Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-05-28

AHe OtO Keubtek0Aub btAto OI eXlkkeUce was
so uniform and his movements 20 regular, as
to resemble. in no small degree, those Of an
autOmaton. He entered the Cafe every morn
ing without looking to the right or to the LEFT,
and proceeded directly forward to q little
round table, isolated and incOmmodious, and
which for this reason, was nearly always va
cant Alter being served with his breakfast,
he invariably distracted two out Of the five
pieces Of sugar which figured beside hrs cup,
and conveyed them into the dexter pocket Of
his green waiStcoat, he next proceeded to but.
ter in succession each OF the numerous NOR.
sells Of bread, adding, if l mistake not, pi o.
ciscly the same number Of grains Of Salt, to
each, and then ate his breakfast, cautiously
abstaining from looking at any Of the journals
or periodicals.
Some Of the ardent politicians who fre.
qucnted the cafe expressed astOnishment and
contempt at this last habit, and regarded the
little old man as very vAndal, careless of the
honor and interests Of his country. The more
judicious, among them myself, were of diff
ferent opinion; We consider him, for precisely
the same reason, q very paragon of prudence
and wisdom. Inattehtive to both parties,
" the man who always ate stale bread" pur.
sued the quiet tenor OF his way without
change. He never attempted to form any in
timacies, or suffered any unnecessary express
sions to escape from his lips, his breakfast was
eaten In silence, and usually terminated with
the finale Of march beat with his fingers on
the table; next step consisted in pulling up
the HeSsian boots to their greatest altitude,
after Q sou, and left the house without saluting
the dame dc compton.
The worthy old gentlemans habits and PC
culiaritics attracted so much attention among
the customers and walters at the house,
and his manners were so gentle and dOcile,
that some Of the younger people began to
think he would prove an eligible butt for their
pleasantries. A sub-licutenant on halE-pay,
and in want Of cheap amusement, determined
one day to forestall the old gentleman in his
accustomed seat, and take possession Of the
table to which hO was attached. The little
man arrived, ard without being disconnected,
took his place on the opposite side.
"There IL not room here for two" said the
young firc-eatcr, twirling his moustachc.
I" have used this table for months" re-
piled the old man, without moving, and in q
deprccating tone Of voice.
The soldier could not resist the appeal and
retrentcd from the field. This occurrence en-.
couraged one Of tho walters to make a further
trial Of his equanimity the little old man,
unwilling, as have said, to waste words was
in the habit Of holding out his fore-6nger to
intimate the QuGntum sv6fcit Of coffee and Of
cream. The waiter pretending inadvertencc,
directed the stream Of boiling coffee over the
finger OF the original, al the instant that he
waved it forth as a signal to cease pouring
The sufferer rose slightly from his scat, and,
with an alacrity for which no one gave him
crcdi1, brought the point Of his stout Hessian
boot in contact with that part of the person Of
the waiter which was uncovered With coat
tails, and sent the joker spinning across the
apartment
The waiter WAS exiled from the coffee-room
as punishment for the attack; the Justice Of
the master condemned him 10 serve for GER
tain space in the laboratory, as the kitchen Of
the ca. 70 restaurant is called.
In the end, "the man who always ate stale
bread" triumphed over his tormentors, and
generally had the laughter on his own side
He did not, however, exhibit any appearance
Of triumph; and after ono or two additional
attempts at myStihcation. finding him immo
vable, his enemies left him to enjoy in peace
his little table at the Cafe de Foy.
One day towards the close Of the year 1917,
the old man Quilted the cafe without paying
for his breakfast; but as he made no observa.
tion in so doing, It wNs supposed that he had
forgotten il, and would remember il the next
morning. Tho coffec-house keeper, however
rcckOned without his host in this supposition,
for the next day came and the next, and the
ncxt-"the man who always 0te stale bread"
regularly pockcted his two humps of sugar,
beat his accustomed march, pulled up his Hes
sian boots, and did all that he had been &C
cuStomcd to do, with the exception Of paying
his hill.
This change in his usual practicc continued
for week, at tho end Of which time the pro-
prietOr of the coffee house, ignorant Of the
name or residence of his debtor, determined
upon presenting him with bill, the more es-
pecially as the little man gave no explanation
Of his conduct or made any allusiOn to this re-
markable change in his ancient habits.
Dominic, the chief waiter of the establish.
ment, had become attached to the old man in
consequence Of the little trouble he gave, and
his quiet and gentle demoanor. Dominic in.
agined from the circumstance Of his not d.
minishing the expense Of his breakfast, that
the good man was merely laboring under some
temporary embarrassment; SO that, partly
from good feeling, Dominic determined to be
como responsible to the proprietor for the past
and future breakfasts. not doubling that the
embarrassment would shortly cease, and that
the little man would soon settle his arrears,
and perhaps accompany the settlement with
gratuity for tho accommodation.
But Dominic was deceived in his calcula-
ton Of time; ten months elapsed without any
allusiOn to the matter, or offer Of payment
The coffee.hOusc keeper and his walters began
to shrug their shoulders and make long faces
at the risk poor Dominic was running. Do
mimic himself exposed to these daily doubts,
began to think that he had acted too literally
in becoming responsible for man whose debt
seemed destined to 90 on accruing forever,
when one day the old man, without explAna-
tiOn, demanded his account, settled it in full,
and after careful calculation, handed to the
waiter, in addition, the sum Of fifteen francs
six sous as his gratuity, at the rate Of one sou
day for Ten months, Of which four contained
each thirty-One days.
II interest alone had guided the conduct Of
the head waiter, It must be confessed that be
had lamentably failed 10 the result, for in
France, the contributions to the walters are
oil placed in one general cash box, and ct the
end Of Q certain period, the proceeds are divi.
ded among all the servants Of the hOuse-the
master first helping himself to the lion,s share;
at this rate. therefore, Dominic's recompensC
would probably amount to asolitAFy sixpense
Dominic hnew this, bat wes satiS6ed with the
reward Of his own heart he thanked the old
man graciOusly for the paymspA plscsd the
gratuity In che common receptacle, and tTans-
fcrred the other moneys to his own strong
hold, for he had previously paid, day by day,
the expense Of the breakfast from his own