The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-08-06
Asuccessful
Failure
FREDERICK HARi

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o. Margaret Anderson starteo
Gben go ten room she had no
b 'BIus If failure. The neIghoor-
rsp'1 sSrs !, she had rented her two
pd VIM VIM was quiet but populous
oil l"p aad to her TO be soou
Irs se =. a place that advertised
S'''s .a Il and dainty SURROUNDINGS,
sDe eO0A' ,,,t,e money--enough. she
so l 1as 70 keep going until the cred,
10 nl ], her very new ledger should
doe u 20 IN her favor. Her cook
gov Da a.s sure Of; her home train
R ' ., m made her wafiles famous
, % '' would be no difficulty in IL train In
fSefs sI oue she might obtain as as
a W. Her heart beat high with
b0ps, Wv rsut to the agent and taken
D'nln .'oo Of the little place with her
','',' new key she experienced a thrill
dphde. - ., the first installa-
!. y, ere heavier than she had mag.
Nv. ~ her helper demanded payment
20 a,.nee end large payment at that'
NJ furniture she bought a. al .. sseShu,
s ~ ,tOres, her good taste standing
w.. !, Good stead; silver, china ETC.;
!, rtebsn supplies--she had a very sl 'as
i y. balance left in the bank when she
" sr,sbed writing the checks. But
y. - ne Arst two weeks Of her month
.ssole came in streams to the little Tea
r ssr as they always do to new
. s and Margaret's unvarying serv-
w. y and the fame Of her waffles car
y, her through the breakers trium-
n, .ssu,ly II the attendance Of success.
r r on like this she wa'fr Ssured OF
H u,r' eyes we're brighter alT her heart
...v happy as she balanced her books
i ibe end Of the first month.
Among the customers whom she had
,.gun 10 designate as regulars was
Young man who appeared for two
m.sls-breakfast and dinner-every
dsv He was punctual to the minute
o'clock sharp for breakfast; 7:1o In
Az evening for dinner. He was quiet
,ud polIte, and never joked with her
a with Hilda, the maid, as some Of
A. others did; this fact Margaret sub
consciously noted In his favor. He
nept bis breakfast time looking over
A. morning paper, and his evening
ue.l seemed to be devoted as much to
arring as eating; he would draw
dlarrams on a slip Of paper which he
Invariably carried in his pocket. eat
pr mechanically the while; Margaret
rsn experienced a feeling of pique
n he once allowed her waffles to get
cold 80 absorbed was he In his strange
hieroglyphics. She laughed at herself
for this interest In him. which came
10 her against her will, for she had
determined never to step over the line
established by convention between the
proprIetor Of tea room and one Of its
guests: but she excused herself on the
ground that he was the most regular
Of the regulars, and that she could al
ways count Of him. mo one could
blame me for being interested In my
best customer" she said to herself.
One morning, well on In the third
month Of Margaret's venture, he ap-
peared as usual for breakfast; the day
passed; o'clock arrived, and the
tables began to fill; 7:15-and Mar
uret found herself looking at the
door. expecting her "star boarder," as
she called him In her mind. But he did
ut appear. Seven-thirty; still no
star boarder At 8 she gave him up,
npposhg that he had gone elsewhere
gave him up with a pang at her
heart which surprised her and did
n9 please her.
4You silly thingl" she said, address
lng herself. He's nothing to you.
What DO you care whether or not he
tones here againi He's-yes. sir;
dghty, ninety, one dollar-good
hight" This last aloud to depart
Ing customer.
But ne was not there the next morn
" nor all that day In fact, and when
Mc days had passed without his reap
pearance Margaret gave him up for
~ and attended to her other Gus
lanen.
nls departure seemed to have bad
GeG On her fortune, however, for
slen she balanced her books mt the
eo q the month she found herself
ncng deficit. Her success during
- earlier days Of her venture had
40 % large degree the result Of
y curiosity which leads people to
Y new places; and even the excel
Y q her waffles had not been able
. a0lo many Of the palate-weary pass
sos who had come as an expert
% A new and flasher tearoom
u opened only block away--a tea
u win Mattresses in smocks and
s0ns' with shaded lights and even
" attraction Of a three piece orches-
= 70 saturday afternoons, and many
= au customers had fed thither. As
ssaret sat alone at o'clock on the
! ~ " the Slst she reflected bitterly
- Wnen she had written the last
~ On the morrow there would be