American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-02-20

1u0 EE6ucu COuut.
JOHN WELcKER, by the grace of Sam.
Ward gifted with supreme catering
characteristics, gazed upon the cpl
curean worlds he had conquered, and
yet he was not happy. His eyes had
dwelled with ill concealed complacency
on his French cook, French dishes,
French wines, French nomenclature or
tinted bills of fare, and even rested with
benevolence on the retreating coat-tails
of guests who had taken French leave.
The one thing needful to Johns happi-
ness was a corps OF French walters. He
had taken Patrick, Terrence, Shsmus and
Barney, and expended much money in
Bachelors hair-dye, to be used for the
transformation of their auburn locks
into ebon curls. 1t was of no avail, and
John tore his back hair and wept as only
q defeated and chagrined artist will tear
his back hair and weep. The news of
the Franco-German war fell upon this
eminent caterers otherwise benevolent
heart like dew from heaven. His pro-
phetic eye glistened DER the inevitable
results of the contest, anu he dreamt of
long line of exiled Alsatian Counts
knocking al his front door for employ
ment. They did come-not the Counts,
but the aliened Frenchmen-and John
engaged batch without asking for rec
concentrations from their last employers.
One was q gay young man, with a pre-
dilecfion for absinthe and the sex. He
looked ~ if he might have been ex-
ported by respectable family to pre-
serve the escutcheon from disgraceful
stains; in short, he looked as the general
run Of the attaches to European lega-
tons in America do look. And he had
in truth been connected for a short time
with the culinary bureau of the
French Minister. As the story goes,
this young fellow, having left the
insignia of his daily Office in Wicker's
kitchen, arrsyed himself in the most re-
gardless style. and adorned the lapel of
his professional coat with . bunch of
violets, and then presented himself at
the rooms of q certain professional gem
tleman one evening last week, where
there were in full blast a musicale and
French conversations. The most respect
able people are the most guileless, and it
is not to be wondered at that, when our
hero introduced himself to the master of
the ceremonies as Mons. Edgar de Neil
han, lately attached to the French Lega-
ton, the master aforesaid, being an I'M
suspecting old gentleman, should have
not only metaphorically taken him to his
own bosom, but presented him to the
bosoms of several guests, who, being
Americans seeing the sights at the CAPT
tai, have the American weakness for for
eign adventurers very strong. The next
seen Of N. Edgar de M. was that he was
promenading with the lovely. aristocratic
and jeweled hand of Miss x. resting on
his arm, Just where he is wont when on
duty to carry his snowy napkin. Edgar
looked contented, Miss x. looked proud,
and all the other girls envious. BY this
time it had got rumored around that he
was Count, and there was Immediately
. contest for Edgar He fell to the lot
OF Miss Y. Having made her supremely
happy by his graciousness he smiled on
Miss z. But the hour came when Edgar
must go. Misses K, Y. and z. pleaded
with him in vain. "Where-why must
you 60, dear COUNT" they said. al have
an engagement at Welcker's," he replied.
al see hand ye cannot see
That beckons me away,
hear q voice We cannot hear
Bids me no longer stay
It Is almost useless to add that the
voice and hand referred to were the dis
tinguished caterers, for Edgar was on
duty at ten o'clock. About half-past
and their respective fathers dropped in
Welcker's for supper. They had just
begun their midnight repast when Miss
Z. exclaimed, "'Tis EDGAR" gave a
heartFending scream and pointed her
fork, upon which was suspended a
broiled oyster, at . man gracefully re-
Ginning against distant DORIAN, with
. crumb-brush in one hand and plated
silver waiter in the other. Mr.. x, think,
ing his daughter was choking, proceeded
vigorously to thump her back until they
both got red in the face and she prayed
for mercy. Miss US eyes followed the
- =
shrieked, "'Iis de Meilhanl" and tainted
with her back-hair resting in hel
fathers stewed oysters. Miss T., who
is some forty summers, whispered
'Tis the Count-the perfidious Count
Papa, take me home to mamma" anG
fell into her fathers arms. Count Edgal
de Meilhan, like Nero fddling DER the
ruins Of Rome, whistled " IL Bacio," &C
companying himself on the silver waiter
with the erumb-brush, and placidly
gazed upon the three victims of his
three gentlemen-respecta and mus
culsr pork merchants from Cincinnati
simultaneously recognized 1.-THE Count
and the situation. "Our army swore
terribly in Flanderr, but it was nothing
to this" said Uncle Toby, for as eact
father held In his arms the limp figure Of
. disorganized and mortified daughter
they could do nothing else but swear
and. - they began cursing him in chorul
- frog-eating Frenchman," tn.
Count, in response to the call of thu
head-waiter, said: Coming, sir; com
ing, sir" and, bowling to the discounted
group, "Adieu, adieu," he cried, disap
peared in the kitchen to toast some
cheese, ~ the assistant cook had gone
over to . fashionable masquerade il
Georgetown in the character of Bayard
Capital.