The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-04-30
THE Dali
SHORT STORY
A Tip From the Waitress.
BY HAYDEN J. PRICE.
Copyright, 1s2o.by the Mcclure

vera among The thousands Of
young people whose oetrothal WAS
hsstoned by the departure of the
young man IN the case for France.
They had become engaged in May
OF 1918. two weeks before Jimmy left
% take out a years membership In
t!he A. q. In fact, It WAS June,
tisle, when Jimmy got out OF the army
ana rsdiscovered the function OF taste
% means OF enjoying ones meals.
Y wax July when he went back 10
The office.
Elsie also worked 1, an office IA
New York. But Elsie wRs essentially
nom e0uilder; hers was the dotneS-
tic Temperament. or course, sho be-
iieyed In suffrage and was eager for
ne vote, but tomperamentallY she
was no. suited for forum or soapbcx
really the same thing. She looked
forward to building home. As she
eommuted from Long Island her ride
nome az evening was spent In antici-
phting the day when sne'd be able
70 say TO herself as she rode to work:
The last day of this"
But Elsie and Jimmy, like thousands
OF other young couples throughout the
land. had 10 face tho inevitable econ.
amlf reahitstEaelt fo.!S@aI2 the VI
= When Jimmy had gone !nto 8ar2.cG
2 ne had been only year out OF col
lego, and as he had begun at the bot
tom with a large corporation his sal
AIRY was such that he was not rated
high IN Bradstreet'S. The year an:
more that he spent In the army had
not exactly heiptd matters in this re-
gard, either. Jimmy'a pay in France
had gone to buy omelets in order to
supplement- the mesE-hall fare.
When he got back TO civil life jim
my went back to the corporation. His
salary was higher, but It was still far
sic found themselves In a rather com
plex psychological situation. They had
deem engaged nearly two years, and
Jmmy's salary was not enough for
Two TO live on, even II he bought their
clothes at fire sales and had eggs but
once a week.
There comes. in the psychological
development OF love, tide in the af-
fairs Of men land women which must
be taken at its flood in order TO avoid
q reaction and statement: a time when
progressive action must be taken in
order to avoid retrogression. Such q
Time had come in the love OF Jimmy
and Elsie. With the glorious courage
otyouth they decided to marry. Eisie's
decision to continue at work made this
posstble. Jimmy realized what 1t
meant for Elsie to postpone that an
tictpated exclamation, "the last day
OF this
The young lovers met at noon ev-
cry day and had lunch together at
moderate priced little restaurants con-
xeniently close to their respective Of
iices. They took the same table daily
ana daily. they left the same modest
ten-cent tip. Across from them a
grum but prosperous man sat daily.
He could afford a more pretentious
restaurant but patronfzed the May
flower because Of its convenience to
his brokerage office. His gruffness
was in sharp contrast to the pleasant
aFmtuue OF Jimmy and Elsie, and no
one realized this more than the wait
ress Knowing from the snatches of
conversation that the young lovers
were none too prosperous and also
that the long-delayed marriage was
AZ last to take place about four months
nence, the waitress. an incurable ro-
mantle, resented the Gruff old mans
prosperity. II she had the power she
would have transferred his property
70 the young lovers.
penny counted with them. Her SYM
palmetto interest in their romance led
70 curious reaction against the gruff
man who sat opposite. She decided
TO save each day the quarter tip the
grun Mr.. Barker left her and also
save the ten-cent tip that Jimmy left
her. Twenty cents from Mr..
Jimmy and Elsie, by comparison of in
Gomez were far more generous she
figured. Mary Hogan then decided
to save Jimmy's dime and Mr.. Bankers
quarter each day until the end of
June.
The months went by, as months an
rarfably do. The end OF June "a,
only week away and Jimmy and Ia
sic became more engrossed in each
other every day. Mary Hogan felt
justified in catching a phrase OF their
conversation now and then, for she
wanted to know on just what day the
wedding was going to take place. She
eventually heard the date. It was
TO be June ga week away. That
night, in her little room, Mary Hogan
counted the silver In little metal
box. Jimmys dimes for ninety-five
days and Mr.. Barker's quarters for
ninety days came TO the neat sum OF
ttcipation of the surprise that she
would see on the faces OF the young
4 pair.
On June q, two days before the big
event. Mary took the little metal box
% the restaurant with her. When
Jimmy and Elsie came in they greeted
her more pleasantly than ever. When
Mr. Barker came in he was gruffer
than ever. Mary herself wac almost
happier than ever. Jimmy and Elsie
finished their lunch sooner than Mr..
Just as Jimmy reached for his
straw hat Mary placed the little box
in front of him.
< Open T." she said to Jimmy.
What is it's it for me?" asked
Jimmy, puzzled.
no" said Mary with Q trace of
erogue, its for both of you. open it,"
Jimmy lifted The lid In The box he
and Elsie saw dimes and quarters,
several handfuls OF them.
What on earth is this? asked Jim
Read the paper and see," answer
There was a little folded piece OF
paper on top of the coins. Jimmy
opened the note and read:
Dear Jimmy and Elsie: l knew
back in February that you were go
ing 10 lie married in June. Ard { \
lakes nancy to be married So I've
saved all the dimes you left me as
lips and all the quarters that old
Nasta ~ y