Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-05-23

through TINS park we came on nOtci
that was simply tremendous 1t looked
like great American warehouse, or
like an old Roman palace. We drove
into the courtyard, which was paved
with stone, On three sides around us
was the walls of the hotel rising in
height four or five stories, and all
around the three sides were tiers of bal
comics, on which great many guests
sat in comfortable chairs and looked at
the coming of the diligence. Tho tre-
mendousness of the building was very
Impressive, and the hotel servants, in
brilliant liveries, added to the general
gorgoousncss AS we slowly climbed
down from our places in the diligence, l
took my friend aside, also by the ear,
in order to retaliate for his former treat
ment Of me, and said:
''lIow much money have you got?"
"Oh, guess" he said, that we will
have enough to take us out of Switzer-
land"
"Well," answered, ~ am not so sure
of that. have been in corner before,
and if ever we were trapped it is now.
You see this place is three and half
miles, at least, from anywhere else. We
have simply got to have dinner, and
they know it. We have driven for five
and a half hours in mountain air, and
started with an early breakfast and a
small one. Now" said, 81 have been
caught in places like this in America,
and | know how they fleece the unfor-
tunato traveller who has no remedy.
You are going to see that it will take
most of our cash to get dinner in this
place and get out again"
He admitted that it looked dubious,
but thought it was as well to inquire if
they hadn't lunch table where person
could get a cup of coffee and a sandwich
or two, and SO have some money left
when he started for Chamonix. We in
terviewed one of the gorgeous officials,
but he shook his head. There was
nothing, he said, but the regular table
d'hote dinner. 1t was that or go with
out. We neither Of us had the courage
|
we knew that we would have to have
dinner or die of starvation on the dill
gencc, SO we agreed to make the best
of it.
Dinner" he said, twill be ready in
a few minutes"
We walked out of the big establish.
ment by covered arch that led through
ono side of it and crossed bridge over
the rapid stream. This little river ran
right at the walls of the liS tscl, and il
gave the huge warehouse the appearance
of one of those large factories which are
situated on u running stream. Back ol
the hotel the mountain rose almost
straight up, and down the mountain
tumbled the river in very picturesque
waterfall. After seeing this we re-
turned to the courtyard again and
found dinner ready We were ushered
into room that opened into the court
yard, and there was table spread with
spotless linen and at each plate was one
of the tremendous napkins which they
use in Europe, and which is itself bis
enough for an ordinary table-cloth. The
table was rcsplendent with silver an(
china and crystal and the whole effec
was very gorgeous. But sat down will
quaking heart, for / was not q million
are in those days Around each plat'
was number of wine glasses of differ
ent hucs, and there was a waiter to at
tend each person, and resplenden
functionary to look over the whole cere
mony. We had very excellent soup an,
one kind of wine, and then the rest of i
and ever so many other kinds of wine
and finished up with black coffee with
J dash of brandy in it. Whether it was tn
hunger or not that dinner seemed to m
the best had ever encountered, and q
the different sorts of wines began to ge
in their work, all fear Of the tremendou
cost Of the affair seemed to vanish, an
by tho timo we were at our coffee,
didn't make cont of difference to m
whether that cost all the money we ha
in our pockets or not. After the cere
: mony was over went to the pay-maste
and asked what the damage was. fol-
get now what the charge of the thin
was, but it was so ridiculously small tina
| asked him how much the cost of tn
wine was.
"Ah," said he, with shrug, "that il
. cludes the wine"
We paid our bill and gave a good ii
to waiter and head functionary an
, came out into the court yard.
. MY dear fellow" said my comradC
D as we stood there looking at each othe
in astonishmcnt, these Europeans
. not understand their privileges. VIII,
:, after giving n dinner like that the
J might as well have had ten dolla'
: apiece out Of us as not"
1 ] agreed with him, and some time
r intend to take another trip from Geney
to Chamonix just for the purpose of &C
ting such another dinner as that at tn
8 tremendous hotel, whose name | hay
l forgotten.-Luke Sharp, in Detroit Fro
@ Press.
This Hand Never Struck Me.
Il We recently heard the followir
touching incidert; A little boy ha