Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-20
WOMEN ORDER A LUNCHEON.
The Difficulty of Making a Choice
How it Looks to a Waiter.

From the New York Tribune
FIwo young women enter a well-known up
town restaurant for luncheon. As they sit
down one of them begins to tell how hungry
she is, while her companion echoes her senti-
ments with fervor. Il thought we should never
get here" says the first. Il am actually faint, ="
says the second, land am going to eat and
not talk a bit" Each of them seizes a bill of
fare and begins to look it over. The first runs
her eye up and down the sheet. evidently in
doubt. At times she pauses for a moment as if
she had decided what to order, but she seems
to find nothing satisfactory. Her friend has
begun an entirely different examination. Start
ing at the top of the list she goes down it
slowly, examining everything carefully. 1t
seems as if she were sure to hit upon a choice
When she reached the last word on the last
page. she looks up and signs What are you
going to order?" she asks with an air of resig-
nation. Il am sure don't know" is the dis
couraging reply.
The waiter. who has been standing stock
still, moves his feet a little uneasily. Lets
begin on the soups Jen," says one. and they
fall to studginy the soups. After a pause, the
one addressed as ''Jen" suggests in an apollo
getic manner mock-turtle soup. "Oh," saws
the other, Il thought tomato would be nice"
Il don't care, so long as it is sonnet thing" is the
reply.
Now, Jen, you don't want tomato. You
only say that to please me-"
Il do, too; you know do
You might be frank about it." coolly
''There is no reason why We shouldn't have
both"
The waiter YEARLY changes from one leg to
the other
well, then, I'll order mock turtle"
But don't want mock-turtle; you know 1
don't. won't have it,
The waiter moves off silently Just in time for
them to turn and see his back
isn't this vexing," says the one who had
complaint about that man. The waiter. hav-
ing noticed that they are looking for him, hur-
ries across the room.
'Wlll you bring us some mock-turtle?" says
the one who wanted tomato soup, severely.
No, no, don't" protested the other. To
helplessly, but does not make start.
Now. Jen, don't be perverse.'
You are perverse."
Then CO mes dIgnifed pause followed by
respectful cough to remind them that their
order Is still hanging fire.
Then, says one. ''let's lust have some plain
consomme;" and consomme it is.
After the waiter returns with their order
each says that she hopes that the other is salts
he'd. The waiter goes away and returns three
times to get the rest of the order. He tries the
shuftilng of feet and the changing of positions
but they have finished their soup now and are
discussing gowns. Finally the waiter has re-
course to the respectful cough again, and they
both look up.
''Oh, what shall we have next?" asks "Jen."
Its such bother to order. wish papa were
here. He doesn't have any trouble"
Il don't feel very hungry now, any way. Sup
pose we don't wait any longer, hut go around
to get our hat"
''All right" gratefully
"Let me pay for the check have just the
amount"
No, let me; want to get ten-dollar bill
changed"
No, l insist"
Another pause and another cough The waiter
takes the check and the money and starts for
the cashiers desk. In a moment he is back
again. 1.-The quarter is punched" he says with
bow
''Oh. Jen, now you will have to get the bill
changed"
',Jen' hunts around for her purse, finds it
and begins to look for the bill. II know have
1t, she says, but where is it?' After going
carefully over all the bills she remembers that
she spent the ten-dolar bill downtown
Here's five, any way" she says with great sat-
lsfactlon, and the waiter goes off again. Hav-
ing gotten their change they talk for five
minutes more. trying to decide whether they
shall go to look at the hat after all or go up to
get Amy" They finally decide upon the hat,
and as they move toward the door the waiter
picks up the punched quarter they left for him
and leans against the wall with a sigh of relief