Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-03-04

Ted's hand shot out and grasped
hers Birdie! / could weep on your
apron! l never was so glad to see
anyone in my life. Just to look at you
makes me homesick. What in Sam
Hill are you doing here?"
"Waitin'. After yer ma died, seemed
like / didn't care t. work fer no pri-
Wit family, so came back here on my
old job. I'll bet I'm the homeliest
head waitress in captivity"
Teds nervous fingers were plating
the tablecloth. His voice sank to
whisper Birdie, tell the Gods truth.
Did those three years cause her
death?"
| "Niver!" lied Birdie. 81 was with
her to the end. 1t started with cold
on tn chest. Have some French fried
with yer beef, Mr.. Teddy. They're
illigent today"
Birdie glided off to the kitchen. Au-
thors are fond of the word "glide."
But you can take it literally this time.
Birdie had face that looked like
huge mistake, but she walked like
a panther, and they're said to be the
last cry as gliders. She walked with
her chin up and her hips firm. That
comes from juggling trays. You have
to walk like that to keep your nose
out of the soup. After a while the
walk becomes a habit. Any seasoned
dining-room girl could give lessons in
walking to the Delsarte teacher of an
Eastern finishing school
From the day that Birdie Callahan
served Ted with roast beef medium
and the elegant French fried she APP
pointed herself monitor over his food
| and clothes and morals. / wish could
find words to describe his bitter lone
liness. He did not seek companion
ship The men, although not directly
! avoiding him, seemed. somehow to
have pressing business whenever they
happened in his vicinity. The women
ignored him. Mrs. Dankworth, still
dashing and still widowed, passed Ted
one day and looked fixedly at a point
| one inch above his head In a town
like ours the Haley house is like a
big, hospitable club house. The men
drop in there the first thing in the
morning and the last thing at night,
to hear the gossip and buy a cigar and
jolly the girl at the cigar counter Ted
spoke to them when they spoke to
him. He began to develop a certain
grim line about the mouth. 10 Haley
watched him from afar, and the longer
he watched the kinder and more spec
ulative grew the look in his eyes. And
slowly and surely there grew in the
hearts Of our townspeople a certain
new respect and admiration for this
boy who was fighting his fight.
Ted got into the habit Of taking his
meals late, SO that Birdie Callahan
could take the time to talk to him.
Birdie" he said one day, when she
| brought his soup "do you know that
you're the only decent woman who'll
| talk to me? Do you know what l
mean when I say that I'd give the
rest of my life if / could just put my
head in my mothers lap and have her
muss up my hair and call me foolish
| nameS!
| Birdie Callahan cleared her throat
and said abruptly: Il was noticin' yes
terday your gray pants needs pressin'
bad. Brink 'em down tomorrow morn
in and I'll give 'em tn elegant crease
in the laundry"
So the first weeks went by, and the
two months of Miss Wenzel's stay
came to an end. Ted thanked his God
and tried hard not to wish that she
was man so that he could punch her
head.
The day before the time appointed
| for her departure she was closeted
with 10 Haley for q long, long time.
When finally she emerged a bellboy
! lounged up to Ted with message.