Palisadian., 1923-06-22
A Gulf That
Disappeared
q by McClure Newspaper syndicate.l !
By H. IRVING KING

hpSSo IllouSHl tlldI lie Iuu never
seen such q delightful vision as the
girl who came floating into the tea
room of the Hotel Megathefium be-
SIDE Miss Caroline Highly. And being
a waiter in a fashionable hotel, Rocco
was not easily impressed. Hiss High
by was known to him, even by name
for the restaurant of the Megatherium
was one of her favorite resorts. She
could not afford it, to be sure, nor the
expensive clothes she wore, but Caro-
line belonged to one of those families
not uncommon in New York who
manage to live within their incomes
and half as much again year after
year without the slightest difficulty.
AS for the young lady who accom-
panied Miss Highly it may be stated
that she was a country cousin Of
Carolines, Masie Landers by name,
and possessed of a fresh, wholesome,
"eorn-fed' sort of beauty exceedingly
refreshing to look upon. When the
toll handsome Rocco approached the
table and offered his services with a
graceful bow hIasie Immediately be-
gan to think 81 various heroes out Of
the novels she was so fond of read
ing. But what hero, even in romance,
could wear evening clothes in broad
daylight with such grace as was dis
played by Rocco?
"Masie, for heavens sake, don't
stare at Rocco in that absurd man.
ner." warned Miss Highly. DO you
think he is prince in disguise?"
"He-he locks like it," sighed Nasie.
WELL. he isn't" retorted Caroline !;
''he is simply one of the best walters
In New York. AS to looks-they have
TO be good looking to hold down a job
here. I'll say that for the manage
ment-if the prices are outrageous
and the tea weak"
"Is he Italian?" asked Masie.
"How should l know?' snapped
Caroline. His name is Rocco and,
therefore, l suppose so. Just look at
that woman over there-what a hid
eous gown AS Masie arose to leave
the place she dropped a little vanity
bag'-did she do it accidentally p
and Rocco picked it up and restored
it to her with a graceful bow and an
admiring glance which, in spite of his
, training, he could not restrain, to be
rewarded with heavenly smile and a
"Thank you" in the sweetest of pos
sib.e voices.
The two extensively dressed young
women swept out of the restaurant
AMI Rocco sighed. For the rest of the
afternoon his conduct was such as
very nearly to cost him his job He
spilled hot tea ON Mrs. Poppleton-
Jackson's new dress and broke a tea
cup in the serving room. The head
waiter concluded that his hitherto
impeccable assistant was coming down
with the grippe and advised him to 60
home and send for a doctor. But it
was not medicament for the body that
Rocco needed. 1t was a realization
of the impossible nature of this gulf
which took the heart out of Rocco.
Rocco desperately recalled accounts
he had seen In the newspapers of heir
esses marrying their coachmen and
chauffeurs, but he also recalled the
tragic, or at least highly unsatiSfac-
tory, consequences of such matches.
His desperate resolve cooled, but not
his love. Two other visits did Masie
and her cousin make TO the Megathe-
rum restaurant in the course of the
week, and upon each occasion Rocco
waited upon his divinity with an as
siduity and delicacy which did not es-
cape the notice of Miss Highly.
"Well, really, Masie," said the lively
Caroline "Rocco seems nightly taken
with either you or me. 10 you think
my. new hat is becoming? Isn't it
absurd, the impudence of these wait
ers?'
"Why, think he is very respectful
Indeed" replied Masie.
Respectful? cried Miss Highly.
"He'd better be-"
From Overhearing the conversation
between Masie and her cousin on the
occasion of their last visit to the res
taurant Rocco learned that on the
morrow his hopelessly adored one was
to return to her home "up state and
that the name of her home town was
Catlinburgh. Oh, such a sweet smile
as Masie5 gave him as she left the res
taurant that day!
Rocco sat thinking long into the
night. BY morning his resolution was
taken. He gave a months notice and
announced that his career as waiter
was at an end. He had begun that
career when mere STRIPPING as "bus-
boy" and the years which had since
elapsed had been profitable ones. A
river of tips, as rich as the waters of
Pactolus, had rolled toward him and,
though still young man, he had a
comfortable bank account and real es-
tate in Hoboken. Rocco had rather
hazy ideas as to just what he would
do when he had closed his career as a
waiter, but ambition had been
awakened by love and he was resolved