The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1907-03-13
B, e,Hbur Bafes
col9rignl 1850. by c. Il. su.ellfEs.


mother bought her clothes fingered the
round buttons on her queer cashmere
basque, and tien her well manicured
nails tapped gently against the old
fashioned brooch ar her throat. Inside
the chased circle of gold reposed braid
ed strands of hair the exact shade Of
the girls. Her glance finally rested
on tie slopirg shoulders Of the young
man who stood by the big plate glass
window, where white aproned youth
poured stream of white dough on
hot griddies.
The young man, who was Ralph Put
nam, son of the owner of the Empire
circuit of lunch rooms, started back
to the kitchen. and as he passed the
new cashier he flung her a glance that
was almost appealing. She met him
with one oddly reassurlng and fully
understanding. He frightened per-
ceptibly, but as lie passed the group of
girls near tile coffee counter the light
died out of his eyes once more.
Kitty Behman smiled up at him ia.
miliarly.
"Where'd you get the Christmas tree
ornament, Ralph? There's one thing
sure. You needn't worry about any OF
the boys coping her out. She's had
her fortune read old maid by every
clairyoyant in town, or l miss my
guess"
"Her father went to school with
mine. She comes of very good family"
he said apologetically.
"Gee, but it's fine to have a pullw
was tittys contemptuous reply.
Ralph wandered iuto the kitchen.
More than ever he hated the lunch
room and everything connected with
it And in truth he was not entirely TO
blame. His father had sent him from
private school to college, where he had
taken the classical courses, and then
his somewhat unreasonable parent
could not understand why his bookish
son could not walk, diploma in hand,
into an Empire lunch room and man.
age it as well as the other young men
in the same position of responsibility
who had served their apprenticeship,
even to cooking griddle cakes in the
window. Ralph had trouble auditing
his accounts. settling quarrels in the
kitchen and preserving some sem.
blance of discipline among the pert
mattresses.
All this-and more-Sally LOTUS
learned before the breakfast rush set
in. 1t was n soggy day, and gradually
discomfort seemed TO permeate the
room. A tired looking stenographer in
bedraggled skirts was arguing with o
waitress because her toast had been
burned. The waitress replied tartly
that some folks expected lot for 10
cents. Ralph stood helplessly at the
table, afraid TO take hand in the az
gument, but when the waitress finally
flounced to he coffee counter he step
ped in awkwardly and told the patron
he would bring her some fresh toast.
After he hau done this he paused wea-
rily at Sally's elbow. She crossed her
hands demurely on the marble ledge
and said quietly:
Il was so glad to see yol reprimand
that waitress. She was very imperti
nent, and we ought to make every Gus
toner feel that she wants to breakfast
here regularly. Don't you think so?'
Ralph started. He had not called
down the saucy waitress. He had
merely tried to undo the mischief she
had wrought. Now he wished he had
scolded her before the customer.
I'VE have a lot of regulars" he said
in the same apologetic tone he had en-
ployed to kitty Behman.
"But we want lot more. We ought
to have every place at these tables
taken between 7:30 and 0 o'clock"
Suddenly Ralph started down the
narrow aisle. For the first time he no
ticed the water dribbing from the but
ter plates. He approached the saucy
waitress and said with a funny at
tempt at sternness which was quite
lost on the astonished girl:
Clean up those butter plates. and
don't you ever again tell customer
she wants too much for her money.
We want them to get all that's coming
to them"
"What do you think of that?" de-
manded the girl, with an injured ex-
preston, as she turned to a helper.
whats come over him."
Something had come over Ralph Put
nam. curious sense of panic. He
hurried back TO the cashiers desk and
leaned against 1t as if for support. He
almost expected to see the reprimand-
I'd girl dash out. because never before
iad he dared assert his authority. But
instead the girl really cleaned up the
Dutter dishes. and the girl whose grand
mother bought her clothes watched her
10 1t from the tail of an observing eye.
Sally Lotus had busy day. but
when she was relieved at o'clock she
was not ready for home. She entered
Ralph's tiny private office, some slips
in hand.
"Will you please help me with the
acrounts:" she asked in friendly tones.
why. you don't have to-the other
cashier
Il know, but 1 want to learn every
thing about the business, and know
YOU can teach me-"
Ralps .airly RaHnsd- aps "a c7 cy5.-7