The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1920-12-21
JEANS TEA ROOM
ny cLAAIssA MAcklE.

'S3 ivzo. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
Jean Webb ipnned ngninst the gnte
post and looked up at the quaint Old
house where she had been born, and
which was the birthplace of her moth
er and her grandmother. The three OF
them lived alone there with tiny In
come from Jenn's school tenchlng.
with the old house almost falling down
Tor need Of repairs, and with a tangled
old garden which had no one to take
care tof 1t.
Grandmother was old and feeble
and Mrs. Webb was not strong. Wllnr
Jean came home from teaching her
sturdy youngsters she wns tired and
there was always housework to do.
SO the old house and garden were neg.
lected.
"If could only sell t." sighed Jean.
| "for good sum Of money. them"
she smiled and brushed away tear,
"then mother and grandmother would
die Of homeslckness! Well, well keep
it-somehOw, all togetherw
She turned rs motorcar slowed at
the gate. A smhrtly uniformed chauf.
feur touched his cap and opened the
| door Of the car ,t.ltt
An elderly woman with gray hair
and soft appealing eyes smiled grn.
clously on the slender girl at the gnte.
II beg your pnrdon-can you tell me
| II there Is a tea room nearby?" she
querIed. ave hive hnt breakdown
and It Is long past luncheon hour
Jean hesitated. With the womnn's
question an idea flashed into her head
! perhaps this was the answer to her
prayers--tli:s might be the golden op-
portunity knO cking at her gate. II
! there was a demand for tea rooms
why not supply 1t?
| In few moments three ladies were
sitting IN the comfortable chairs In the
green gloom Of the honeysuckle vines,
exclalming over the roses that Jean
brought them and the pure chalices Of
the fragrant day lilies. Then Jean dis
appeared for a period to return with
tuce leaves. delicious halfs of cream
cheese. pot Of homemade jam.
simple salad and dainty bread and
butter nndwiches-these and a pot
of tea Jean placed before the Indies
and then went away and left them
alone.
When she came back they were SO
generous in their praise Of the. unex-
| pected hospttality-sO eager for Jean
to open tea room there.
You are so near the post road, my
| dear-all you need is few tables on
the veranda and your own beautiful
tl,ings--your cooking Is delicIous--let
me have sign painted for you !"
| urged Mrs. Delbridge. the owner of the
car and the hostess Of the party.
"You are too kind,"' protested Jean.
II shall send my son out next week
and may come with hint Is vaca-
tiong now and yors will have plenty Of
time, Beware we, shall send all our
friends!" They laughingly drove
away. their arms full of flowers. and It
was not until they Ind disappeared
thnt Jean remembered that they, had
| not asked for check and she had not
thought to charge them!
"A poor business woman am l." she
murmured wryly as she cleared the
| table. Then she found fve-dollar
hill pinned to the damask cloth and
she danced into the house waving It
| exultantly.
"Exit Jean the schoolma'am and en-
ter Jean the keeper of the tea shop
and weeder OF her garden once more.
4 HurrAhi"
| A week later small gray car
stopped at the gate and Jean, who was
enthusiastically wedding the graveled
!, walk between the rows of fragrant
lockwood, thought of her grubby fingers
and nrissed blue frock. ut must be
Mrs. Delbridge's son." she thought as
| size went to the gate. In one hand
he carried two rustic swinging signs
and with the other he uncovered his
ilnndsoHle head.
us this the Wayside ten room?" he
asked with twinkling eyes.
i "Why-h0--" hesitated Jean.
II am afraid 1t is-Or 1t is going to
be-" He grinned as ne displayed the
signs.
4 Sure enough--framed in rustic
were fhe magic WORDS: THE WAY
| SIDE TEA ROOM" and one corner of
the sign was heightened into a point.
Ing hnger.
4 aHow kind OF Mrs. Delbrldge." cried
Jean ecstaticasiy.
s.Cne is for your veranda and the
other to hang from some tree down
the road-a guide. Mother said you
would know the tree"
'The old locust at the corner" ex-
planned Jean.
II will hang It for you," declared
Phil Delbridge, and from the tool kit
in the car he brought the necessary
tools and presently the quaint sign
was swinging In the soft wind. After.
ward Phil hung the other sign over the
front while Mrs. Webb and Jean pre-
pared a high ten in the veranda. There
was fresh strawberry shortcake and