The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1907-03-22

had he dared assert his authority. But
Instead the girl really cleaned up the
butter dishes. and the girl whose grand
mother bought her clothes watched her
do it from the tail of an observing eye
Sally Lotus had busy day. but
when she was relieved at Z o'clock she
was not ready for home. She entered
Ralph's tiny private Office some slips
In hand.
Twill You please help me with the
accounts?" she asked in friendly tones
"Why, you don't have to-the other
cashier
II know. but want to learn every
thing about the business, and 1 know
you can teach me-
Ralph fairly gasped, but he spread
the troublesome slips and bills before
her. In fifteen minutes she had the
matter Strengthened out, and with a
quiet THANK you, l can do it after
this" left her employer with a sense
that somehow an angel had suddenly
illumiIed his miserable existence.
From that day on affairs at the En-
pire lunch room. No. 5, ran differently.
The quiet young woman in the cash
ier's window was forever telling Ralph
Putnam how sensible he was to do this
or that-things which he had wanted
to do, but was afraid to undertake.
and straightway he went off and did
them. The cashier was constantly in
vesting him with business virtues he
did not possess. and as constantly he
tried to assume them. The climax
came when an elderly man tipped Kit
ty Behman with a nickel, and as the
girl dropped the coin into the pocket
Of her white apron she said to Ralph,
who was almost at her elbow:
Gee! thought read in the papers
that Russell Sage was dead"
The old gentleman told Sally LOTUS
about the insult as he paid his check.
Sally glanced up quickly. Ralph, red
of face, was folding and unfolding
napkin. and Kitty, with dancing eyes
and impertinent tilt of head, was tell
ing the other girls what a smart an
swer she had given her stingy GUS
toner.
Ralph strolled over to Sally's side.
She made change for a little type
writer. Then she turned to Ralph.
There is one thing admire in Kitty
Behman- She is gritty. Not many
girls would smile like that when they
had just been dismissed for imperti-
nence"
Ralph threw back his shoulders.
"Then you think it would be all right
to fire herr" he asked.
"The only thing you could have
DONE" replied Kitty firmly. Il felt
sure you would see it that way"
Ralph had not thought of firing Kit
ty. She had ruled the entire floor So
1ong-but now
That night Kitty was summoned 90
the tiny office. Ralph was trifie pale
around the lips, and his voice was
husky, but his intention had not waver-
ed. 1t was well for him. however.
that dismissal came so suddenly to
Kitty that she actually lost the power
Of speech.
Three months later Tim, who checked
umbrellas and ran errands at No. 5.
met Kitty on her way home FROM
work.
'How's the little old maid?" she in
Quired f1ippantly.
"Wot's eatin' you?" he inquired saw
agely. "She's goin' to beat you to the
altar by mile. She's trottin' in the
class with Ills nibs, too-an' the old
mans tickled to death. Says she's
made man of his boy, an he don't
care who knows it."
"Well, what do you think of that"
exclaimed Kitty, smoothing her marcel
waves refectively.
''That some of you wise ones amt
one. two, three with the old fashioned
sort with the right kind of wheels in
her think pot. So long"