The colored patriot., 1882-05-11

This man, this weak, foolish vessel.
went out TO breakfast one. morning Mt
ten o'clock. Being generous and for
giving person, he selected the place
where he had dined the night before.
Some of the shutters were still on the
windows. He went in, however. The
long narrow apartment was full of dust,
the chairs We're all piled upon the tables,
and man was sweeping the dry floor
with a dry broom and the most bewil-
dering energy. The prospect was not
promising, but not altogether cherries.
1t was clear proof that people did some
times sweep in London. The dust was
a little too thick for weak lungs, how
ever, and the stranger went out. He
walked to several other restaurants and
couldn't get in at ALL So he drifted
back again, rejecting that it was prob
ably a holiday of one kind or another.
BY this time the tables were partly COW
cred, and one or two of the walters had
arrived. The stranger sat down and
looked around. Nobody took the
slightest notice of him, and after awhile
he raped for waiter Then one of
them came, staring at him un-
pleasantly. The American said he
would take breakfast The waiter re-
piled that they did not serve anything
until twelve. Everybody breakfasted
at home. Well, yes, he would try and
get something for the gentleman, but it
was against the rules He departed,
having left this suggestion of an extra
fee. By and by he came back with
fried sole, eggs, coffee, rolls and chop.
The American ate voraciouSly, and
called for the bill. His waiter reckoned
it up rapidly in his head at seven shill-
ings, or $1.75, and the foolish stranger
paid him a shilling besides. Two or
three days later he discovered that he
had been oyercharged by three shill-
ings Thus it cost him just one dollar
of stealings and fees to learn to eat
breakfast at home This same man
made a nice row in restaurant at dim
ner one night when he first arrived. He
had been warned to keep on the look
out for overcharges, and by the time
his meal was finished he was in a good
mood for that sort of a thing. He had
arrived in the restaurant at five o. clock,
and had called for bill of fare. 1t was
printed on a sheet of paper just the size
of page of the Chicago NewS. Half
the items were in red ink This indi-
Gated that they were special dishes for
that day. He had soup, and ordered
consulted with the cook, and said the
mutton would be done in three
minutes. The stranger waited In ten
minutes the waiter came back and said
the cook had concluded not to serve
any more mutton that day. The Amer
ican said he would have a lamb chop
also in red ink. Another consultation,
and another disappointment. There
were no lamb chops. Would he try
flllet of beef, rare? Yes, he would.
The waiter looked rather ashamed as he
came back this time. He had no need
to speak. The truth was written on his
face. There was no fillet. The Amer
lean was angry, but calm. He said:
Bring me anything you've got in
your measly old ranch. l don't care
what it is. Only don't keep me in sus-
pense. l don't want to make up my
mouth for any more things and not get
them. Get me anything you have GOT
He received a fair sort of dinner,
but he was out of sorts all the time. 1t
is no laughing matter to work ones
Imagination up to one thing and get an
other. When it came TO making out the
bin YOU may imagine how carefully he
watched his man putting down the
items. As the waiter wrote. he talked.
This is how it ran:
Zone soup. one radishes and butter.
one new potatoes, one turbot, one steak.
one asparagus, one peas, one Bass
how many breads?'
WHAT"
"How many breadss'
None of your business.
We'll. I'll have TO charge for two"
Charge? You don't charge for
bread?'
Yes. sir. A penny for each bread.
"Humph! Well. | had one" This
very sulkily.
How many butters?'
"Eh?"
How many butters?"
Buttcrs-Oh You charge 10 but
ter? All, see. Two buffers There's
nothing mean about YOU. Oh. no. Hold
on there. Don add her up vet You've
forgotten the salt | had some on my
radishes.
No charge for salt.
What? Is there anything YOU don't
charge for in this Internal country? Per-
haps YOU want TO tuck it on for that glass
of water | had a mouthful out of
No? Well. this is simply paralyzing
liberality."
And he went out muttering. This
actually occurred in a restaurant where
fully five hundred people dine every day.
know. because have seen the man
see him in the mirror every morning
when | am dressing -Londos Cor. Chi
r1rn EerrS