Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09

BRAND 'omelettes, but these considered
were only placed there to accommodate En-
lishmen and foreigners generally, and, of
course, could not form any part of the de
jeuner' of a connoisseur.
George evidently was of similar mind,
for at length, not trusting himself to speak,
he indicated several dishes to the waiter,
who promptly wrote down the items on
tablet. What they were have not at this
day the faintest notion, but they had the
longest and most unpronounceable names of
any ON the list. Having taken the order,
the waiter next desired to know whether we
wanted one portion or two. I explained to
George that it was the custom in France to
serve one portion to two persons if necessary.
".Deuce take it, he cried, what does he
take US for. Deux! Deux portions
SCENE IN THE CAFE.
"'Bien! Monsieur and the garcon disap-
peared. We now had time to take in our
surroundings. As 1 have said the place was
full. Every table in the broad cafe where
we were had its family or party. At one
table portly citizen, with napkin tucked
under chin, did the honors of the table to
his wife and half dozen children. At
another two men attired in such loud dress
as to at once attract notice, were entertaining
a couple Of fair ladies whose manners were
not on a par with the quality OF their
snowy, though neatIy-ftting, habiliments.
Busy men from the commercial world found
opportunity between courses to smile and
make grimaces at party of young misses
whose 'bonne' was engaged in settling the
bill at the cashiers desk. and over all was
an air of festivity, levity and bonhomle,
which is inseparable to an occasion where
French men and women meet in any num-
bers.
"But now our garcon appeared with
number of covered dishes. He deposited an
enormous one before each of US, placed the
accessories around, and brought a bottle of
'ordinarle' reposing in wicker case. Re
moving the covers he invited us to fall to.
We did so. On what, 1 don't know, but we
did it. imagine it was some kind of fish,
and there was certainly enough of it to do
four people. George had similar quantity.
THE WINE GOES IN.
They don't charge US for the wine,'
said to George.
That SOP he exclaimed. They're
mighty liberal
"When we each had eaten as much fish as
we cared for, the garcon removed the dishes
and again disappeared. Once more he re-
turned with as many dishes as before. We
commenced the attack again, this time on
what had a suspicion were frogs legs, and
and again was the quantity ample for four
people, at least. George didn't seem to relish
the dish. but he appropriated the wine to
such an extent that the bottle was soon
finished, and when the garcon came to re-
move once more, he pointed to the empty
bottle as hint to bring another.
'Bien, monsieur, said that worthy, with
a smile, and adding something which may
or may not have been complimentary. But
am afraid it wasn't. Our waiter soon re-
appeared for the third time, and again borne
down with dishes. The covers removed, our
attention was centered on four birds, which
turned out to be plover, cooked to nicely.
George had also his portion of four. We
both began to feel that the situation was be-
coming serious. Were we really expected
to surround each four plover after our
already tolerabiy good meal? George had
resource to the ordinaire, and I removed a
wing and made an effort to seem quite at
ease.
YET AGAIN HE CAME.
"Pausing for moment, the waiter had the
dishes off the table in an instant, very much
to our relief, and we hoped that when he
next came it would be with the bill. He
array CT dishes.
"'Great Casarp exclaimed to George,
did you order the whole bill of fare
"'Confound their portions he returned,
who would suppose they were so liberal.
ordered four or FIVE courses, but expected
they would have been courses such as we
were used to.
"Once more the table was covered with
dishes. This time he had brought US each
several hundred whitebait. We took some
and made another pretense of taking the
L@11 H., e L
time our garcon did not go away. He |
waited. 1 look at him once or twice and he |
was evidently regarding US with the air of a
man who was privileged in serving two gen.
tlemen whose fancy it was to order expen-
sive breakfasts for the pleasure of paying
for them. George now wanted more ordi-
naire. Another bottle was brought, and
again the dishes taken away.
"'What next?' was Georges inquiry.
"'The bill, to be sure, said I.
"We anxiously watched for sthe appear
ance of our waiter, and when we saw bis
smile and side whiskers glide around the
dishes we felt in state of collapse.
1--WE don't wantit. Take it away cried |
George in emphatic Anglo-Saxon.
"'Comment, Monsieur said the garcon.
READY FOR THE BILL.
Take these things away and bring the |
bill. Say, Jack, what's the French for |
bilI?'
"'Addition.'
'L'addition. Paddition,' cried George,
bring the dash blank BILL and he did. |
Such a bill. 1t made considerable hole in |
q $40 bill, and the extra bottles of ordinaire |
we're faithfully recorded. From that out we
hunted out English houses where we paid |
as much and were not half
30 well served.
'"The cheapest breakfast ever ate," said |
Codiln, 'was in small town in Victoria.
1t was at regular hotel and was ushered
in and sat down to table with some 20 other
travellers like myself. They gave us two
kinds of excellent soup-one OF them was
kangaroo tail-boiled and roast mutton, and
roasted ribs, hashed mutton, several kinds
If vegetables, pies, milk, tea, homemade
,ake and glass of beef, at charge of -
guess"
twenty-five cents?"
"Twelve cents-sixpence English"
"Check, waiter" to the colored gentle
nan who had provided the tenderloin and
,hops.
"H'h," said Goblin, taking the checks.
81 so. Difference in longitude makes a
Inference in cost" F. JAY KAYE.
pnMlNrES nm CppIn INV