San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-05-02
A WOMAN'S LUNCH.
A RESTAURANT KEEPER TELLS A RE-
PORTER ALL ABOUT 1T.

The Tired Little Woman from the Coun-
try-A Lady's Sandwich - Carrying
Away the Remains-Most Popular Food.
Leaving Articles Behind.
In a restaurant where hundreds of
women lunch the reporter sat down in
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, eclaires,
soup, pickles and coffee, but no steaks,
chops or roasts of any kind. The ladies
we're eating rolls, chocolate cake, buns,
charlotte russo and ices, while here and
there a 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 on the other
side and then ordered one sandwich and
glass of lemonade. The lemonade not
being on tap she moistened her lunch with
the cheering contents of glass of water
Now lady's sandwich, as furnished in
the restaurants, differs from mans as
much as the perfumed scrap of embroid-
sred vanity they call 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
rs large as a postage stamp cut in two
:riangles, is thin enough to see through
and seems to relish better if tied up with
ribbon bow.
Presently four country women entered,
consulted for some time as to what they
should order, and finally decided upon
sandwiches and tea. Five sandwiches
we're given them, and when four of them
had served their destined purpose series
Of words and pOkes We're 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: "We'll have to pay for 'em all, and
might as well have it." AS no one needed
her advice, she appropriated the bit of
bread and meat, wrapping it up in scrap
If torn programme, and slowed it away
among the hairpins, handkerchief, combs
md other miscellaneous articles in her well
worn shopping bag. At the same time
lelicate little woman in bewildering,
ridescent, prismatic sort of a costume, all
beads and sparkle and jingle, came flash
ng and rustling down to the counter,
having her white hands sparkling with
Jewels, ordered salad, q lobster patty, a
with cup of chocolate smothered in
:ream, dipping first into one dish and then
INTO another as daintily as a humming
bird darts his bill into flower cup
Ipoiled So paying for it all, tipped the
waiter with O smile as dazzling as her
costume, and went flashing and sparkling
iown the room like a glowworm in a
husky thicket.
''How many people do you accommo-
late at lunch each day, and how many of
hem are women" asked the reporter of
he superintendent of the place.
"About 1000 in all, and l, 1S5 are wo-
men,"
"Do you think the average woman Sc
Iects her lunch in accordance with the
rules of health?"
81 don't think there is any average
woman If there is she buys her lunch
somewhere else or brings it in her pocket.
The economical woman eats the cheapest
:ood in the bill of fare, regardless of quail
ty, and her lunch costs ten or fifteen
cents. Sometimes two women come to-
yether, give only one order for the two,
and then fume because they have to pay
The extra ten cents in charge for dishes
md service. They seem to get more
nourishment and pleasure out Of the few
cents they save than all they spend. The
sXtravagant woman eats the most eXpen-
Sive dishes she can find. and enjoys q
piece of poor strawberry shortcake when
it costs seventy-five cents that she couldn't
touch at fifteen cents in tho season. The
woman in a hurry always eats some
hing that she can drink like bouillon,
and then buys half a pound Of caramels