Short stories; United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction
But there was a mist in the bright brown eyes as Tony the Crook turned
away with his tray. In spite of the satisfaction of having had the last
word, Miss Fink knew in her heart that Tony had "got her at recess," as
he had said he would.
Things were slowing up for Miss Fink. The stream of hurrying waiters was
turned in the direction of the kitchen bar now. From now on the eating
would be light, and the drinking heavy. Miss Fink, with time hanging
heavy, found herself blinking down at the figures stamped on the
pasteboard sheet before her, and in spite of the blinking, two marks that
never were intended for a checker's report splashed down just over the
$1.75 after Henri's number. A lovely doll! And she had gazed at Heiny.
Well, that was to be expected. No woman could gaze unmoved upon Heiny.
"A lovely doll--"
"Hi, Miss Fink!" it was the steward's voice. "We need you over in the
bar to help Miss Sweeney check the drinks. They're coming too swift for
her. The eating will be light from now on; just a little something salty
now and then."
So Miss Fink dabbed covertly at her eyes and betook herself out of the
atmosphere of roasting, and broiling, and frying, and stewing; away from
the sight of great copper kettles, and glowing coals and hissing pans,
into a little world fragrant with mint, breathing of orange and lemon
peel, perfumed with pineapple, redolent of cinnamon and clove, reeking
with things spirituous. Here the splutter of the broiler was replaced by
the hiss of the siphon, and the pop-pop of corks, and the tinkle and
clink of ice against glass.
"Hello, dearie!" cooed Miss Sweeney, in greeting, staring hard at the
suspicious redness around Miss Fink's eyelids. "Ain't you sweet to come
over here in the headache department and help me out! Here's the wine
list. You'll prob'ly need it. Say, who do you suppose invented New
Year's Eve? They must of had a imagination like a Greek 'bus boy. I'm
limp as a rag now, and it's only two-thirty. I've got a regular cramp in
my wrist from checkin' quarts. Say, did you hear about Heiny's crowd?"
"No," said Miss Fink, evenly, and began to study the first page of the
wine list under the heading "Champagnes of Noted Vintages."
"Well," went on Miss Sweeney's little thin, malicious voice, "he's fell
in soft. There's a table of three, and they're drinkin' 1874 Imperial
Crown at twelve dollars per, like it was Waukesha ale. And every time
they finish a bottle one of the guys pays for it with a brand new ten and
a brand new five and tells Heiny to keep the change. Can you beat it?"
"I hope," said Miss Fink, pleasantly, "that the supply of 1874 will hold
out till morning. I'd hate to see them have to come down to ten dollar
wine. Here you, Tony! Come back here! I may be a new hand in this
department but I'm not so green that you can put a gold label over on me
as a yellow label. Notice that I'm checking you another fifty cents."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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