Graham guardian., 1902-03-14

c mpL anu tDeA Hftn lOtH
on tnt gas for ios- j.W II an
t fixtures "ouid cost aj iv.,sf
tnat much more so | decided to
wait awhile. The stove l had pur-
chased had no fixtures to conneet
it with a large hot water tank IN
the kitchen SO | had to pay !;
plum Der So dollars to fiji it. | ais,
purchased table linen, $50 worth
Of groceries, S6 worth Of wood ana
coal, and had cards printed and Il
sign painted which, though 4 small
one, cost e5, the cards c sting 81
Ny cashn " running rather low,
! called upo number II ,e
estate and loan agents to borrow
money on my property; but | found
to my chagrin that / could moi
borrow cent on it, most Of them
telling me it was worthless, which
may have been the case, but | Ger
tainly, owing to misrepresentation
Of the agent, paid pretty penny
for it just the same. / wasn't
broke but was uncomfortably short
Of cash and was beginning to real
ize that l had an elephant on my
hands and wished l could let go.
/ bad advertised to open my
restaurant for active operations
ednesday at l a. m. and I'll bet
| walked hundred miles more or
less hunting up delinquent articles.
First the coal was no good and
the wood was in big chunks so we
couldn't use it, the dishes didn't
all come, the milkman was late and
the butcher didn't come at all, and
we had begun operations without
a butcher-knifc, or q kettle or pot
in the house. OF course | had to
chase about and round up these
deficiencies besides experimenting
the cooking, arranging the tables,
and getting ready to do the
waitress act. | intended to look
quite swell, as mattresses are wont
to look, but those mattresses are
not also proprietors or they would
not wear such gay and festive
air.
The first persons TO come in
were a couple ofladies with whom
| was acquainted and l called my
first bill Of fare. Luckily being
dinner, it was short but | stumbled
over it anyhow The ladies very
kindly informed my that [ had for
gotten to fill the salt cellars.
This shortage made good and
other orders brought in, L made
the discovery that the refrigerator,
which | had purchased second
hand, had sprung a leak, so, as we
couldn't lift it and it was too low
to put anything but a very shallow
pan under it, / spent the intervals
between orders in mopping up the
cool and crystal stream at the low
er end ofthe DINING room. l was
my own cashier also and had o 60
out for change couple Of times
during dinner.
Sometimes I'd forget the orders
by the time ] got to the kitchen,
sometimes I'd get them mixed, the
little butter pats would stick to
gether and the cream would spill
itself, the cook scoldcd me, anG
really at the close of that memor-
able dinner | was glad | was alive,
though at the time life was no al
together bed If roses.
| wanted to sit down and cry at
about that time but bu mess was
pressing, time flying, and supper
loomed up ominously in the near
future, so / helped wash dishes,
cleaned up the dining room, did a
number Of errands, and waited
table again at Snpper. This being
short order was little worse than
dinner but we had fair custom.
After supper / sat dow and re-
lievcd my feelings in a truly fcmi-
nine manner.
Ny aforementioned sanguine
lady friend came ia and chi.led nt'
for being SO .ooasa Ny cook
had just gone home declaring she
would not work another day with
out an assistant / knew | could
not aft rd an assistant or anything
else just then and told my friend |
intended to give it up as | was
afraid if / borrowed mon y I'd
never he able to pay it back
though l believe now | could have
done so.
After sleepless night / wrote
TO a discarded lover accepting him
Internationally, even fixing the
day and sent the letter immediate
ly lest | should repent
| went down to the restaurant
in the morning and found the cook
there in a very bad humor but