Short stories; United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction
Have I told you how Jennie happened to be hungry and jobless? Well, then
I sha'n't. It doesn't really matter, anyway. The fact is enough. If
you really demand to know you might inquire of Mr. Felix Klein. You will
find him in a mahogany office on the sixth floor. The door is marked
manager. It was his idea to import Scotch lassies from Dunfermline for
his Scotch linen department. The idea was more fetching than feasible.
There are people who will tell you that no girl possessing a grain of
common sense and a little nerve need go hungry, no matter how great the
city. Don't you believe them. The city has heard the cry of wolf so
often that it refuses to listen when he is snarling at the door,
particularly when the door is next door.
Where did we leave Jennie? Still standing on the sidewalk before the
fruit and fancy goods shop, gazing at the maymeys from Cuba. Finally her
Scotch bump of curiosity could stand it no longer. She dug her elbow
into the arm of the person standing next in line.
"What are those?" she asked.
The next in line happened to be a man. He was a man without an overcoat,
and with his chin sunk deep into his collar, and his hands thrust deep
into his pockets. It looked as though he were trying to crawl inside
himself for warmth.
"Those? That sign says they're maymeys from Cuba."
"I know," persisted Jennie, "but what are they?"
"Search me. Say, I ain't bothering about maymeys from Cuba. A couple of
hot murphies from Ireland, served with a lump of butter, would look good
enough to me."
"Do you suppose any one buys them?" marveled Jennie.
"Surest thing you know. Some rich dame coming by here, wondering what
she can have for dinner to tempt the jaded palates of her dear ones, see?
She sees them Cuban maymeys. 'The very thing!' she says. 'I'll have 'em
served just before the salad.' And she sails in and buys a pound or two.
I wonder, now, do you eat 'em with a fruit knife, or with a spoon?"
Jennie took one last look at the woven basket with its foreign contents.
Then she moved on, slowly. She had been moving on for hours--weeks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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