Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-06-08
When Binning
Did the Elegant
BY W. BERT FOSTER
Copyright, 1913, by q. c. Mcclure.

went down and said GROSSLY, DID you
sver see such rotT
ags ~ | didn't notice" he replied,
An smiling. Fact was was think
,ny Of the first time ever came to this
al ranch. And. oddly enough, sat in
,hIs very seat. My goodness. how time
aoes fvr' he added. with the air of a
man discovering heretofore unknown
fact.
.Tempus, certainly fugits." re-
marked. settling back TO hear. But go
m with the tale"
"Ah, and Il Is a tale-a tale Of Woe"
he returned. 1T happened a good bit
ago too: not long after | came down
here to the city. believing In my green
ness that | could cut swnth in law
that would hay over anything could
do in the plow making line.
Dad got me a chance with a good
firm and then paid no further attention
10 me-fnancial attention, | mean.
was as lonely as n strange cat at first.
but after "A few months one OF the boys
in the Office introduced me to a rather
nice family up town.
There were three girls in the fam
ily. and as | had hardly spoken to n
girl since leaving home this introduc-
ton seemed a godsend to me. But
I've wondered since II my fellow clerk
did not Introduce me simply TO make
his own escape from matrimonial tolls
the easier. AS my visits increased his
decreased.
1T came to me finally that could
not continue to accept the hospitality
they showed me without in some way
returning Il. l couldn't invite one of
the girls out without taking the moth
er along, and In that case Il would
have been equni TO a declaration OF
lore IN the eyes OF the family Ger
mans are mighty careful that way
$50 1t was up to me to treat every
body alike. And / was determined
10 do the elegant. / invited the bunch.
daughters and mamma and papa. to
80 TO the theater: bought six seats
hight In this very row.
ut pretty nearly cleaned me out.
=
salary, and after mentally figuring IL
up decided that would excuse my
self after the show and let my guests
80 home alone. could net afford
even another round of car fares.
We'll. we rustied into our seats like
a flock OF pigeons. papa at one end
and myself here on the aisle. After
the first two or three numbers on the
programme the walters got extremely
busy. To tell you the truth. | had
not taken into consideration the fact
that liquid refreshments were served,
but ] figured that could stand one
round for the crowd, even IL l had to
walk from the Office to my lodgings
several evenings TO pay for il.
so I suggested a drink TO the girl
next 10 me. She took me up with
positively frightful alacrity and pass
ed on the proposition to the others. l
turned 10 beckon the waiter, intending
TO order six OF those foaming glasses
in an offhand manner, bound to i'm
press the observer with the fact that
was the real thing.
"'oh. MFR. Binning.' said the daugh-
ter next to me, I think I'll take a
lemonade!
And so will l. Mr. Binning.' said
the second sister The third and NAM
ma followed suit. Whew! In those
few seconds my collar wilted.
Even the old man. evidently con-
siderlng that would be offended II he
ordered beer. asked for something In
the line Of mixed poison that | knew
plaguey well he'd never tasted. Then
the walter. with increasing affability.
looked at me.
It's a terrible thing to be coward.
Jack. | wanted TO blurt out, Not
with my money! But | didn't dare,
so ordered the same mysterious drink
that the old man had spoken for and
saw the waiter hurry away with
feeling that he might as well bring
the house officer back with him when
he returned with the refreshments.
Those six drinks would amount to
$l-s0 and had just rs cents In my
pocket
All the impossible means of get
ting out of the ENHANCEMENT raced
through my mind | couldn't even see
what was going on upon the stage.
The falling of the curtain and a burst
OF applause reused me.
THAT waiter would be back sooa
But there would be rather long wait
between the last and the next act. |
must get away where could think.
Ny guests We're chattering about the
show, and | broke in on them.
Do yon know what I've doneY I
said tc them with an air of candor.
I've forgotten my keys, and my land
lady locks up at IL o'clock sharp.
While this wait is on I'll run over
70 the house and get tEem-its luckily
only few blocks away. She's a pep
perry tempered old lady, and If l should
ring her up late she might put me out
IN the morning.
That is too bad. Mr.. Binning,' says
mamma. Her heart was opened. We
ftHF&r