The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-08-01
THEIR HONEYMOON.

couple that stayed Tor week at the Hotel
Netherland recently. They came up from
the south, and the period of reconstruction
did not seem to have left mark upon
their open and genial characters. He was
rawboned and athletic, and she was one
of those typical southern girls who speak
in the dangerous dialect of Dixie Land
when she does speak, but carries on con-
versation mainly by the use of her eyes.
The couple were well supplied with money
and manifested a desire to have good
time, but showed woeful lack of know
ledge of the details of great city, To the
manager of the house the young Bridegroom
cOntided the information that his family
had once been wealthy, but. like many
others in the south, had been drained by
the war. The girl also came of an old
plantation family that had been left penni-
less by the war; and all either could boast
of was long line of fine ancestry health
and good looks. By dint of hard work
and extreme economy the bridegroom had
saved a few hundred dollars, and he in
tended to have honeymoon that would
be worthy of remembrance.
The couple came to the hotel about noon
and passed most of the afternoon in look
ing over the house and admiring the furnish
ings. When it began to grow dark, the
young husband seemed to get uneasy. He
wandered around the corridors of the hotel
and seemed to be at loss for something.
Finally his feelings mastered him, and he
approached the clerk and asked: "Ah, say
can you tell me when the supper bell rings?
Am getting sort o hungry.
The clerk was amused, but he explained
to the southerner the mysteries of living
upon the European plan. When the bride
groom learned that the 81 day he was
paying for his room did not include meals
for himself and his wife he whistled softly
and remarked: "You all must max IA
heap of money 'ging like that TO rooms.
Well, we uns are going to have a good
time, and sup se we all might as well 20
in and get something or other to eat"
He walked off and went up to his room
to get his wife. lie manifested a peculiar
liking for the elevator and insisted on rid
ing in it at every occasion. He found his
wife as hungry as himself, and under the
tow of bell boy made his way to the din
ing ROOM Previous to entering this room
his honeymoon had been dream of Joy,
without a cloud to hide the sunshine.
Wher he seated himself at the table the
first rift in the lute' came. \ white
aproned, obsequious waiter laid carte de
jour in front of the southern visitors and
then hurried off to get glasses, plates and
so on. \ consultation at once took place.
The card was printed in French, and after
studying it from every side and reading it
backward and forward the husband gave it
up and passed it over ruefully to his wife.
She looked in hopeless bewlderment at
the card, and it was evident that she was
at sea also, so far as French was concerned.
They gazed hopelessly into each others
and then at the card, and then back into
each others eyes again. He was game to
the last, and suddenly thought struck
him. He called the waiter to him and
said softly, "Waitah, is this all uns have
for suppah?'
The waiter replied that everything that
had been prepared for the meal was on the
card The husband sighed and the wife
looked glum. Then the young fellow said
quietly: 'Well, guess we all don't want
any of what you uns have got fixed. We
uns will get something or ther to eat later.
Then he arose and went up to his room,
his wife following obcdicntly. For two
days the young couple haunted the house.
They did not seem to think that there was
any more of New York than that which lay
Immediately within the range of vision
from the hotel. They eyed the dining
room longingly, but did not enter it. One
day one of the maids came to the manager
of the hotel and told him that the persons
in the room occupied by this young couple
were littering the place with cooking. The
manager, who felt that something was
wrong with the young fellow, called him
aside and told him kindly that the manage
ment did not allow cooking in the rooms,
us it interfered with the regime of the house
and damaged the furniture. The young
man blurted out 'Ah don't see what we
all is to do, then. All cant get anything
to eat in the diningroom and we uns has
got to eat.
When pressed for an explanation, he eX-
planned the trouble about the bill of fare,
and confined to the manager that he and
his wife had finally grown so hungry that
he slipped over to a corner store and got
some vegetables and other eatables and
frying pan. The couple had used the gas
jet for stove and managed to get along
pretty well, although he admitted that it
was a rather poor make shift The manager
explained the intricacies of French carte
de jour to him and also gave him broader
idea of the city's resources. The young
fellow was deeply grateful, and for the
remaining few days that thecouplc were in
the city they entered the dining room with