The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-10-18
A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE

She was rather pretty girl, sunburnt
as to her hands freckled as to her nose,
but, virtual, good to look at. She wore a
white sailor that had once in its youth
been fair, but now, like its wearer, it was
sunburnt, and sunburn is not as attrac-
tive in hat as in girl. She sat down,
pulled off her gloves, studied the menu.
and when the waiter had gone to fill her
order talked.
And the girl who was with her. whose
face and hands were as white as her hat,
listened.
II always like to come here" began
the sunburnt one. i've read so much
about girls who lunched on a pickle and
an eclair that it's rather pleasing than
otherwise to come here and see girls or
dering meat and potatoes, while men,
sensible creatures that they are, eat such
luncnes as that one at the next table is
devouring. You can't sac him. but |
can. He's got q glass of beer and great
big piece of pie with chunk of icecream
on top of it. Pie la mode, l believe
they call it. And, besides, one does meet
such queer people here. horrid most Of
them, but so interesting.
Last time | was here man and his
wife, and an old man and his wife, father
and mother OF the younger man, sat at
the same table with me. They were real
old, back country farmer folk. He was
that unutterable cad that knowit all I'M
pertinence, farmers boy grown up,
transplanted to the city, and anxious TO
! impress his farmer father and moth er
with their own Ignorance and his vast
knowledge-chieHy OF the world, the fies h
and the devil He WIS very magnificent.
| 1t was his treat. The old folks were to
| order whatever they liked. The old man
would like some chicken. The son began
to bully his father. Steak would take a
long time to prepare Wouldn't this Or
that or the other do as well? This and
that and the other were all cheaper than
steak. Then what would the mother
have. Would she like? He knew very
well what she would like, but he hoped to
bully her into liking something less expen-
sive. Here his wife interfered. Mother
wants chicken, and she's going to have
it. too And she did, but l longed to
shake that man.
"He was dishonest, too. He took out
Aashy- looking gold watch. The old
and above we'll, was the answer. i got
swindled on that watch. I'm going to
make them put in new works for me,
though. They're bound to do it. And
his wife said quietly, But, George, you
can't expect to get an extra good gold
watch for $4.75?' And george glared but
answered never a word. Then to his
father: Look a-here, why don't you take
this off to Rosevlle Center with you?
Take lot of them. You can have this
at cost. And they'd go like hot cakes
there. They look like gold. you know;
real Misunderstanding watcher, | call
them. You could trade one for buggy,
throw in dollar or two. you know, and
another with a trifie OF cash for a horse,
and another for anything else you please.
But the old farmer was not to be tenn 3ted.
He didn't want any more buggies and
was trying to get rid of some horses as it
was. But call that downright dishonest,
don't your
And the waiter returned. and the sun
burnt girl lost interest in her fellows for
the time being, and the other girl did
what little talking was done. Finally
lunch was finished and the check pre-
sented, and the sunbIrnt girl began fish
ing in her pocketbook for money, and
she brought out many things that we're
tation ticket that had only one ride left
on it She passed it over to her friend.
That was given to me By man known
to and pitled by men of his own profess
ion as the man with the conscience and
an awfully nice man he is too. 1t was a
ten ride ticket TO Winnetka and there
were four rides left on it which he could
not use. So ne asked me If could.
live at Lake Forest, you know, but he
thought could use it gong out, because
the tickets are punched as soon as We
leave Chicago, and the conductor would
never remember where my ticket said