Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-02-25

| thV oAi lelb Ou thS thole) Win Two dozen
Ostend oysters, POtags Ia bisque, (highly
spiccd crab soup,) a couple Of young carp
and two venison steaks. This rather copi-
Gus dinner ended with grapes, cheese, a pot
Of preserved white currants, champagne,
coffee and rhartreuse. When the compan-
ions laid down their napkins, there was fair
reason to suppose they might possibly man
age to exist, without eating anything more
worth mentioning, until the next morning
at breakfast time.
The taller, aud more austere looking Of
the two, called the waiter and asked for
the bill, majestically imposing silence upon
his friend, when the latter somewhat feebIy
demanded permission to pay. Advancing
towards one Of the hooks from which de-
pended several overcoats, he who had so
authoritatively assumed the privilege Of dis
charging the double obligation, searched
moment among the pile, and, at last, thrust
his hand into the side pocket of a particu-
lar coat, drawing forth with the same quiet
air of dignity which had characterized his
whole proceedings, a large pocket book of
dark brown leather--belongiOg to one Of
the journalists seated at the other table |
The latter now became sufficiently inter
est in the aristoCratc strangers doings to
watch him with constantly aagmentlng Gu
riosity. The elderly gentleman, seemingly
quite unconscious of his mistake, and with
out particularly examining the port mon
naie in his hand, opened the steel clasp, ex-
tracted from within two god Napoleons,
carelessly wrapped them in the bill and
again called the garcon. While waiting
for his change, the gentleman reseated him
sell, composedly opened the evening paper
and scanned the latest intelIigence--which,
in Paris, means the news Of the day before
yesterday. The waiter presently returns
with small sum in silver, remains of the
two Napoleons after the substraction of
The bill, whereupon the digui6ed stranger
left franc on the table, as the servants
fee, and, without giving himself the trouble
10 count the rest, negligenIly dropping it
into tAe dark brown port mounaie, which
be then replaced in the pocket from which
II had been taken.
Meanwhile the journalist whispered to
his mpanions-"That's my coat aud my
money p which fixed the attention of the
whClc party upon the strangers, now ou the
point Of leaving the restaurant. The obse-
quious waiter, who had assisted the two
gentlemen to divest themselves of their
overcoats, now songht the garments which
really belonged to them, and aided in put
ting them on. Then came the hats, and
then the canes, but just as the austere
stranger and his friend turned toward the
door, the journalist concluded, in Congress
cia MI 10 ris f, inf nf
Il hope you will pardon my solicitude,
said he addressing the principal actor in
the late scene, "but should like to know
if you are satisfied with yonr dinner p
Sir 7 exclaimed the other, surveying
his smiling interlocutor with an air of great
amazement not unmiXed with anger, / do
not comprehend 7
Il ask, sir, if nothing is wanting to COM
plete your bill Of fare. If so. don't hesi
tate to mention it, that l may have the
the honor to offer you couple of Ha-
vanas 7
Are you in error, sir, or is this intended
as jest 2 returned the majestic gentle
man, frowning, whilst his companion whis
pered in his ear, quite audbly to all pres
ent, your excellency had better not handy
words with this person, who is probably
tlpsyP
If there be any jest in the matter con-
timed the journalist, with unruffied urbani-
ty, it is entirely to your advantage; and
think you ought 10 give me credit for no
small amount of amiabilty, in treating
your proceedings with such extreme lenien-
cy. Have not thu right to ask you if
you have enjoyed dinner for which have
paid, in spite Of myself =
Dinner p You have paid f-Be good
enough, sir, to explain yourselfr p
oh with the greatest pleasure ! 1t is
barely five minutes since you took my port
monnaie out of the pocket of my overcoat,
which is still hanging there against the
wall. You have paid your bill with two
Napoleons belonging to me; and, though
you graciously gave me back the small
change, you are about to go away without
youchsafng a word, or even bow to your
involuntary host In gentleman of your
age, this conduct appears, to say the least,
rather flppant. Is the explanation suffici
emily clear p
"I-I-paid for my dinner WITH"
my purse-there--in that coat I"
IL think the gentleman is right, your Elk
celleneyP whispered again the majestic
strangers companion.
Good heavensl Can It be possiblel" ex.
claimed the other, feeling in his pocket with
sort of trembling eagerness.
my dear sir, said the good natured
journalist, ''if you have made mistake, as
is doubtless the fact, there Is 40 harm
done--not a particlel / trust you will
laugh at il, as do my friends aud myself"
During this speech, the stranger bad
feverishly continued searching his OVID
pockets, and drew forth his porte monnaie.
Taking out two Napoleons, he handed them
to the waiter, saying "You will return to
this gentleman the amount of my bill, to-
gether with the fee just bestowed upon
you, and keep the rest" Then tGrning
TO the journalist, he added, With bis most
grave ard dignided air, II need hardly
assure you, sir, that / am quite overwhelmed
by this unaccountahle error, aud beg yon
to accept my sincere excuses. l am the
Baron de r., formerly Minister Pleni-
potentiary to the German Diet, and this
gentleman is my secretary. l am also your
eor.,,,nt NJ ho..,t.,.. ,.+ftl,