Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-08-24
THE LADY CASHIER.

Yes. air. you may. by inspecting tho
time sheet in my Office, see that for
twenty years havo never been one min.
uio late, aud yet say and believe that
punc,nhlity Ia an exccrablo vice. Who
does not despise tho man who always
arrives on time, appearing just when
one Is trying TO anish some occupation.
aud watch In hand. saying blandly, "Am
l not punctualf' Yes, air. after serving
as a regulator for all tho clocks In my
nrighborhood for twenty years, | re-
peat, punotuality ia oxecrable am
cured Of IL, for It was tho cause Of tho
greatest disappointment Of my life
Listen. and judge for yourself.
For seven long years had break.
tasted at ono restaurant; every morning
at omotly nyo minutes past II opened
tho door aud at precisely Eve minutes
before noon closed IT,
Il Va useless 20 describe tho lady
cashier. suffice II 10 say that from tho
instant tasted my first cup Of coffee in
that restaurant she relgned in my heart
Did my glanoos express my fcolingsl
] cannot say, but know that Cor seven
years We loyod In silence. II took Just
that length of tiino for me to got near
enough to speak TO her. as had to work
my way from table No. z. which first
occupied. up to table No. /, which s,cod
next TO the cashiers desk. was too
punctul to arrive an instant earlier at
tho restaurant than the ak other guests,
and az they wrro as exact as /. was
obliged to employ strategy to dislodgo
them.
Tho first man, at table No. 0, was
easily disposed q While waiting TO DO
served amused myself In cutting corks,
and the sound sot his teeth ON odgo and
annoyed him 80 much that no went into
tho next room, and took his place.
six months after chance camo 10 my
aid and relieved mo Of No. 0. A waiter
broke goblet and spilled coffee on tho
table, aud tho occupant being supersti.
tious insisted on changing his seat. no
moved up again.
In tho course OF the next two meals I
succeeded In making myself obnoxious
10 No. 4, who had habit Of taking
little nap Immediately after his break
fast. l contriyed, by fitting my chair,
TO knock his repeatedly, 90 that at last
no got up and loft In fury.
No. held out only ono dry against
me. mado broad and butter black
with cayiaro and soaked II In my coffee,
and tho sight Of the mess made my
neighbor 10 sick that he He'd preoipi,ately
and hardly haa timo to get out OF tho
room.
Then sat next TO No. 9. All. shall
mover forget that mani II took mo four
years TO get rid OF him, aud but for tho
encouraging glances OF my nigel
should have given up In despair. Per-
haps you wonder why did not como
70 breakfast two hours earlier. when
would have had my choice Of tables.
That would have been ample matter
10 most men. but was victim TO tho
folly OF punctuality.
To return 10 No. Q. tried cork cut
ting, putting cayiare In my coffee and
dancing about on my chair, but IL was
all In vain. Then discovered that tho
man was atone deaf besides being blind
in one eye. | decided. therefore. TO at
tack him through his pocket. and ac-
cordingly made n practice OF surrcpti-
ticualy putting cups, glasses and ocean.
tiers close to his elbow, on the blind side,
and no invariably knocked them down
aud had to pay damages, Every day
there was n heap Of broken glass and
china ON the floor between US, and every
day he paid tho cost uncomplainingly.
The restaurant keeper prohted largely
by these accidents, for he had tiie aflict-
ed guest served with cracked and broken
ware and charged him tho price OF new
on its being demolished.
At the end OF four years No. 9 had do
atroyed as much table ware as would
suffice 10 set up In housekeeping all tho
sayages OF Ooeanioa, those people who
have 20 few luxuriHs that one pair Of
gloves is sufficient TO make clothes for
ten men. Poor No. 81 pity him now,
for have learned that the reason no
chung TO his post 40 pertinaciously was
that no too adorod 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 ono day knocked down
and killed by one OF those butchers
wagons which are allowed, 1 know not
why, to rush through Paris streets ut
full speed. The next morning seated
myself ut table No, Q, where, although
not quite within the promised land,
enjoyed its dolicious fragrance. /
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. 1t was No, /. 1
determined TO crush him, and from that
day war was declared between us lie
was u terrible man, formerly captain
OF gendaunes, strong rs a Turk, with
heavy beard and mustache, There wns
a certain amount Of gallantry and senti.
ment, however, undar his rough exterior,
for he used TO fix his great eyes upon tho
lady cashier, and repeat, hour after hour
these words, 81 avn like tho ivy, die
whore attach myself"
Tho prospect did not console me in the
least. for he looked us II he would live
" be u hundred. tried TO win tho