San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-31
JUST LIKE HOME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM PRINCE
WILLIE FINDS THE SPOT AT LAST.

River Systematic Dear Old Lady Who
Knew the Owens Boys-Home Made
Bread in Generous Slices.
In New York, as in all other big towns, it
costs the stranger something to learn where
to eat.
After wandering into Delmonicos, the ST.
Denis, and few other places without signs
over the door, in my search for cheap res
taurant, | discovered a 30 cent table dhote
Italian restaurant on Third avenue Later
found one where the proprietor needed but
70 cents at time | was doing reasonably
well from a financial standpoint, but food
prepared by the Italian method did not seem
to amalgamate with my Spoon river system
Macaroni and sour claret do not resemble
fried sausage and beefsteak gravy to any
great gastronomic extent, and was orought
up on the latter combination.
THE GRAY CAT ON TIE RUG.
One morning | walked down Fourteenth
street trying to evolve an appetite for break
fast. While reading the signs on the business
houses, as is my custom, encountered this
one: Bread, Pie, Cake. Flour, Coal, kero-
sene and Kindling Wood"
There was familiar aspect about this sign,
and its words had an encouraging ring l
ventured to hope that this was the place l
had been looking for. | entered, and the
opening door struck a bell which continued
to ring for the next minute. A fat old lady
appeared from little back room. She had
a gray ''love curl" in front Of each ear, and
her silver bowed spectacles were on top Of
her head. She wore long checkered apron.
When saw her felt more than ever as
sured that this was the place.
| asked her if she could serve some soft
boiled eggs, bread and butter and glass of
milk. She said she could and invited me to
be seated in the little back room. All! here
was the place There was rag" carpet on
the foor-such one as my Aunt Madge had
on her dining room floor in Princeville. In
one corner was small cooking stove and on
its top an iron kettle whistled softly an indo-
lent tune. gray cat was curled up on
plated rag" rug under the stove hearth.
tall clock with moon, stars and other aStro-
nomical apparatus on its face, rose from an
other corner. A copy Of DR.. Ayers almanac
hung by a blue and white string from nail
by the window. On one wall hung an en-
craving of Washington crossing the Della
ware. On another wall was highly colored
print representing impossible twin girls, with
very round faces, huge curls white stockings
and buckled slippers. This picture was en-
titled Margaret and Ann" Near this work
of art was another of a woman in deep
mourning bending 5ver a grave under an
immense weeping willow. In the single win
dow of the room hung a canary's cage
Presently the old lady returned with the
bread and butter, and pitcher of milk and
A. II or. hat pIIlo al
article was about the best had ever eaten.
The bread the old lady had baked herself, and
it was cut in big generous slices. 1t was the
first re>> bread l had eaten in.New York, for
Wen d bread is universally used there and
Vienna bread is only poor imitation of the
genuine article.
And while ate the Influences of the rag
carpet and the cat an the singing kettle and
the almanac and the picture of the widow
under the weeping willow entered into my
soul and fioated away so close to Princeville
that could hear John McGinnis talking to
Burke Peet out on the pavement
THE ENvIABLE OWENS BOYS.
Suddenly the old lady said: you don't
live in New York, do you, young man"
said: No, mann"
She seemed pleased at her good judgment,
and Strengthened up in her rocking chair and
pushed up her spectacles.
"You come from the west, now don't you?
Eyes, NAM"
''You didn't come from Ohio, did you3'
saw that she would be pleased to know
that | was from Ohio So | said, Eyes,
man, I'm from Ohio"
She was delighted. Then, in tone which
implied much doubt of success, she asked
Are you one Of the Owens boys!"
sincerely wished for a moment that was
one of the Givens boys, but | did not dare
claim the name, so | said, NO nam, that is
not my name"
She looked disappointed "Oh, WELL" she
said, Il didn't know but what you might be
Bill Givens. He was tho youngest one of the
family. | amt seen him since he was little
boy, and l s'pose he looks now about like you
do. Do you happen to know the Owens fam
lily"
did not
What part of Ohio do you come from,
anyways"
| named Steubenville at venture.
"Oh, well, you don't know nobody do.
come from up around Cleveland. Who dc
| you know round Steubenvillep
l named several people who probably dc
not live - round Steubenville."
Then she named several people who live
"up round Cleveland" but we could discover
no mutual acquaintance. She asked me q
great many questions about myself. We dis
cussed the relative merits of Ohio and New
| York, and agreed that Cleveland was a bet
ter town than New York, and that the state
of Ohio knocked the spots off the state OF
| New York
When asked her what owed her for my
breakfast she said: Lets see. There's 6
pint Of milk, that's four cents; the bread anC
| Init nd +Io =