Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-04-11
A PERPLEXED HOST.
= Turkey DINNER AT WHICH THE
BIG TURKEY WAS ABSENT.


nov Crowd Of Country Lads spoiled =
Nicely Planned Feast Ny steriou. D,.-
appearance of Roast Turkey - The
Flight Of . Tender Merss,.
A gentleman noted for his originality
made the following improvement to the
Old saying, ''There's many slip 'twixt
the cup and the saucer" the other dav
IN speaking Of a disappointment friend
OF his had experienced in losing his din
ner through missing train-a dinner "a
which he had been invited and at which
ne had been selected to respond to one
Of the toasts.
The simple missing of the dinner was
more than set off at the old General
Shields hotel, on the West Chester pike.
A company Of twelve Philadelphians in
terested in real estate developments had
gone out in the country for the purpose
OF looking about for profitable invest
ments, and had sent word to the proprie-
tor OF the old hosiery of their coming
and ordered an old fashioned turkey din.
ner to be ready at 6 o'clock. ki
The order put the proprietor in his best
humor and the entire establishment into
an unusual furry of exciting prepara
ton. The hostler hurried to the nearest
farmhouse, where he purchased the
finest turkey to be had, and carried it
back to the hotel in triumph. Taking
it into the stable he dispatched and
plucked it in great haste. Everything
was excitement in the large kitchen from
the time the order was announced until
late in the afternoon. when the last dish
was ready to be carried to the dining
room.
The news Of the gentlemen coming
spread through the village, and every
one felt duty bound to go to the hotel
and see them, and none took greater
interest in the affair than the bows.
They had finished their chores unusually
early and were promptly on hand long
before the hour OF serving the supper.
Or the entire community none felt his
personal Importance more than Dave
Peters, the colored waiter.
Dave was of portly build and priled
himself in his appearance. and if he had
hatred for one thing more than any
other, that thing was ii claw hammer
coat, which he said belonged to society
gentlemen and not to waiter. conse-
quently he held to the old fashioned
roundabout jacket. just before the
time for announcing that dinner was
ready a number of the village boys stood
| .f Il
windows. watching Dave arrange the
different dishes on the table and adj
miring the display made by the twelve
napkins in as many cut glass goblets.
| After viewing the effects of the
table with countenance beaming with
satisfaction, Dave strutted toward the
door and disappeared by descending the
stairs leading to the kitchen, and few
moments later reappeared, carrying on
large dish the turkey, done to a lovely
brown and beautifully garnished with
carved roses, sprays of parsley and eel
cry tops. Walking toward the table he
found that no room had been left for the
central and chief adornment of the
table. Taking the situation in at a
glance, Dave saw his mistake. and bur
riedly set the dish down upon the broad
sill of the window through which the
boys were peering, and began rearrang-
ing the table to make room for the
turkey.
No sooner had he turned his back to
the window than one of the boys softly
and quietly raised the sash, while an
other grabbed the turkey from the dish
and fled across the hotel yard toward
the old stable, followed by his compan
ions. After making room for the large
dish Dave turned around, stepped to the
window, raised the dish and placed it il
its position in the center of the table
never noticing that the bird had flown
Going to the sideboard he picked mp the
supper bell and gave it a violent ring
thus notifying the host that dinner wa:
ready.
This way, gentlemen this way
please spoke the proprietor to hi
guests; "step this way, gentlemen,
leading them through narrow passage
from the bar to the dining room. NJ
sooner had he reached the dining room
than his gaze fell upon the empty plate
when he exclaimed, David, where il
the name of General jackson is tina
turkey
Poor Davel Never was a man taker
more by surprise. When for the hrs
time he noticed the broken platter III
broad smile vanished. In an instant hi
law fell and his large eyeballs staret
most frightfully, while his whole franz
shook with a terrible tremor. All HI
could say in reply to the abrupt and EN-
phatic question was, Don't know, sir
it was dar. it was dar," and hurrying t
the kitchen stairs he shouted down
"You. Phpby, whar in deb'l's dat tur
key?' $3.50 $3.50
Go erlong now, you's got it up da
long ergo" The disappearance was no
only mystery to the waiter and COOK
but to the proprietor as well, VINO III al
apologetic manner asked the guests t
repair again to the barroom While
thorough investigation could be made
Every one in the house. including tn
hostler, was questioned and cross ques
toned. vet no light could be thrown o
the mystery. After wasting an hour
trying to find the missing bird. and afte
a consultation with the guests fried ha,
and eggs were substituted for the turkey
II was not till two hours later, whe
the guests We're about to depart that IN
proprietor learned what had become G
the turkey. One of the boys, more Dol
than his companions, came back 10 IN
hotel to see how the joke worked, an