The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-08-29

4
transformed to triumphant intensity
as he spoke and guarded the door against
my escape.
When | could gather suficiency OF
my scattered wits together to do it, re-
piled defiantly: II would! Isaid would
| Il you employed mel"
''Hey? Hey? You would2 You wouldT'
eyes, l would, l would!" Angrily
and defsntly I said it.
Then he darted toward me: I'm take
you! You're engaged! Dye hear? Hey7
HeyT
was perplexed-stupef In my
CONSERVATION ! made feeble effort to
think or reason, out of the inscrutable,
how my vicious promise to eat him out
| of house and home could determine this
benign effect, my engagement But the
effort was vain. In my deranged condi'
ton could only nod with my head !
accomplished that.
"Goodl Goodl All right! You're
engaged! But, say, you lied; said you're
a small eater. You did ie-did you?-
didn't you?-hey? hey?"
"Oh," answered, when could catch
my breath, "that was joke"
"Joke? No joking-in business. Bust
ness is-business."
Eyes, SIR" / said, that is maxim
have heard before, somewhere; and l
shall not again forget it." Then, in a
doubtful voice, and ready on the instant
to recall it, for I was by no means GER
tain l understood him, added, Il will
eat all you want me to-"
"You win? Good! goodl All want
hey? hey?"
Il WILL" l answered placidly; for l
was treasured.
"Good! good! You're engaged" Then
making another dart at me and ram
ming his hands deeply into his pockets,
he continued, ''How much-a week
hey? hey? how much:" After saying
which he withdrew his hands with moth
ing in them.
'Now what, besides eating, do you de-
sire that l should do sir?" asked
"Do? Eat! Nothing else! Eat-all
day long deep into-the night"
"No waiting on the tables, no dish
washing. no cleaning or scrub
Nonsense! No! Got people for that
-easy Blamed hard though-get good
looking-girls to eat Been fourteen
here 'smorning-al small eaters-you're
first one-big eater! You're engaged!
Hey? hey? Are your"
Now l began to have glimmering of
my Importance. So animated, asked;
How much do you pay, sir:'
"Pay you-mind! you're engaged
pay you-four dollars-per week. You're
engaged-are you? Hey? hey:"
II am engaged to you, sir" COM
placently replied, IF you will make it
six"
"Too much. Can't do it. Four
had moved toward the door. He
bounded to it, and again put his back
against it.
Stop! Stop!' he cried; blamed hard
All right. Make it six"
"Six dollars a week, sir" l replied,
secures my services; to eat being my
duty" Then, in view of the odd, the
seemingly fabulous nature of this bar
gain, my caution. of which l possess a
stock, prompted me to add. IF paid
weekly and in advance"
Advance? All right You're en-
gagged"
And when, sir. if you please, am 1 to
begin?'
"Now! Sit here-this window-rll
ring. Waiter comes. You order. Here's
bill Of fare. You eat. Go out Walk
around block. Come in. Order. Eat
again. Go outcome in. Eat-keep it
up"
He touched bell, a waiter appeared,
| ordered something and ate it. He
the fierce little proprietor of the restau.
rant-again retired behind his gaudy
partition, and then his head and shoul
ders reappeared in the little window
where they spent the day. During it,
course he, with my efficient aid, engaged
(at four dollars week and not paid il
advance) three additional girls, who
joined me in the arduous employment
assigned me-
It was his plan to obtain customers TO,
his restaurant; by demonstrating to thu
public that he did some business, h,
hoped to attract it and do more. He ha(
opened the place just a week before
came, and had spent the week, as he af
terward informed me, in devoting tn,
contents of his little head to the elabora
ton Of plan to possess himself of tn,
only thing lacking in the restaurant
custom.
He kept us four coming in, eating ant
going out. He had friend and conf
dant couple of blocks away, with whom
he left an assortment of hats and wraps
we went there and changed our appear
ance between leafs" He enforced thi
routine: 1t was eat, go out, change cos
tune, come in, eat, go out-all day an,
evening. 1t was a brilliant scheme O
intricate conception and OF masterfu
execution. but for all that it failed O
its purpose. The sheriff closed US up II
four weeks
did as pleased, pretty much, Will,
it lasted; only he stipulated that shout,
allow no love making on the part of tn
walters. And never did. But he mad
love to me, and | allowed that: for. il