Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-07
BUTTER CAKES FOR TWO


Il
| and Enjoyed II.
From the New York Timea
A man who looked a-weary stood leaning
against the cigar stand in the Aston House
rotunda at noon the other day. Not that other
men were leaning against that same stand, not
that the man with the weary look hadn't q
strictly sovereign right to look tired if he
chose. but the gentleman was Mr.. FOUNDER
and Rounder is . character-on first nights at
the theater. in the foyer Of the opera house, at
the races, at the clubs and at the balls.
| He had been to the Arion ball and looked
tired. had gone early and stayed early, so far
as clock-dial figures went; had been to the club.
had taken his bath and now appeared in the
spiendor OF pantaloons with the regulation
wrinkle and the CATERS of course and the top
coat and the all-brimmed derby with the
name of the London halter in il, and the regu-
iation cane and the dogskin gloves, large enough
10 be unwieldly if necessity came for the ardu-
GUS labor OF picking up nickel from the floor
| "Ml gone up, old man, but glad to zee you |.
Took in the Arion and had a deuced good time,
you know, said Rounder. smothering q yawn
and lifting his eyelids. He might have PLAYED
s scene from Used Up" just then, only he
and wouldn't have been equal to the exercise
OF throwing blacksmith out of a window.
| Lets take an oyster" said he. with n second
yawn, not 30 well suppressed as its predecessor.
NO, lets go In and sta salad, with plenty of
vinegar, eh?'
Not caring to be under an obligation to
hounder, who inevitably appeared at regular
| intervals when could extend courtesy Incl
dental to place sometimes occupy, declined
| the luncheon. But he would take refusal
and, with habit he has Of matching the odd
or even. proposed that means of settling the
salad.
g., "An right, Them here you are" and hand
fui OF coins was produced from my pocket.
You take the call-the winner pays for the
lunch and chooses the place.
odd, said Rounder, without the yawn, and
1 counted the pieces.
won, and on the strength Of the even num-
Der babe him follow me- Across the muddy
street, lodging the never-stopping Broadway
cars OF the Philadelphia syndicate and over
into the never-closed coffee and cake saloon on
Park Row piloted Rounder. was in for value
give Rounder a new sensation.
he paused Mt the entrance nerved himself
Tor an indefinite something and in we went he
followlng at an investigating rather than a re-
spectful distance, and suddenly asked. "what
the deuce place is this?" but proceeded under
sllenty-expressed protest.
| The cashier had taken good look at Rounder
and was sizing him up" an innovation in
the round OF customers. The busy men at the
tables took good look at him and FOUNDERS
4 -,
OF cadet on dress parade, he marched up the
aisle between the tables shifting the aroma of
hot coffee, melted butter, pork and beans and
corned beef hash and sat down with a thump
IN CHAIR at the end OF the room, whispering
to me with n voice nerved up for the occasion,
Everything goes
Of came the top coat, to be carefully placed
on the back Of the chair, the extended collar
reaching the shoulder Of the young fellow doing
| the gridde-cake act back of him with the siru1
| Cnn wide Then of he
placed with the regulation finger-up style in the
outside pocket Of the top coat: then the cane
with the big oxidized head found its place be-
tween chair back and seat, and Rounder did
some ''sizlng up" on his own account.
Coffee and butter cakes for two. gents?
asked the waiter, taking in the situation at a
glance and mentally kodaking Rounder with
| snap shot, as he reached for the butter plate
and replaced it with another well filed.
dropped the butter knife and wiped it on his
apron.
nod gave the answer and fancied Rounder
drew mental contrast between his usual order
and my requisition.
What do you eat with them, scribbler?"
came family from his slowly parted lips.
| Butter. and plenty Of it-help yourself" in
reply, capped the climax of FOUNDERS conster-
nation.
No little pats Of the oleaginous compound
and Rounder measured an inch from the side
OF the square on the replenish platter. But he
cut two inches, for the young fellow had fin
lshed the griddle cake performance and got
square with Rounder by wholesome nudge, as
ne showed his chair back against the collar Of
the top coat and lurched the bIg-headed cane
with his foot, sending it askew and then to the
floor. No napkin ready at the moment as
Rounder squared himself for the attack on the
little English mullins" as he persisted in call
ing them. He tapped the thick coffee cup with
his spoon and weighted it between thumb and
| forefnger; then dipped into the sugar bowl and
was lavish with the granulated sugar.
Lots of fellows, in a deuced hurry, YOU
know, over here, but snything's good after a
| ball, you know. old man" said Rounder. With
sarcastic look upon the busting Park Row pa
| irons Of the place. 'You won the guess"
Insensible, apparently, to the quizzical
Chances of the reporters who ate against time
between first and last edition copy, taking
good-naturedly the jostling of the errand boy
who was waited for over in the lawyers Office,
relieving his annoyance by a furtive look at
the pretty little blonde cashier, Rounder be-
| came one of the multitude for ten minutes The
| coffee cup was empty, the trio of butter cakes
had disappeared, his pet silk handkerchief had
been used for a napkin, and the two ten-cent
checks lay on the table between us when we
| beckoned to the waiter.
another, plate Of the mullins and another
cup of coffeel" said Rounder. ''All on you,
old man."
doubled up with him.
Ten minutes more, and the top coat had been
dOnned with deliberation, the dogskin gloves
were on and buttoned. the cane was poised at
the proper angle, and Rounder lighted his
cigarette, while paid the checks Rounder
knew he was on exhibition and posed for the
occasion. The crowding newsboys had good
look at Rounder as we came out into Park Row:
there was audible ''Git onto de swell chap
pie, fellers, comm out o. Delmonico's" at
which fancied Rounder WINGED Just a little.
Then his face lighted with smile as he grasped
my arm and said:
'Deuced good, old man; deuced good Match
you for a small bottle next time-and I'll han
die the coppers. See you some time and stand
you up for the mufinsr'
He swung himself on the platform of 4th
avenue car, put on his weary look again az he
passed the conductor and went of up town with
the knowledge that the ''butter cakes of the
newsboys are filling" He wasn't 30 ..all gone
up even after a night at the Arion. He owes
me one for the sensation of good value for a
dime and contact with some busy persons as
we find them every day, and 1 wonder how
Rounder will get square with me.
The Flavor Of Deceit
,ssta2ilIEHi5H] r, s;.'d'tlf11