The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-12-09
Ordering a Dinner.

Mr.. John Goldman, an ex-sea captain.
furnishes the New York Post with an
experience of his, in old times, with his
employer living in New York.
One day captain who had discharged
his cargo, and whose ship lay outside of
mine. said: "Has the old man asked
YOU to dine with him yet?" "No, he
hasn't" I replied. swell, he viii
pretty soon, he answered. "He does
that by all of us, and when he has done
Il there is an end of his eivilities.
ssWhat sort of family is it?" asked.
/" Are there any daughters?" Remember
that was forty years ago. "FamilyE
Daughters Why. bless your soul, he
he won't ask you TO his house. He'll
take YOU ND to Delmonico's and give you
a bowl of warm water and q beefsteak.
That's dining with him. Ibelieve that
the old Shellback "spoke whereof ne
did know" and yet, as beetsteak Is
never amiss, I resolved to profit by the
invitation in case it shocSld be given. 1t
came on the very next day.
81 shall be happy to have Won d1ne
with me to-day" said the dignifed mer-
chant, in his most affable tone.
THANK you, sir, replied, ''if the
ladies will excuse me for not appearing
in dress coat.
''Oh, all, WE'LL" he answered, some
what disconnected, but Immediately re-
covering his self-possession, eff you feel
any delieacy about that, suppose we dine
at Delmonico's?" He had cOrnered me;
but in the end he was cornered himself.
Having assented to the arrangement,
he suggested that / should call at the
counting-room shortly before three
o'clock and we would walk up together.
We accordingly started at the appointed
hour, walked socially arm In arm along
South street, while those anxious skip
pers who could expect no more dinners
looked on and hitched up their slack
Wristbands. At the corner of Wall street
my host was button-holed by an excited
exchange broker, and forthwith there
ensued lively dispute as to whether the
bill under discussion was to be drawn at
thirty or sixty days sight. Observing
my patient attitude as [ leaned against
the lamp post, an idea more brilliant IN
its results for me than for him occurred
to the senior. Captain, bs said, 81
shall be detained here q few minutes.
It will be saving of time if you will go
on and order the dinner"
Certainly, sir" I replied. "What
shall I order?"
"Oh, anything you please, was the
satisfactory answer. 81 shall be quite
suited with your selection"
An old shipowner of Boston was ac-
10 COW {baA ha pauov rror,Ss l1lu
captains instructions. 81 always" he
said, "give 'em point blank to go
where they are mind to-" l hope they
were too conscientious to take the adj
vantage of the carte blanche which Mr..
Waterman doubtless gave them that /
took in this instance 1 proceeded
with such rapid pace to Delmonico's
that when my entertainer arrived the
dinner was ready to be served, and the
champagne as our French friends say
was struck With ice i'll the cooler along
side of the table. That was bis first &C.
casion for astonishment, which received
another addition on the appearance OF
the turtle soup, another at the sole alfs
gratin, another at the canvas-back ducks
which was not lessened when those de-
licate apple fritter were followed by the
stragglers in the rear, cheese, ice creams
nuts, grapes and black coffee. To dc
justice to the excellent Pelatiah PERT
whose name thus far [ have abstained
from mentioning after his first surprise
he entered heartily into the joke and ate
heartily of the dinner. I told him alb
about it-how I had been living on salt
beef and hard tack of late, and how the
rum had given out, and then, as he
beamed benignly upon me, [ told him
what those other malicious shippers had
said. And then, when the repast was
over, what do you think he did? Why
he called for the best Habanas Delmonico
had, although he did not himself smoke,
and told me to put the bunch in my
pocket. Nor was that the end of it.. He
invited me to dine there again, and he
invited the others, too. And we were
all willing to let him select from the bill
of fare, although ! don't really think
that we ever again had Dinner SO APP
petizing in all its appointments as the
one for which catered myself.