The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1889-03-16
EATING HOUSE REVENGE.

oau e. to Oh Frcnchman whose Irlckery
Caused Him Considerable Trouble.
"Parlez vous Francois, monsieur?
"Not by large majority" I replied,
somewhat harshly, for did not relish
having my meditations disturbed by
beggar "Pardonnez moi, monsieur?"
The manner of the man was charm
ing. Despise his seedy clothing and
the battered tile which he held in his
hand he looked like a gentleman, or
one who had once been a gentleman.
''If you can spin your yarn in En-
glish I'll listen to it, I said, still
somewhat brusquely, for I was skepti-
cal on the subject of beggars. and be-
lieved that indiscriminate alnsgiving
was mighty bad thing for society in
general.
In broken English he unfolded a
piteous tale of woe. He was dentist.
He had come over from Rouen a month
before. He had spent all his little
store Of money trying to get work,
and now he was reduced to the painful
necessity OF appealing for charity.
" All! monsieur, you have re courage
and re confidence of Ze young; but,
MONSIEUR, re SHOWS of re winters are
beginning to come on me, and when
one suffers re hungare re heart gets
cold, and it is very bittare, monsieur"
Skepticism couldn't withstand such
talk and such a manner. ! took him
to a restaurant, gave him good din
ner and q dollar bill and shook hands
with him at parting and wished him
good luck; and when l went home and
smoked my cigar I felt on mighty good
terms with myself. And I congratu-
lated myself that was not like some
people who stick to cast-iron princi-
pies and mover discriminate in their
application.
Aweek later I saw my French gen.
tleman again. He didn't see me. He
was doing the blind-peddler act on
the Bowery. The spectacle was dis
astrous to my self-esteem. All this
happened several months ago.
The other day a familiar voice
sounded in my ear: ''Parlez-vous
Francois, monsieur?"
In moment I conceived a fiendish
plot to secure revenge. He had OBJ
viously forgotten me. [ listenedto his
pathetic story. took him to a>cheap
restaurant, where price and quantity
are supposed to atone for all defects in
respect to the quality OF the fare
served.
''Monsieur is too good" said the
Frenchnan when we reached the en-
trance and could sniff the odors that
came from within. II fear Eat trouble
him too much"
':Not at all, not at all. II intend to
give you treat that will make you re-
member me.'
He shrugged his shoulders slightly,
but stepped in. I informed the pro-
prietor privately of my little scheme,
and gave him the order for the French
mans dinner. I wasn't hungry nv
self; 1 would smoke a cigar. First
there was set before him a five-cent
bowl of steaming soup, into whose in
gradients it would not be judicious to
inquire too closely. ~a a..
The Frenchman made slow work
with it, and hadn't half finished it
when he protested that '.ze hungare"
was satisfied. ...,..-.... ..
You will oblige me by eating it
ALL ... .....
''Pardornez moi, monsieur
You Internal swindler, if you don't
eat every thing that have set before
you, I'll have you arrested"
''Sacre"' Kissed the Frenchman,
rising with the intention of boiling
through the door.
''Sit down, you chumpr' exclaimed
the proprietor, putting heavy hand
on his shoulder and forcing him into
his seat.
Before he got out that Frenchman
eat a mess named Irish stew" an al
legged beefsteak pie, a plate loaded
with something that bore an outward
resemblance to sausages, assorted
vegetables and couple of so-called
mince pies.
The sufferings of the Frenchman
were piteous to behold; but revenge
is sweet" Besides, it was cheap, for
it cost only twenty-five cents. Should
we ever meet again, that Frenchman
will remember me. Sheffield (Eng.)
Telegraph.
John Ruskin still uses candles for