The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-06-16
THE WAITRESS
BY MILDRED wHIrf.



a prince, his every want attended. And
as Perry possessed no airs Of snob-
blshncrs or superiority, be made friends
everywhere and was genuinely wei
coined for himself rs wei. 80. when
he stroled into the dining hall of the
Grandson one day. and nn eager at
tndant drew forth his chair, the young
man gaEsd In good humored indulgence
about the beautifully appointed room,
choosing the waitress who might hap.
pen TO please his fancy.
Upon this certain dag perry's choice
was prompt aud enthusiastic. A new
waitress stood beneath the quaint
carved clock under The balcony. Perry
was charmed; the girl. with nn obc-
dent nod TO the dining room attend
ant. moved In his direction. With d.
rect lmpersonai ease she walies
pcrry's order. noddng nj It's eonclv
sion. to his eheerfuIly sarcn=tie.
"That's an. your majesty"
The girl passed out unheedlng.
lie chuckled nj first. then flushed In
unaccustomed plque, "what right had
she to adopt that rebukIng mnnnerT
lie had called Mattresses "Blue Eyes"
before. without chilling the atmos'
pherc, But this waitress was ap'
parenily different She had motIoncd
dlsdalnfully at the end Of his meal, TO-
ward the generous "tIp" laid before
her on the table.
Il do not accept fees" this unusual
waitress snld.
And Perry, Inundated MS he had
never before been humlllated. pocket
ed the refused money and made his
hasty exit.
Inpatient with himself and his mus
ings. Perry went back. and II happened
TO be at night The great room was
packed now with the after.theater
throng. and In It's center was placed
n round draped stage. Perry. grow
ing weary OF cabaret dancing. was
about TO make his departure, when n
new number was introduced. A small,
gray clad Eirlish figure ascended the
dais; the gray kerchIef frock was Of
n fashion long gone, and so was the
arrangement Of the girls jetty curls.
II was his haunting waitress who stood
there and sang odd, sweet. old.fash-
ioncd songs. In voice Of odd, tender
sweetness. Perry, listening, caught
his breath
His gold made way for him past for
bidding rules TO the dressing room
door; but when the girl came out she
was dressed In the waitress uniform,
with It's white collar and ridiculous
apron Her Wntter-of-fact 'coolness
calined his reckless admiration.
"Why did you wish to see me?" she
asked.
"You sing like that, act like that"
PerrJ blurted, "and then you come
back 70 wait upon people--serye them,
j don understhnu IL.
"Is there any reason" the girl asked
evenly, why you should understand"
"Yes," Perry's calmness matched her
own; "lust this reason, that | love
you; that I have loved you from the
moment first looked into your eyes"
The waitress regarded him gravely,
the pink deepeher In her cheeks, but
she did not smile or seem to doubt his
words.
"Then,' she replied, "that being the
case must tell you my story. My old
father and mother live In country
town where he has for years been min
lister. He Is respected and loved, but
his people are poor. SO poor that
when there was not enough money to
support three Of us, came to the
city under pretense of giving music
lessons. At least 1t was not wholly
pretense, for did try to form class,
but could not make 1t pay. While !
hoped to study and become capable in
other lines, | took up this position as
waitress. The people from our home
town do not patrUnize the Hotel
Grandson. When fathers letter, tell
Ing Of mothers serious illness, came, |
did not at first know what to do. Her
lungs, 1t seems, had not healed after
the pneumonia. The doctor ordered
her to go away at once. 1t had to be
Colorado or Arizona-if she would live.
Poor mother, frail and always timld
father had been her crutch through
life She, away among strangers,
alone, 1t was inconceivable. Father
must 60 with her to cheer and comfort
her. father, too old to find work In
new fields. SO I--sent them. 1t was
quite easy when the hotel management
agreed to let me sing at their cab
aret."
The blue eyes were pleading.
"But my people must not know" she
said. "They are so dear and queer,
and old fashioned" She smiled up
at Raynor, wistfully.
$50 Cabaret Helen supports mother
and father in far-away Colorado" she
explained, while waitress Nell sup
ports me-"
The young man of millions reached
diflidently for the waitress hand.
wont you let me do all that for
my wife?" he begged awkwardly.
Perry Raynor has been married
year now, but his family have not for.
given his misalliance.
"A cabaret waitress" walls his
mother, "from the Grandson hotel !"
But Perry happily refers to his wife