, hour after hon
e. these words, Il am like the ivy; | d
IT. where | attach myself"
x The prospect did not console me in Il
be least, for he looked as if he would Ii,
- to be a hundred | tried to win Il
:, monster by relating amusing tales an
~ making puns. but he suddenly dampen,
\ my ardor by saying. as he twisted