The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-06-02
CLOSING OUT STOCK.

Chicago.
Many OF the Chicago lunch-rooms
that do not keep open at night have an
effective way Of disposing of the stock
that Is left ON hand at closing time.
AS the hour Of approaches crowd
of from thirty to fifty children collects
along the curb Of the opposite side of
the street, each with a basket and also
with close grip on 10-cent piece.
They are not the poorest, of course, or
they wouldn't have the dime, and most
Of them are reasonably clean-faced.
They are a bright looking lot, with
eager, and some anxious, faces. There
are not always enough remnants to
fill all the baskets, and the first serving
is the best.
Over in the lunch-room through the
window they can see the young men
and women preparing for their recep-
ton, filing big baskets and getting for
convenience all the remnants Of kind
together. There is much speculation in
the line on the curb as to what the Sc
lection will be. Will there be any
CkCdl pQAS VI ldQy -nASCAS VI hCk IA
CUES? Has any one seen "any O. them
little long cakes with chocolate on
top?"
None of these children is starving BY
any means, but some Of them would be
willing to tackle plain bun without
any other consideration.
The young man inside, who has the
management Of the distribution, seems
very deliberate about everything. At
least 1t looks that way to the young
sters across the street. After they have
got everything assorted he makes GER
tain changes among the big baskeoA
Then the counter Is cleaned or and he
steps back to take general view to
see IL everything Is ready.
Here he comesv says nearly every
one In the line. They are crowding Z
little now, and some Of them have got
out to the cable track.
"Oh, that won't do at air. says the
| young man when he comes outside.
That line is no good. You will have ID
! get back ON the sidewalk"
| So they scramble back to the curl
and line up. The young man waits q
| few seconds, raises his arm slowly and
suddenly lets them fall, which Is the
| signal to start. 1t is pell-mell race
across the street, and they 60 ur
against the restaurant as a big wave
| strikes the seawan down on the lake
| front. The door doesn't seem hall
large enough, but In very short time
they all crowd In and I'LL the counter
with baskets. Many of the tail-end-
ers have to wait for the second filing
which Is not SO good.
The young woman behind the coun
ter, taking up big basket of rolls
passes along shaking them out into thu
smaller baskets. Some one follow
with lot Of bread Of a different kind
and after there is good, solid founda
ton Of the staple, the attendants tum
BILE in an assortment Of cakes. Ther
one gives out pieces of paper for GOV
ers, while another collects the dimes.
1t Is when the children get outsid.
again that the fun begins. Some LITTLE
girls-the crowd is mostly girls-tucl
| the paper in around their prizes and
walk OF primly for home, but rathe1
more linger in the eddies Of the side
walk or drop down on the first con
venient step and begin eating and trad
ing. Some do thrifty business retail
ing to those who had not the 10 cent
necessary to buy job lot, but, Of
course, nearly the transactions an
made with one hand, the other being
occupied in slowing away cream pui1a
where they will do the most good.