The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-13
A MlxEv BEVERAGE,
P"zzie;i Walters and Interested Spectators
A Sensitive Customer.


"A Sensitive Customer.
New York SUM-
a quiet little man, with a muffier around
his neck, mtten5 on his hands. ear tippets
on his ears, galoches, and the various other
appliances by which men who are always
troubled with colds may DO distinguished
from men who are not, entered the Astor
house rotunda the other evening, removed
his wrappings, climbed upon stool, and
patiently waited to catch the eye of the man
who was attending to the wants of those at
the luncheon counter. There were a num-
her Of men about, and the place was rather
quiet The attendant came briskly to the
counter, slammed down a napkin, a knife
and fork, and glass OF water with one turn
of the wrist, looked the little man very hard
in the eye, and said:
"Well SIR what's yours9'
"a little mince pie, please"
"Mince pie, jerry" the attendant yelled
to the man outside. Then the quiet little
man said impressively: "Pd like YOU, if
you please, to get me cup of coffee with a
little tea i'll it. Don't make a noise about it,
you know, but just do it quietly, see?'
"All right, sir. Jerry, two cups of coffee.
Eh9 Oh, no, Jerry, two cups of tea-what's
that sir9 Why, of course, Jerry, make that
a cup of coffee and tea
Jerry, who had been standing off about
fifteen feet, looked panied and undecided,
then shouted back How many cups of
coffee do you wantl"
By this time the little man was very rcd.
and he rose slightly on the foot rail and
leaned over the counter "Say, | don't see
why the hull house should be taken into this
thing, he said plaintiyely to the attendant
Just order me one cup of coffee with
little tea in it"
Jerry, one cup of coffee-no, one cup of
coffee with little tea in it."
"How much tear yelled Jerry
Just a little tea said the attendant
briskly, "and hurry it up will youa"
NOW, that's very strange thing to drink, "
said very large man with a red nose and
glasses to the late conner. as that drink
that is common in your part of the country
No." snapped the little man, it amt
"Then another diner little further along
looked at the little man moment and said:
Is that good drink for dyspepsia, sir4'
The little man discouraged all references
to the drink, but the interest in il wa eaal-
nous, Jerry first arrived with fun
liedged cup of tea, and then lie went back
and brought some coffee, but before the tea
was put into it he wanted to know il tic rlIa
wanted milk in the tea before thu TIA wa.
mixed with the coffee. The house. had heard
1t, and three or four loungers had gathered
aroInj by this time, and when the berc.%,-
finally arrived in proper ,hape there
was band of spectators around the litt g
man. who was gradually growing ex it'd.
IL Sulped down portion of the cup ami
6i,e onneats of the bystanderS, Who vera
Ii very courteous, and then asked the at
,an liant huskily for check Here a new
difficulty arose, and it was not until the
auinirns Of several of the bystander5 were
had on TIE subject that a single check was
any agreed upon. After the man ind
= bed it nervously AMI paid it, Jerry came
rLtne.v into the room, bearing the mince pie
sort The man had paid for it, but in the
x.itament of the coffee and tea episode had
trG&o ten it, and the pie remains to his credit
| al tuo Astor house to-day. The chances are,
| .t,wever that he Will never claim it.