The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-10
yERr uUcH LIKE SOMEBODY'S JOKE.
Tho Adventure of Two Colored Women I'm
the Anthony House Itestaurant.


Two good-looking colorcd women entered
the restaurant OF the Anthony House, at 1874
Broadway Mt So o'clock on Sunday evening.
Tho elder seemed to be about twenty-five years
OF age. She wore dark dress. handsomely
trimmed. and light felt hat. ornamentcd with
flowers. Large gold rings depended from her
ears. and her .loved hand was richly jcwclled.
Her companion light mulaito. wore a white
dress marked with black dots. and trimmed
with luce. aud Il coqucttsh hat set well forward.
A large red cloth fan hung at her side She
seemed to bc about twenty years OF age. As
they advanced Just beyond the cash desk at the
door, Mr.. Charles A. Merritt the proprietor Of
the house. intercepted them
What is il YOU WANT he asked politely.
We want to get something 10 eat" the elder
woman replied
Il am sorry that can't accommodate YOU
You will find other places in the ucighborhood
Why can't we eat here 2"
Because" was Mr. Merrits rcpy I must
make one thing or the other OF my house"
But have one Of your communication tick
cts the spokcswoman said.
That doesn't make any difference"
Then will you redeem it - was the next
question pu, in calm busincsslikc tone.
Il will" Mr.. Merritt said. when the proper
person presents ii. You did not purchase it
here"
Then the elder woman took from her pocket n
small black lcather-bound diary. opened it. and
showed Mr.. Merritt some writing ON one Of the
will you sign that ?" shc asked.
- am not signing my name at present " Mr..
Merritt replied. not rcntiug the writing. Then
the two advanced upon Mr.. Merritt and he
-tcIprd cut uf their way AS they walked down
ia" ladi,~ side OF the room to thu last ttbi.. but
one, aud ihcr" they took s"nis. The the IL in
fl4.au. ..f tllI
trance To- the Stor" room for wines ana Hlcs.
Tn" cider sat facing the room. ana the younger
sat oppo-t' To her. with her back TO the Broad
Mr. Merritt UNSIGNED to tell his waters who
are colyrrd. not Ia attend e. the intruders' or
q r.. Accordingly. when they asked for two
veal outlets a waiter said that he could not 1T IA
them. hv'ruse he had been ordered not to do
So. They made III" sam" request of "A second
and 81 4 third waiter. and received lin" AN
sw"r from each. They kept their count"nances
unrunied aud after il became clear that they
could not lsst what they ordered they hrgan to
tuk t. each other. and then they looked about
Tia" room and chatt"d and laughed. but not hois-
trouslV. They Wcrr not at all disturbed hN IN"
CLAN ps that were cast at th'm nor 10y the smiles
nr the laughter 81 the white patrons 81 the
l.a'c. some ut the latter were at first inclined
\ Bntimorc lady. who is boarding in the
hous. went T.. the desk wher" NJ Merritt Was
standing and said that ~h" and her two sons
would not SIT down at dinner IN the same room
with negro guests. The crcumstanrcs were
explained 80 her, and she and her young sons
sal down Ht their accustomed table a short Il -
tnrr from tho negro women. Mr. Merritt also
t-'k pains to- explain e. his other white patrons
~ they entered the house, or rs they sat at the
tuhlt-.
rhe us'om on Sunday night is not Xix that
oi other nights. II r. mostly of yonng me a.
rompan"d hy young ladies' who step IN viii le
on o walk. or after an excursion. ~ get Ice
cream and other light reflections. Their" was
much conversation and tnt-ring among
these guests. and frequent gluuces wcrc
cost in the dir ilon of ia" prescribed
, couple. Patron after patron entered and went
/ Z H.,
Alter the lapse of two hours Robert the head
water. BEGAN To- pill ~ the chars on some Of
tho t3lil"~ IN Preparation tor ci,~Ing. On sun
day even nss tuc staurani Is 'losri at s's in
90 'lp b. an yet M" tWn women sat. Rnls' n
piled chairs ~ close orl'r on the tables an
Of vew 'i IN" other customers IN th" room.
"'" wy w M"'a DIV soa aI~ G slc 'G ali
| Ihoir drnlrauOr had not changed Twenty Or
/ tnny p"r-ons nad gathered about tlir door OF.
Z tho 81 walk and many - the guests fingered
! al the ash H. 81, to see the issue. Another hour
/ ELAPSED and the tine for closing had come.
Rod ri plrd all the chairs upon the tables. eN-
/ e"pting -ir two osripl # ~ IN" women. and vet
/ ih'y h"li MT Next Mr.. Merritt AMI hi- cH-Hier
| went round AMI turned out ull the Enshshts
women w"re n'un.t ~ ih" DARK. Thon ~ last
! tn'y arose ani walked toward tAc door Iwss
/ thou-i, lu. " reg ~ lrr' -olut". nnd th'n ih'S
swept oul of tr' = ~iAuraui Wthuuta word
."tNn ~ iuru stepped fug ~ nut" on The
-nirva.k. and then crossed I}roadvay IN ih,
r.. '.0i ~" hIp'A. and walked gp Nu no. wc-l
-t-. A. lNurr'rn'h street thy -f'pirl uu0
T r.uNrr-Dti ue4iu. .lpuktus Hruuul 500 uiu-iy O.
u-.,rftu whether tlrN " r. inll fW-d. Thou
/ th,y Wulkcd Hl1n., lourt'4 uth street At UNI.
n' WHOM. giving rr"u am "ria escorted then
aou- fourt"eniA s'rrrt /" SAL i' nue, nnt
w.r' iollo we'd As ar rs sixth avenue 10y young
um D ft"l ~ i'r r.-i sur iti.