Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-11-05
JEANS TEA ROOM
BY cLARIssA MAcklE.
90 1870. by MCCLURE Newspaner sxnaleats


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 Jeans school teaching
with the Old house almost falling down
for need of repairs, and with tangled
old garden which had no one to take
care of it.
Grandmother was old and feeble
and Mrs. Webb was not strong. When
Jean came home from teaching her
sturdy youngsters she was tired and
there was always housework to do,
so the old house and garden were neg
lected
"If l could only sell it," sighed Jean,
'for good sum Of money. then"
she smiled and brushed away tear,
"then mother and grandmother would
die of inconsistencies Well, wen keep
it-sOmehow, all together!"
She turned as n motorcar slowed at
the gate. A smartly uniformed chauf-
feur touched his cap and opened the
door of the car.
An elderly woman with gray hair
and soft appealing eyes smiled era,
ciously on the slender girl at the gate.
81 beg your pardon--can you tell me
II there is a tea room nearby?" she
queried. 1--WE have had a breakdown
and 1t is long past luncheon hour"
Jean hesitated, With the womans
question an idea flashed into her head
perhaps this was the answer to her
prayerS-this might be the golden OPP
portunity knocking at her gate. II
there was a demand for tea rooms
why not supply it7
In few moments three ladies were
sitting In the comfortable chairs in the
green gloom Of the honeysuckle vines,
exclaming 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
pink slices Of ham laid on crisp let
tuce leaves delicious balls of cream
cheese, a pot of homemade jam,
simple salad and dainty bread and
butter sandwiches-these and a pot
of tea Jean placed before the ladies
and then went away and left them
alone.
When she came back they were so
generous in their praise of the unex-
pected hospitality-so eager for Jean
to open a tea room there.
you are so near the post road, my
dear-all you need Is a few tables on
the veranda and your own beautiful
things-your cooking is delicious-let
me have sign painted for youw
urged Mrs, Delbridge. the owner of the
car and the hostess of the party.
"You are too kind" protested Jean.
Il shall send my son out next week
and | may come with hint is vaca-
ton now and you 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 had disappeared
that 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 five-dollar
bill 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.
Hurrah r.
week later small gray car
stopped at the gate and Jean. who was
enthusiastically wedding the graveled
walk between the rows of fragrant
ooxwood thought of her grubby fingers
and mussed blue frock. at must be
Mrs. DelbrIdge's SON." she thought as
she went TO the gate. In one hand
he carried two rustic swinging signs
and with the other he uncovered his
handsome head.
rs this the Wayside tea room?" he
asked with twinkllng eyes.
"Why-no-" hesitated Jean.
II am afraid 1t is--or 1t is going TO
bep' He grinned as he displayed the
signs.
Sure enough-framed in rustic
were the magic words: THE WAY
SIDE TEA ROOM" and one corner of
the sign was heightened into a point
ing finger.
How kind of Mrs Delbridge." cried
Jean ecstatically.
"One 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 viii hang 1t for you" declared
Phil Delbrldge, 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 high tea in the yeranda. There
was fresh strawberry shortcake and
plenty of cream and other delicious
Viands, for the Webbs were famous
housewives.