The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-05-03
09be Shop
ON MDb@eZs.
T WAS nearly 3 o'clock in the morn
ing and Josiah Pm almost began to
despair OF doing any more trade that

ing and Josiah PIN almost began to
despair OF doing any more trade that
night.
Never knew things to be SO quiz
et." he muttered in tone of deep dis
gust. Its more like a country church
yard than London town"
Mr.. PIN had a pleasant habit of talk
ing to himself. which was probably the
result of SO often having no one else to
talk to.
"Blest il I don't think TN take the old
shop home" he added. with a threatening
look at his giant coffee urn. I'm take
you home and break you up for old iron!
Business" he continued. turning to the
teapot for sympathy, what's the good of
talking about the state of trade when a
coffee stall at the corner of Sloane street
can't take more than ninepence in two
hours? L shall chuck it. that's what 1
shall do
1t was one of the advantages of Mr..
PINS business that if customers came not
to him he could take his wares. shop and
ALL to them.
lust then a party of young people. re-
turning from some scene of social festiv-
ity, came in sight.
Mr. PIN eyed them scornfully.
'Toffs!" he said confidently to the
sugar basin. Not worth twopence to us"
But for once even Mr.. PINS sasacity
was at fault.
One of the young men who was leading
the way called out to the rest
Here's coffee stall! Who wants cof-
fee?"
A young lady IN the party at once said:
"Oh. I would like to have some coffee
at a street stall! Shall we stop?"
Then young man. who was evidently
a humorist. observed that they might as
well die there as anywhere, so the whole
party pulled up, much to Mr.. PINS as
constituent. and demanded coffee, hot.
Mr.. PIN was not at all frustrated at
this thrush of aristocratic patronage. In
deed, he often boosted that at his tenn
perance hotel-as he sometimes used to
call his coffee stall--he served all classes
Of yN.NkNla Alb. S,,l
dodgers.
So he served the party with hot coffee
of the most aromatic and refreshing
quality in his power. talking all the time
in low voice, his custom. to
the various articles about him.
We'll. it is a rum world and no mis-
take"' he said In confidential whisper
to his most intimate friend, the coffee
urn. Here's a lot of swells-downrigh
could have every blessed thing they
called for. must needs come to coffee
stall at 3 o'clock in the morning for
penny cups of Coffee
IT'S jolly good coffee" said the noisy
young man who had led the way
rs it," inquired Mr.. PIN dryly.
That's rather surprising. Seeing that
I've only been making coffee for the last
forty years, You wouldn't expect me to
know anything about it yet"
That's one for you" said member
of the party to the noisy youth. Il sup
pose you funny sides of life here,
don't you?' he asked. turning to Mr..
PIN.
Yes" replied the hotel proprietor, in
the same slow sarcastic tone of voice II
get all sorts and conditions of men here.
I've had lords and loafers. prime minis
tiers and jockeys. rogues and vagabonds.
wise men and"-here he looked quiZzi
cally at the noisy young gentleman
fools"
What heading do we come under?'
asked young lady. turning pair OF
beautiful gray-blue eyes TO Mr.. PIN in
Quiringly.
The old man, who had been reading
human nature in the stiffness of the
night for nearly half century. turned
his keen eyes to her for a moment, and
after glance at the young fellow who
stood by her side. said. in a softer voice
AT present, my child, you come under
no heading. You have not yet qualified
yourself"
Then he looked again at the young fell
10" by her side. who had a curiousiy
striking face. and said to the girl:
Your opportunity may be coming"
By this time most OF the party had
gone on. and these two were alone at the
coffee stall.
The girl appeared to be struck by the
old mans remark for she said;
Is my opportunity really coming 1
wonder II shall make use of ftp"
What about me, old boy?' asked the
young man. Am I among the sheep or
the goats?''
AT present you are among the goats"
said the old coffee staHkeeper grimly.
The young man was evidently half-of-
Tended. and said sharply:
on. I think it's time We got on, Miss
Trent
With nod from the girl and some
what grur "Good-night!' from the young
man. they went away. leaving Mr.. PIN to
his own caustic. shrewd thoughts.
That's the way of the world" he NUT
tered to his friend the coffee urn. "A
crowd goes by, and, out of the whole
crowd. there's one man, and perhaps one
woman. who is worth noting
He proceeded to pack up his utensils
chattering to his silent companions all
the time.
Yes; shall see him again" he said
Up the tree in the gutter. Who
knows? She doesn't know: and yet II Is
she who will write his fate. And per
haps she doesn't even know that his fate
is in her hands. That's the pity of it
she may not even know that the fate of
a man Is in her hands,"
couple OF years rolled by, and stiff
Mr.. PIN wheeled his temperance hotel
night by night to the corner of Sloane
street.
He was still making caustic observa-
tons on the ways of the world at large
and holding confidential chats with his
cone urn.
But his coffee urn not his only
companion. for many improbable peopl. |
have stopped at his hotel. and learnt to |
appreciate the queer old mans acuteness |
There was one mana young man-who |
had taken to coming almost every night = |
or. rather, morning-to drink one of MI
Pins cups of coffee.
He very pale and Sha bby-looking
and there was ptnched, sharp look |
about his face that told quick-eyed Mr.
PIN clearly enough of the tale of semi |