XVIII

THE GIRL AND THE HABIT

HABIT—­a tendency or aptitude acquired by custom or frequent repetition.

The critics have assailed every source of inspiration save one.  To that one we are driven for our moral theme.  When we levied upon the masters of old they gleefully dug up the parallels to our columns.  When we strove to set forth real life they reproached us for trying to imitate Henry George, George Washington, Washington Irving, and Irving Bacheller.  We wrote of the West and the East, and they accused us of both Jesse and Henry James.  We wrote from our heart—­and they said something about a disordered liver.  We took a text from Matthew or—­er—­yes, Deuteronomy, but the preachers were hammering away at the inspiration idea before we could get into type.  So, driven to the wall, we go for our subject-matter to the reliable, old, moral, unassailable vade mecum—­the unabridged dictionary.

Miss Merriam was cashier at Hinkle’s.  Hinkle’s is one of the big downtown restaurants.  It is in what the papers call the “financial district.”  Each day from 12 o’clock to 2 Hinkle’s was full of hungry customers—­messenger boys, stenographers, brokers, owners of mining stock, promoters, inventors with patents pending—­and also people with money.

The cashiership at Hinkle’s was no sinecure.  Hinkle egged and toasted and griddle-caked and coffeed a good many customers; and he lunched (as good a word as “dined”) many more.  It might be said that Hinkle’s breakfast crowd was a contingent, but his luncheon patronage amounted to a horde.

Miss Merriam sat on a stool at a desk inclosed on three sides by a strong, high fencing of woven brass wire.  Through an arched opening at the bottom you thrust your waiter’s check and the money, while your heart went pit-a-pat.

For Miss Merriam was lovely and capable.  She could take 45 cents out of a $2 bill and refuse an offer of marriage before you could—­Next!—­lost your chance—­please don’t shove.  She could keep cool and collected while she collected your check, give you the correct change, win your heart, indicate the toothpick stand, and rate you to a quarter of a cent better than Bradstreet could to a thousand in less time than it takes to pepper an egg with one of Hinkle’s casters.

There is an old and dignified allusion to the “fierce light that beats upon a throne.”  The light that beats upon the young lady cashier’s cage is also something fierce.  The other fellow is responsible for the slang.

Every male patron of Hinkle’s, from the A. D. T. boys up to the curbstone brokers, adored Miss Merriam.  When they paid their checks they wooed her with every wile known to Cupid’s art.  Between the meshes of the brass railing went smiles, winks, compliments, tender vows, invitations to dinner, sighs, languishing looks and merry banter that was wafted pointedly back by the gifted Miss Merriam.