Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-09
A WAITRESS FOR A DAY.
ROMANCE OF A $50 BILL THAT
HANGS m a BEAUTY'S ROOM.

HOMANCE Or SOO DILL iffN'
HANGS IN 4 BEAUTY'S ROOM.
A Pretty Story of City People Eoughing
1t In n wild and Unsettled Part of the
Big west-A Sister-in-Law Takes the
Place of Servant for One Meal.
In the pretty morning room of certain
young woman in this city there hangs on
the wall $50 bill, framed first by wide
gray mat and edged with narrow rim OF
scarlet plush picked out in gold. Thereby
hangs a tale One of the Easter weddings
was that of the young womans sister
She married civil engineer, who straight
way after the manner of civil engineers
rushed of To Arizona to survey copper
mine about to be or already opened in that
distant territory. His bride accompanied
him. and the sister was induced to go also
for purposes, rs she put il. of travel, ex
ploration and adventure.
Things were not altogether bad out
among the Indians; the mine was on the
line of railroad; they had carried with
them good many home belongings; d
house was secured, such rs IL was. ana
more or less proper establishment set up
The summer and the sisters stay were
nearly ut IN end, when one afternoon MI
Tom. the husband and brother-in-law'
sent word from the works that the English
member of the firm which was developing
the mine had arrived suddenly for lie"
hours stay and he would bring him up TO
dinner This announcement created some
Consideration
The cook WAS half breed who was eN'
cellent within his limits, but he knew
nothing even of the rudiments OF put
lering As matter OF fact the lam
lily were accustomed TO dine en- buffet
This. freely translated, meant frequent
trips on the part of one diner or an
other to the chest at the side of the room
which by courtesy was called n sideboard.
But an Euglishman, you know, Nell
said Mrs Tom plaintively, expects at
dinner to be served if he takes that meal IN
an Indian Jungle. With our canned soups
and lobster, and the superb joint which
Nelson can get up, we can offer most pre-
sentable menu. but what shall we do iof
some one to change the plates?
MAID FOR AN HOUR
Miss Nell Immediately begged to take the
role for single appearance at Will be
no end of fun, f" she argued land warrant
has ever been served as shall serve you
tonight Eve always contended it took
high degree OF intelligence to create per
feet butter or butleress," she added with
laugh. land I'd immensely like 10 show
what culture can do with dinner tray.
In the end, though with many misgiv
ings on Mrs. Toms part, the plan was ar
ranged A note was dispatched TO Mr.
Tom warning him not TO meution his
sisterin-law in any way-that all woula
Ire explained later. 1t was "a few moments
after their guest had been welcomed that
capped and aproned figure appeared in
the doorway announcing quietly. Dinner
l. served Whatever Mr. Tom may have
thought or felt he could not express
could do nothing Indeed hut follow his
wife as the Englishmeu handed her on.
Everything went beautifully in the dining
room From soup To cheese the serving
was irreproachabe The glesi, a genia.
companionable man OF perhaps 30, wa,
vlSicly affected by the skill and general Il
es2tnce of the waitress. and Mrs. Tus.
caught several several searching yIaacss
thrown upon her maid
Nothing was said, however till the close
of the dinner, when. the coffee having been
placed upon the table the deft and demufe
handuaideu withdrew Then the English
man voiced his surprise that Mrs Tom
could keep IN this out of the way plate
such a thoroughly trained aud capable
maid, whereupon Mrs Tom. knowing hat
her sister could retire no further than the
screen Ia the corner of the room which
an emergency buffers pantry,
evolved for her benefit delightful little
history
Yes, she began slowly. slipping her
coffee, Ellen J. quite a superior young
person As YOU have noticed she is intelii-
gent and refined much beyond her station
really very well educated too And she lis
the heroine of very pretty little ro-
nance
BONASCE AND i;ETRIBU FIoS
Atthis jnncture slight rafting of glass
ware behind the screen warned Mrs Toia
that her story was taking effect. and with
a CLEAN of mischief, ar which her husband
could have groaned aloud, she proceeded:
She Is engaged to he married to a very
young man in New York. the
welding day WAS set over a year ago, when
Six weeks before the date arrived the coin
ing groom was stricken blind in an hour.
lie has been under treatment ever since,
slowly reyaining his sight, and she, poor
girl, Is saving every penny of her wages
against the time when he must leave the
hospital. think she means TO marry him
RS soon as possible and support him until
he can get work again. IL is quite pathetic
and interesting-her devotion"
But Mr.. Tom could stand the strain no
longer, and proposed a return to the pir-
IoT The Englishman, however, did Not
drop the subject at once. asking a number
Of questions about Ellen aud her coin
pany. lie left, as was expected, soon af-
ter dinner, and Miss Nell was free to poI1r
the vials Of her wrath upon her wicked
sisters head, an occupation in which size
was ably seconded by Mr. Tom when he H.
turned from putting their recent mkt
aboard his train
Inc end, however, was not vet. Within
a fortnight Mrs. Tom received note from
the Englishman dated at New York in
which he said that he had been much inn
pressed with the loyalty and devotion of
her maid, Ellen, who was undoubtedI,, a
most worthy young person, and he went
on TO beg Mrs. Tom to find some wav to
bestow the ineiosed-a $50 bilI-upon her
TO aid in her courageous and prai,ewortby
effort.
mus retribution came 10 Mrs Tom.
She was overcome at what she had done
and there was no comfortable yav ont, of
1t. 1t was impossible to explain ia the
Englishman how lac had been decaived
Nor could the bill be plausibIy returned m,
the part of Ellen. There seemed nothing
10 do but 10 keep it and thank the donor
which Mrs. Tom accomplished if must be
cuni'alsSd with mucn less than her usr,al
grace. The bill hangs GA - wall u -aEI-
len room today-a double warning
against theatricals in private life and
the utterance of pretty romance wb;cb
nave no foundation in faet.-Her Point of
View in New York Times.
The Richest Clergymen
The Rev. DR.. Charles +. Hoffmar 80
his hrot iicr fLn I1nr.