New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-20
HEB CHRISTMAS GIFT.
Hoo Frau COrdes Preserved Her
Record.
Record.


strange people in our quarter he began, land |
lot of lies have been spoken. We're no differ |
ent from anybody else, save that perhaps we are |
poorer more sympathetic and look out for oue !
another more than they do uptown
Take Frau Cordes, for instance, who keeps a |
little basement bakery and coffee house two
doors up the street. Born in Hanover. where |
every .one is absolutely honest. schooled in Hol- |
stein, graduating to become a sort of companion
to wealthy English travelling folk. she finally |
tame here to make US omelets-the finest ONE
lets in the world. Because they cost only 15
tents we fellows have all turned egg-arians."
We so down to Frau's to get omelets-thats
true-but we 60 there for other reasons. She
treats if her children. and
that sort of thing goes a long way in a town like
this, when chaps people live two thousand
miles west, and he never has the money to take
him there to see if his own mother is any diff
ferent from the Frau.
We go in there feeling all down and dis
gUstcd, and we come out whstling. It's always
that way. She's always singing laughing, show
ms US jokes in the papers; always asking about
tur work, whether we've sold anything and in
curing when are going to bring around our
stockings to be mended, and little things like
that
I've seen her take tough looking tramps from
Sullivan-st. into her kitchen and dose them up
them out in the cold with extra rolls in their
pockets That's charity! Burning coal in Win
ter for a down and out loafer to up by, |
and she not clearing dollar and a half day
from her business-isnt that a heart for you?
We'll. one day mighty smooth looking chap
came in with his wife and asked the Frau for
some milk for a kitten they'd just got They
looked like "honeymoOners'-were dressed way
up. and apparently neither had to worry about
work or the emoluments which flow theretrom
Their whole present and future seemed TO be
wrapped up in getting the little white cat some
milk. We liked the picture because everything
looked straight, and the Frau, recognizing the
Ilap as upOn-a-time omelet eater, got out
much milk that the thickheaded kitten fell
into the pan and was nearly drowned.
Il happened to be in the next time the chap
same. He wanted omelet, a four-egg one,
ahich was an unheard of luxury. He took
tng while to get it down, because he wanted to
1lllh ali the time about his wife, whom he'd just
carried, 1 had supposed; what a winner she
was, how wealthy her people were. and other
pleasant things which make rich artists
Ike myself at all enyious. When he paid his
70 cents to the Frau he went away smoking ona
Of her 1O-cent cigars-the only one SO high
priced she had, and she only had it for exhibit
ton purposes. In a few minutes he came swaS-
gering in and took the Frau all aLack by telling
her he had owed her a quarter for two years TO-
an cInelet he'd bought before he got prosperous,
and that he wanted to pay her.
Because the Frau seemed surprised and
sUoie she didn't remember it, got suspicious
right away. l don't know why, but from that
day on l believed in my bones that he was a
buffer 1 didn't say anything. though.
Last month, one morning when three of US
were in there with the lame sculptor who lives
over in feminist, who should blow in with the
draught but the chivaIrous, knightly kitten
owner this time dressed In fur collared coat |
We stopped talking a bit when we heard him
ask the Frau if she wouldn't please cash a check
for him. He awfully polite. and he told
such a good yarn about his bank being SO far
uptown and that his wife waiting for him |
to bring her some money for her morning shop |
ping that the Frau dug down in her stocking |
and gave Kim handful of small bills
We planned then and there to watch the |
chap, because we were cocksure the check |
would be protested. But. hearing nothing from |
the Frau, we forgot all about the incident.
Not long ago dropped In again for dinner, |
and found the poor Frau, her face down a |
coInsr table, crying her heart out The check |
had come back protested. and her landlord. to
whom she had given it In payment for rent, |
had just left her, leaving behind him the note |
and I demand for protest fees. What do you |
think of that? She clearing 81 so day. and |
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