Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-01-21

prietor and did not permit pipes to
be smoked in it-was empty of guests
when the young man entered it at
his usual hour. Mrs. Proprietor sn1iI-
ell at him from behind ter counter.
Tie head waiter smiled an, took his
hat and eoat No there
vas no business. EAeraody
was away or dining with
friends ,'lf every day was 10 be like
dis said the head waiter. coatiden-
TALLY. Il would He stopped and
drew a finger across his throat sig
nifeantlv. Sole frite, tilct aux cres-
sons pommes nature, omlette aux
fines herbes, numero treize-nue dcmi,
n'est-cepas? Trcsbien, Monsieur.
The Young man sat and stared at
the limitation roses in the glIded
glass vase on his table; there was
a similar vase with similar roses on
each Of the tables He was a prae-
ticaI yeung man in a practical blue
serge suit. end littl" given to staring
and incoming. Cut th" des3latlon
of the place struck aim. SO everybody
was away. seeking and finding enjoy
ment and he Was husX theagit it was
rffistmaa-tfme. because e@en at
Christmas London requires the elect
ric lieat aal he @as engaged in pro
yidfng it he had worked as usual,
entered his j,sGal re7taurart at usu-
al hour for dinner 1t Was not quite
the usual dinner: it Was more lux
urions. for one must do something OF
The Kind al Christmas, especially Wien
the good Uncle George has sent one
his very good ehcaue for 10 pounds,
quite unexpectedly and with the com
pliments of the season.
Plop. The waiter drew the cork
from the little bottle OF the white VINE
of Capri, and poured out glass.
The Young man took a sip. Good
that wine certainly had pleasant
perfume. But it was curious thing
IN an evening he would wait five or
ton minutes to get table to himself,
and tonight he would have welcomed
an invader. He would have talked
yes. even to the puffy old gentleman
who said it would be sad day, SIT
for England; or the young man WIN
the stammer who always dined on
chops. "Qui-quickest to cook and ana
and easiest to pip-pip-pippronounce'
he had once explained; though. he
added pathetically, "as mum matter
Of fa-fact, er-hate chops.
He had friends. of course plenty OF
them at home. and a few here in Lon
don. In fact, the Tomlinsons, hearing
of his lonely condition, had asked him
to dinner that very night; but they
lived in the remote part of ST johns
Wood and it would have taken too
much time. Besides, he could nate
Mrs. Tomlinson and the daughters
mice elderly girls) quite we'll enough
from where he we. SO 1t CHANGED
that he was alone on Christmas
Eve, and he felt sorry for himself,
At this moment a fried sole was
placed before him, and another diner
entered-a girl
A girl? Why, it was the girl
the girl with the lovely red hair ana
male face-the girl he had noticed on
many previous nights. Sometimes she
dined alone; sometimes she was N
the company OF another girl-plaln but
soulful. She had great charm. ohe
also had an air OF knowing exactly
what she was doing-which is sufll-
ciently rare in girls ordering fooa III
restaurants. Yes, the young man had
noticed her quite good deal. She
swept past him, took the table TURNER
est away from him. and picked up the
bill of fare.
It was a SUDDEN impulse. He hardly
knew he was going to do it before he
had done it. There he was-standlng
in front of her with her perpleXed eyes
looking at him--and distinctly nervous
~ beg your pardon he SAID "put
T wonder il you would do me very
great kindness. am a stranger to
you, | know, and | shall quite under
stand if you refuse me, and in that
case l will not trouble you one moment
further"
In flash the girl saw that he was
not drunk; in another fash she saw
that he was trying to borrow money
(thcugh he did not look it, and was