The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-10-01
THE LADY CASHIER

Yes, sir, you may, by inspecting the
time sheet In my office, see that for
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 blandly. Am
not punctualT' 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 il to say that from the
instant tasted my first cup of coffee in
that restaurant she reigned in my heart
Did my glances express my feelings?
! cannot say. but ! know that for seven
years we loved in silence 1t took Just
that length of time for me to get near
enough to speak to her. as ] had TO work
my way from table No Z, which first
occupied, up to table No. l, which stood
next to the cashiers desk. was too
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 d:slodge
them
The first man, at table No. G. was
easily disposed of While waiting TO he
served amused myself in cutting corks,
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. 8 a waiter
broke a 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. 4. who had a habit of taking a
little nap Immediately after his break
fast contrIved. by fitting my chair
TO knock his repeatedly. so that at last
he got up and left in a fury.
No. 3 held out only one day against
me- | made bread and butter black
with caviare and soaked il IN my coffee,
and the sight of the mess made nv
neighbor SO sick that he fed precipitately
and hardly had time TO get out of the
room.
Then sat next TO No. Q All. shall
never forget that man! IL took me four
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 1 did not come
to breakfast two hours earlier, when
would have had my choice of tables
That would have been simple matter
to most men, but | was n victim to the
folly Of punctuality.
To return to No. .. tried cork cut
ting, putting caviare in my coffee and
dancing about on NV chair. but it was
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 surrepti-
tiously putting cups, glasses and decan.
tiers close to his elbow, on the blind side.
and he invariably knocked them down
and had to pay damages. Every day
there was a heap of broken glass and
china on the floor between US. and every
day he paid the cost uncomplainingly
The restaurant keeper profited largely
by these accidents, for he had the affiict-
ed guest served with cracked and broken
ware and 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 would
suffice to set up in housekeeping ali the
savages OF Oceanica. those people who
have so few luxuries that one pair of
gloves is sufficient to make clothes for
ten men. Poor No. 2! pity him now,
for i have learned that the reason he
chung TO his post so pertinaciously was
that he too adored the lady cashier.
had no mercy ON him, however, and be
ing at the end of my resources had re-
solved 10 put the police on his track,
when he was one day knocked down
1870 0--aNN SAG VI AhOcC buNIuCES
wagons which are allowed. know not
why, to rush through Paris streets at
full speed The next morning seated
myself at table No. .. where. although
not quite within the promised land, I
enjoyed its delicious fragrance. 4
breathed the odor Of the orange flower
water which she poured into hideous
little onion shaped bottles.
Only one obstacle now separated me
from her, my beloved II was No. /. I
determined 70 crush him, and from that
day war was declared between us He
was terrible man, formerly a captain
OF gendarmes, strong as Turk. with |
heavy beard and mustache. There was
certain amount Of gsllantry and senti
ment. however, under his rough exterior,
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