The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-07-12
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Or the Dinner THAT vas Iate In Getting
There. esyi


There.
At precisely8 o'clock in the evening NJ.
Jules Coquillard, peering through the
square hole in the wall that separates the
dining room of the Bonnie Petite Soenlr
from the kitchen thereof, notices that Fritz,
the trusty waiter, is seated in an attitude
of comfortable ease in a tilted back chair
in the southwest corner of the cheerful lit
tie restaurant.
Is everything ready?
Yes. Fritz has already disposed clean
napkins in such way us to hide the def
ciencies of the tablecloths, and all is in
readiness for the evening meal, except
what can be the matter with them.
They have never been late BEFORE" says NJ
Coquillard anXiously rs he passes through
the dining room, opens the front door with
the white muslin curtains and steps out
into the street.
And it is just Mt this moment while NJ.
Coquillard is standing Oh the pavement in
front of the restaurant, looking anXiously
up the street, that three gentlemen enter
and take their seats at one of the round ta-
bles. Two of them glance about the room
rather suspiciously, while the third, who
seems to be acting as sort of guide speaks
in n reassurng and confident tone:
Now, you fellows. just wait and see if
you don't get dinner here that will be n
surprise to you. How they manage to do
it for 40 cents is more than can tell Why,
they had II salmi of game here the other
night that you couldn't get at Delmonicos
for less than S1.25, and l only hope they'll
have some more of it tonight"
well, this may be what you call the old
French quarter of the town." observes one
of the two addressed land it may be very
quaint and picturesque, but tell you it
smells very queer here, and, moreover,
don't see why they don't bring on that din
ner''
And then Fritz the waiter, holds a mys-
terious conference with NJ. Coquillard, who
has returned despondently to the kitchen,
goes ont into the middle of the street,
shades his eyes as he gaZes intently in an
easterly direction, and then returns to the
proprietor, shaking his head sadly.
Evidently there is no sail on the horizon.
Another whispered conference and tn
reen of soup and three plates are passed
through tue aperture in the wall and placed
by Fritz in front of the three guests HAY
ing done this, lie once more goes out in the
middle of the street and scans the horizon.
Now we're OFF, cried the gentleman
who seems to be acting as host as he serves
the thin but fragrant mess to his friends.
They eat it in silence, and then, the dishes
having been removed, there is another long
wait. Once more Fritz goes out into into
the middle of the street, but this time he
returns with Il face bcaming with anima-
ton and whispers some joyful tidings to
his employer. y few moments later Il
wagon stops before the door and under the
superintendent of NJ. Coqullard N large
cask is carried rapidly through q side
hall to the kitchen. y small boy, evidently
an attache of the place, now comes forward
ut the signal of one of the three guests.
Nov, look here, young man" says the
guest, who has become more and more sus-
picious every moment, lust tell me what's
the reason of this long delay in getting our
dinner, and here's quarter for YOU"
ut will be all right now" says the bow
reassuringly You will be served direct
ly. They were a little late in bringing the
barrel over from the metropolitan hotel"
Truth