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Show page 63 have to get another touch off you. A man can't gamble with that kind of stuff on his mind." "After I open and s t a r t making something, I won't mind giving you more, Ralph," Bessie said placatingly. "Okay," he would counter, "freeze up on me. But you a i n 't the only dame in the world with a l i t t l e money." This invariably loosened Bessie's pursestrings, and he would leave the house in b l i t h e s p i r i t. "I would say she loves him," Viola explained to Elizabeth. "He speaks French," Elizabeth said. "Yesterday he said tome, 'Bonjour, Mam'selle, comment allez vous?'" "You stay away from him, Elizabeth," Viola admonished. "Mrs. Hardcastle's a l l r i g h t , I think." Business x<7as good from the f i r s t day that Bessie opened her tearoom. Many ladles of our town like a cozy nook in which to gossip. Bessie did her oxvn baking and hired two of our local g i r l s , Janie Tonklin and Rose Tanner, as waitresses. Hardcastle began to drop by the tearoom early of afternoons. He would take a bag of fresh cookies home with him to the Henson women. Sometimes he xvas bold enough t o suggest a glass of milk to set the cookies off. Mrs. Henson always refused but Elizabeth couldn't r e s i s t pastry. Hardcastle talked p o l i t e l y and well about things i n t e r e s t i n g to a young g i r l , alx^ays noted the progress of her foot, and predicted that the cast could be removed soon. |
