Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-09-14
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By CLARA CELAFIELD
IIIIIIIImIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlHIlIlIIIII

hC OtiNCt C0 tlC new OosSAAGAAN ANSse-S
rant for breakfast. But boarding
houses had only accentuated his lonelt.
ness, and he had moved into q fur
nished room and was taking his meals
out. There is less loneliness In s0li-!
i tude than In uneongenial company.
: And he might have been back p
/; New England, the New England he
pined for, when he entered. The In
terror was spotless, the little tables
laid with clean white napery, and the
smiling welcome had that touch Of in-
dependence that spells the original
home Of the Pilgrim.
The roar of Tenth street was for
gotten. Blaine was at home. And the
menu-baked beans, Goldfish balls and
pie. Three varieties of piel
The motherly proprietress beamed
on Blaine. The pretty girl, her daugh-
ter beamed, too
"It seems like home" said Blaine.
swell, you see," said the mother,
"when we started this place we aimed
to meet the tastes of New Englanders.
Us folks don't seem to get along on
the kind of diet they require In this
part of the country. Would you be-
lieve it2 They turn up their noses at
pie for breakfast !" p'zafSs- = es. 4sss
"Hand It to me-" said Blaine, az
the pretty daughter appeared with q
large piece Of steaming huckleberry.
After that he fell into the habit Of
dropping into the little restaurant
every morning. There was always the
New England menu, and as for the
pies-well, Blaine had never tasted
anytime pproaching them In a
shori lie ne and Elsie had become old
friends. One day, quite daringly, he
invited her to come to the theater that
night. Elsie assented shyly, and
when he went home Blaine knew that
he was in love. !
1t Is hard lines being in love on Q
salary of thirty per- However, Blaine
had hopes of raise at Christmas.
The next time he took Elsie out he
told her something.
But Elsie, dear, won't you say
whether you love mel" he pleaded, d
little surprised at the girls manifest
confusion.
"Oh, 1 do, do love you, Edgar"
she answered, but"
To Blaine's surprise she burst into
tears. Finally she promised to give
him an answer in two weeks tlme-if
he would agree not to come to the res.
taurant during that period.
| 1t was an ultimatum and Blaine had
no alternative but to comply with 1t.
The two weeks dragged with leaden
feet. At the end Of that PERIOD sur
feited with diet Of ham and eggs,
Blaine FASTENED to the restaurant.
1t was closed
In despair he accosted a policeman,
who seemed quite sympathetic.
"Sure ! know the folks you mean,"
he answered. USED to run an Eye
Italian place over On Nineteenth"
you must be wrong" said Blaine.
They're New England, born and
bred" &
young feller, the department amt
never wrong" replied the policeman,
with offended dignity. IF you don't
believe me, hunt 'em up Yourself"
Blaine hunted. All along the street
he made his inquiries without result.
| Nobody knew where the Browns had
gone. He vas In despair; bit on the
| third day the policeman stepped him
In the street.
"Say, young Teller, amt found them
friends of yoI:ra yet, have your
| Blaine shook his head mournfully.
"You mightn't be very far wrong"
said the policeman, IF you was to try
"a Third avenue"
Blaine was due at the Office. But
that night he fastened there on winged
feet. He stopped outside the place,
however, with the impression that the
policeman had been having a game
with him. 1t was Kosher restaurant,
and crowded with East Siders. The
smell of fried fish came into the street
| in oily gusts.
| And then, serving at the tables,
Blaine saw Elsie!
She saw him and dropped pile Of
| dishes with crash.
| "0h, do go out!" she whispered.
"Fn-Tll see you later"
| Blaine paced the streets till closing
time. He slipped into the restaurant
as the last customer went out.
| Its all my fault" sobbed Elsie
| the mother had discreetly Withdrawn.
II always meant to tell you, only I
didn't dare after saw how very New
England you were. We're from from
Poland, only was born here, and
and we started catering to the Italians,
and then to New Englanders, but We
couldn't make 1t pay, and so we-had
to fall back on a Kosher restaurant,
and--it's paying now, amigo away
| forever"
Darlingtr said Blaine, folding her
In his arms.