The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-03-20
THE GIRL from
PROSPERITY

By GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER

gered into the Hotel Belveigh barber
shop. the boss barber loafing over at
the table of Bessie WILLIAMS grinned
In spite of his present i'll humor.
Pipe the village cut-up," he OBJ
served.
The Manicure Girl surveyed the
newcomer with keen eye.
mo. Billy" she replied, "it's the
village sport"
Whatever he is" insisted Billy,
hes a Kick and looking for ten
cent shave"
Again the girl surveyed the new
conner critically.
mo-" she once more dissented, ''Ill
bet you the size Of the tip that he
tips you"
''The same which would be fine
and wise bet for me to make, think
not" observed Billy, and added a
forcible word or so under his breath
as he started forward, for Mr.. James
r. Carroll. having looked down the
invitingly at their empty chairs, gave
a glance at the only American barber
I'm the place, and climbed into the
only chair which had no attendant.
"I'll take a round trip" he affably
observed as Billy slipped the sleeves
OF the shaving apron over his arms.
SHAVE. sir?" coldly inquired Billy,
who. nevertheless, had understood
perfectly what his customer meant.
''The whole bowling hippodrome, "
said young Mr.. Carroll, unabashed.
do everything you know how"
Just watch me make this fresh
wop's pocket change shrink down to
the edge of his return ticket"
growled Billy to the Manicure Girl as
he made a pretext to go past her
table for fresh towels.
II wouldn't have your ingrowing
crouch for money" laughed the girl.
You would If you ached to fur
nish a fiat and got turned down
every time you mentioned It," he
complained.
81 told you that was barred" she
Informed him. 81 think I see myself
In an East Harlem fiat, with cheese
cloth curtains on the front windows
and garbage can on the fire escape,
counting how many wienerwursts we
get for dime"
1t was in consequent savageness
that Billy began upon the task Of
giving his country customer "a round
trip" He cut that hearty young gen.
tleman's hair. and singed and sham
pooed and dandrufflned it, he shaved
him and massaged his head and his
face, he put upon him drenches OF
every bottled thing In his possession,
then he grinned. yanked up the chair.
jerked off the towels and handed over
his largest check. But Mr. Carroll
was scarcely interested
''Is that all you can do?" he asked.
I'VE have chiropodist. but he's
not on duty Just now" snarled Billy;
while you're waiting. though, you
can get manicured." DIES
me for the manicure. I've heard
about EN-" said Mr.. Carroll; land
Just as sporting proposition I'm
going to sample a sample of every
thing there is In New York"
"Just 60 right ahead and see If New
York cares" Bill advised him.
IT don't care whether New York
cares" returned Mr.. Carroll, largely,
lend that's where I've got the best
OF New York"
AS a matter Of living up to that
largeness he presented Billy with half
q dollar. then he staggered across
the shop to the cashiers desk, flaunt-
Ing a twenty-dollar bill in his hand
and glancing with speculative assur-
ance at the row of manicure girls.
Tess, who was quite universal in her
tastes, used her large eyes freely, but
with the usual negative effect No
body could be persuaded to believe
them. Instead of succumbing to the
girl who owned them, Mr.. Carroll's
gaze roved right on over her head to
the deceptively demure Miss VIII
liams.
'Mr. Smarty from Smartville." COM
mented Tess with toss of her head.
RI don't want him." retorted Miss
Williams. "If I draw Johnny Fresh
I'll give him the sailing down of his
life. It'll be a real quiet convention
we'll hold, with me In the steam
roller part"
As q preliminary to this process,
when Mr.. Carroll sat down at her
table she spread out both his hands
before her and surveyed them critic.
ally: then she smiled with an appar-
ent attempt to conceal It; then she
looked demurely up. Mr. Carroll was
red. Some uncomfortable thought
held him silent throughout the entire
operation. checking any desire for
conversation and killing any inclina
ton whatsoever toward f1ippancy
When he got up to go he looked al
the change obviously, then at the
girl. then back at the change and
again grew red. His dilemma was
obvious. He did not know whette q
or not 1t was the proper thing to tiI
q lady. Sometimes Miss Williams
cook tips and sometimes she refused
them. This time she accepted before
one was really offered.
Thank you," said she yer!
sweetly.
He pushed quarter toward hel
tentatively and she swept 1t noncha
lantiy into the little drawer of he
table.
THANK YOU" she said again. still
very sweetly.
Those were the only four word
that had been spoken during the en-
tire event.