The Press., 1911-03-22

Auss MERRIAM WAS CASHIER AT HINKLR's. many customers, and he lunched (as good a word as "dined') many more. It might be said that Hinkle's break fast crowd was a contingent, but his luncheon patronage amounted to horde. ..a ..
 Miss Merriam sat on a stool at a desk inclosed on three sides by a
 strong, high fencing of woven brass
 wire. Through an arched opening at
 the bottom you thrust your walters check and the money, while your heart went pitapat. sa ..-.-.-.s.
 For Miss Merriam was lovely and capable. She could take 45 cents out of two dollar bill and refuse an offer of marriage before you could-Next!- lost your chance-please don't shove. She could keep cool and collected while she collected your check. give you the correct change, win your heart, indicate the tOothpick stand and rate you to a quarter of a cent better than Bradstreet's could to a thousand in less time than it takes to pepper an egg with one of Hinkle's casters.
 There is an old and dignified al- fusion to the fierce light that beats upon a throne" The light that beats upon the young lady cashiers cage is also something fierce. The other fel- low is responsible for the slang.
 Every male patron of Hinkle's, from the A. D. T. boys up to the curbstone brokers, adored Miss Merriam. When they paid their checks they wooed her with every vile known to Cupid's art. Between the meshes of the brass rail- ing went smiles, winks, compliments, tender vows, invitations to dinner, sighs, languishing looks and merry banter that was waited pointedly back by the gifted Miss Merriam.
 There is no coign of vantage more effective than the position of young lady cashier. She sits there, easily queen of the court of commerce. She is duchess of dollars and devoirs countess of compliments and coin. leading lady of love and luncheon. You take from her a smile and Cana dian dime, and you go your way un- complaining. You count the cheery word or two that she losses you as misers count their treasures, and you pocket the change for a five uncom- puted. Perhaps the brass bound in- accessibility multiplies her charms. Anyhow, she is a shirt walsted angel, immaculate. trim. manicured. seduc- tive, bright eyed, ready, alert-Psyche, Gree and Ate in one, separating you from your circulating medium after your sirloin medium.
 The young men who broke bread at Hinkle's never settled with the cash fer without an exchange of badinage and open compliment. Many of them went to greater lengths and dropped promissory hints of theater tickets and chocolates. The older men spoke plain ly or orange blossoms, generally with er1ng the tentative petals by after al lusions to Harlem flats. One broker who had been squeezed by copper pro posed to Miss Merriam more regularly | than he ate.
 During brisk luncheon hour Miss | Merriam's conversation, while she took | money for checks. would run some | thing like this:
 Good morning, MT. Haskins-sir2-I It's natural. thank you-don't be quite so fresh. Hello. Johnny-then, fifteen, twenty-chase along now or they'll take the letters off your cap Beg par don-count it again, please-oh, don't mention it. Vaudeville?-thanks: not on your moving picture-I was to see Carter in 'Hedda Gabler' on Wednes- day night with MT. Simmons. Scuse me, thought that was a quarter. Twenty-Five and seventy-hve's a dollar got that ham and cabbage habit yet? see, Billy. Who are you addressing?l say. you'll get all that's coming to you in minute. Oh. fudgel Mir. Bas- always fooling-no? We'll. maybe I'll marry you some day-three four and sixty-flve is five. Kindly keepI hem remarks to yourself If yau please Ten cents ?-scuse me: the check calls Tor seventy-well. maybe 1t is a one in-