Evening star., 1923-08-05
A Luncheon for Two at the Plaza
Was the Beginning Of a Series Of
Somewhat Surprising Developments

ana Inen cn2t man on the DOx--
Even the recollection of it brought
the color back to her cheeks.
"All I cared about was to do some
thing where l could and when could
But what can l do? What could I do
for any of them? What could I do
for your
The young man stopped jingling
the coins. That's funny. Nobodys
said that to me for a long. long
time"
Well. what can / do?"
He made sudden grimace
There's something you could do for
me. all right; but wouldn't do it. any
way"
How do you know | Wouldn't"
He was regarding her critically.
ITO be perfectly frank. I'm hungry
and this"-he displayed the little pile Of
silver-"is every cent I've got in my
pocket. And for the last two weeks
I've been eating in hashhouses with
that same gang. This is pretty far
down, even for me. What I'd like is
a steak and some human society-and
the society counts just as much as
the steak. So if you're so anxious to
help me personally. take me over to
the Plaza and buy me a lunch"
The girl was thunderstruck. Take
YOU"
His grin was broadening. "oh. Of
course, you wouldn't do it, knew
that. You're sorry. but some of your
swell friends might see you. so you'll
offer to slip me a five-dollar bill in
i l.
the society counting as much as the
steak. How's that for good guess?''
His whole manner was so amusedly
indulgent that 1t aroused. first, her
contrariness, and after that. her
pride. She believed now that she
| understood him-he wanted her to
give back to him. for an hour, the
full arrears Of his self-respect--a bit
of luxury. a bit of irresponsibility.
And so few of the platoon would
have thought to ask for the pleasure
of her company.
She laughed. NO. 1t isn't a good
guess at all. Do you want to go over
now?'
AS they crossed the threshold of
the dining room. she almost wavered.
poise, and no small part of it from
the nonchalance of her companion.
He had said that he was hungry,
and his order bore him out; he held
strict allegiance to his steak. This,
he said, with vegetable and coffee,
would satisfy him. And then he
tossed the menu aside and smiled
straight into her eyes.
IF you don't mind my saying So"
he told her, you're a darned good
sport"
She smiled hack at him and then
became serious. Pm glad you think
so. | meant to be. But that wasn't
the only reason I brought you"
Then you're going to preach" he
said.
Not very much" she promised.
But there was one thing l did want to
tell you. It's this: I've always be-
lieved that life won't give US much
of anything free: but it'll always sell
US anything we're ready to pay for
| mean-whatever you get out of life
you have to pay for. one way or an
other. And you can get practically
anything you want if you care enough
about it to pay the price. Don't you
agree with that?"
He nodded. "Of course. Only you
don't go far enough: you've got to
pay regular installments-and in ad-
vance. too"
Certainly. Then how are you 60
ing to defend yourself?'
Defend MYSELF"
Her attitude was charmingly judi
cial. Don't you think it's rather
brain to be in fix like this?'
He gestured broadly. Leave me
out of it: I'm not licked yet. And
never mind how il is that so many
people are out of work-the only
point is, what's going to be done about
it. and who's going to do it. You were
wondering what you could do; well, I'm
wondering what I can do. Not Just
for me, but for the whole crowd
especially the white-collar men,"
TIER eyes softened. And you can
i j think like that-even now?
Again that boyish smile, wouldn't
you have expected it of me-"
Yes" she said at length. IT would
have
But just at this minute" he added
buoyantiy. Just at this minute-when
/ see that steak coming-my judg-
ment is that the best thing I can pos
sibly do is to eat it-and keep on
talking"
In another hour she had totally for
gotten that he was a self-invited
guest.
Almost unconsciously she had be-
gun to compare him, attribute by at
tribute, with other men she knew. and
the comparison was seldom to his
disadvantage.
He had finally begun to confide in
her; he had told her how, at seven
teen. he had gone into a factory to
work with his hands and how he had
built up his philosophy from the
ground. He had told her what book.
had Influenced him-and at this stage
she had again brought up the subject
of college.
At the same moment the waiter,
who had been lowering obtrusively
near by. deposited the check at the
young mans elbow. The young man
ignored it. and as for the girl, she
was never aware that 1t had been
presented. And neither of them per-
ceived that they were virtually alone
in the dining room.
"You see." he said, 81 was quite a
kid when I got that same idea you
have-about paying for everything
you get I thought I just wanted
to be happy, and I thought happiness
meant time to loaf. or travel, and