Evening star., 1933-02-26

"And nice hat-checker you haze
here!" said the young man sarcastically.
not know, but Fenderton stopped down ana
entered the small room where hats and coats
were checked He was to be hat-check boy for
the Valhalla Restaurant, and it soon proved
that it was to be busy job. The trickle OF
early noon patrons soon became the midday
rush
For a few minutes Mr.. Baglow, the manager,
watched Fenderton at work; then he seemed
satisfied and went about other matters that
took him into the large dining room. He had
hardly gone when q young man wearing
peari-gray fedora hat stopped at the bar of the
checking room and handed Fenderton his hat
and. without stopping went on into the dining
room.
"Hey! Hey!" called Fenderton. "Your check!'
but the young man appeared not to hear him
and went on his way, and Fenderton gave his
attention to the next in line.
The patrons now arriving in greater
numbers and Fenderton kept busy and
nothing remarkable happened until another
young man hurried in and divested himself OF
a strikingly light gray coat and pearl-gray fe-
dora hat. He tossed these onto the checking
room bar and hurried toward the dining ROOM
"Hey! Your. Fenderton called but the
young man did not look back, and Fenderton
lalQ the OraSS ceCk OeS1Oe us 1elfOW on the cfiQ
of the nearest hat shelf.
There was lull Of arrivals before the
earlier diners began to leave. and Fenderton
handed out hats and coats with THANK
you!" when dime was slipped into his hand.
and presently one Of the young men came out
Of the dining room.
"I forgot to take my check he said. Gray
fedora and gray overcoat-there they are,
there" and he pointed them out. Fenderton
took the two brass checks from the shelf and
compared them with the brass checks on the
coat and hat. One agreed properly and he
handed out the hat and coat and said Thank
you!" for the dime that was given him.
THE young man put on the coat and went
! out of the door, carefully fitting the hat to
his head as he went.
No more than two minutes later while Fem
derton was doing his best to return coats ana
hats to the Valhalla Restaurants patrons the
second young man came to him.
Sorry" he said "but forgot to take my
check. boy. gray fedora hat and light gray
overcoat. can show you"
With that he lodged under the bar and
pointed to a gray hat.
That's the hat" he said, ''but-that's funny!
I don't see my coat here"
Instantly Fenderton knew what he had DONE
He recognized this young man as the young
man VINO nad given him the light gray coat
and he had handed this young mans coat to
the other young man. And at that unfortunate
moment Mr.. Baglow, seeipg a young man in
the checking room with Fenderton, came to the
bar
whats the matter in there?" he asked in q
most unpleasant voice. Have you gone ana
mixed things up?"
Il gave this mans coat to some one else"
said Fenderton in the meekest of voices ''They
both had gray hats" ...- -.-.
"And a nice hat-checker you have herei" said
the young man sarcastically. II check q hat
and coat here and eat in your restaurant and
now my coats gone. You'll have to pay me for
that coat"
"Now, not so loud-n0t so loud, pleased"
begged Mr.. Bagiow, for the young mans voice
was rising to angry vehemence. keep your
shirt on and well adjust this matter. What
was your coat worth?"