, 1888-04-14
A WQMAN'S LUNCH.
A RESTAURANT KEEPER TELLS A RI
PORTER ALL ABOUT IT.

the midst of the rustic and swish Of skirts
and the Babel buzz and hum of soft
voices, and consulted the bill of fare.
There were salads, ices, patties, e~claires,
soup, pickles aid coffee, but no steaks,
chops or roasts of any kind. The ladies
were eating rolls, chocolate cake, buns,
charlotte russo and ices, while here and
there n little basin of soup or stew was
ordered. A tired little woman, presum-
ably from the country, from the multi
plicity OF her wraps and bundles, was
consulting the bill of fare. She read it
through, furtively glanced oil the other
side and then ordered one sandwich and
a glass OF lemonade. The lemonade not
being on tap she mOistened her lunch with
the cheering contents of a glass Of water.
Now a lady's sandwich, as furnished in
the restaurants, differs from a mans us
much as the perfumed scrap Of embroid-
cred vanity they call n handkerchief differs
from the comfortable half yard square Of
linen or silk which men designate by the
same name. The lady's sandwich is about
as large as a postage stamp cut in two
triangles, is thin enough to see through
and seems to relish better If tied up with
a ribbon bow.
Presently four country women entered,
consulted for some time ms to what they
should order, and finally decided upon
ANT W 1llON anu A'ba INV ofRAAh " - -
were given them, and when four of them
had served their destined purpose n series
of words and pokes were INDUCED in by
the worthy chief OF The quartet as to the
disposition of the remaining sandwich,
while she remarked, in an audible whis-
per: Gwen have to pay for 'em all, and
might as well hav it," As no.one needed
her advice, she appropriated the bit of
bread and meat, wrapping it up in "A scrap
"a ..N f-uWTa 1 uNWHRNH
among the hairpins, handkerchiefs, combs
and other miscellaneous articles in her well
worn shopping bag. AT the same time n
delicate little woman in n ~bewildering,
iridescent, prismatic sort of n costume, all
beads and sparkle and jingle, came flash
ing and rustling down to the counter,
having her white hands sparkling with
Jewels, ordered II salad, "A lobster patty, n
cup of bouillon, "A cheese cake, and an ice
with a cup of chocolate smothered in
cream, dipping first into one dish and then
into another as daintily ms a humming
bird darts his bill into n flower cup
spoiled So paying for it all, tipped the
waiter with n smile as dazzling ms her
costume, and went flashing and sparkling
down the room like u glowworm in II
dusky thicl;et.
How many people do you accommo-
date at lunch each day, and how many Of
them are women" asked the reporter Of
the superintendent of the place.
about 1000 In all, and ! 1875 are wo-
men"
d you think the average woman Sc
lects her lunch in accordance with the
rules of health2''
al don't think there is any average
woman If there is she buys her lunch
somewhere else or brings 1t in her pocket.
TIT economical woman eats the cheapest
food in the bill of fare, regardless OF quail
ity, and her lunch costs ten or fifteen
cents. Sometimes two women come to-
gether, give only one order for the two,
and then fume because they AVE to pay
the extra ten cents in charge for dishes
and service. They seem to get more
nourishment and pleasure out of the few
cents they save han all they spend. The
eXtravagant woman eats the most eXpen-
sive dishes she can find, and enjoys q
piece of poor strawberry shortcake when
it costs seventy-fve cents that she couldn't
touch Mt fifteen cents in the season. The
woman in n hurry always eats some
thing TINT she can drink like bouillon,
and then buys half a pound of caramels
to stay her stomach on the way home"
docs a women compare her check with
the list and raise Il rumpu over fanCied
e~rrcrs?"
ooh, not very often, but when she does
it takes every man in the place, from the
proprietor down to the boy that opens the
door, to convince her that she is not II vic
tim OF dishonest practices. You see,
economical women find out what n thing
costs before they order 1T, and extrava-
giant women do not care what their bill is
any way"
(which had you rather feed, 100 womer
or 100 menr"
"Oh, 100 women, because there's more
money in it, though they are n little
harder to get along with and require
better service. a man wants n dinnel
for lunch, and orders a cut of beef, pota
toes, onions, succotash and celery, and l
bottle of claret or beer, and everything
hot must be steaming or ne swears, ant
everything cold must be freezing or h'
fumes. The food, though commonplace
and substantial, is more expensive thar
the whipped wind, baked froth nnt
frozen, vanities we serve to women ii
fancy forms. They'll eat almost anything
II II only looks dainty and pay well fol
1t, too. II they do find fault with the
food, as they know how to do very scien,
~titically, they are sure to come flutterinl
back again like birds to their old haunt
in spring time; but If II man is displeaset
he says very little, but shakes the dust o
the place from his feet forever"
DO "OllltH ever ltiNt lnelT ldTCtlS Hut
pocketbooks on the tables and come rush
ing back to find themf"
"Leav thingsS Leave thingsY They
rarely take anything away with them thai
they can lose off or lay down. We hav,
a property room full OF gloves, handker
chiefs, eyeglasses, opera glasses, pocket
books, latch keys, jewelry, hairpins, muffs
parasols and Notwithstanding bu'
their poodles and their children; thos,
usually follow them out. Sometimes on,
will come up here to the desk and in spit,
OF my cautions lay her purse down Will
she talks, then suddenly see some one sh,
knows down at the door, and away sh,
will dart with her pretty skip and swing
and flourish, and the two will &c chatter
ing down the street together. In n littl,
while she will want to buy something
from II bargain counter, and theI
she will discover her loss and com,
rushing back here to .ell me how she lef
the purse on just such n corner, in jus
such n place by some particular book, anC
wonder and wonder why it isn't Their,
then. The strangest Of ak is to see then
come in here asking for things they hay,
evidently left somewhere else, aud neve
thinking of the ones they have scattereC
here until | produce them.-New Yorl
Sun.