The Washington times., 1901-12-08
A DUTCH TREAT"
Experience with n RenI Dutchman
Illustrated the Pbru,r

| Dutch treats" had cropped up as the
subject OF conversation. and somebody
remarked that he thought the system a
| good one.
Il see that the Dutch treat is coming
| into fashion," he said Seems to me that
there is a good deal in its favor Really.
, there's no reason why each man shouldn't
pay for his own drink. Just as well as he
\ pays for his own shave and haircut
We'll, l guess you're right said an
| other OF the group, ITS all matter of
| custom I've seen Dutehmen and Ger
mans and Frenchmen in Europe sitting at
the little cafe tables for hours. talking
| and enjoying themselves, and each pay
ing for what he has had. as a matter of
| course. | suppose they would think 1t
| as queer to offer to pay for each others
/ drinks as to buy handkerchiefs and pocket
knives and postage stamps for one an
other. | say" Ito the waiterl "one beer
please"
Then the Brooklyn man spoke up This
is the story he told. though before start
ing. he countermsnded the one beer order
and made it four:
Well he said. you fellows Gun theor-
ize as much as you please. but you don't
| know the Dutch treat
Il had n young fellow from Holland
| staying at our place for couple Of weeks
lately. His folks were wealthy grain i'm
| porters OF Amsterdam, and he car1s over
/ sssre to spend year learning American
methods in the grain business He brought
letter OF introduction to me from a mu-
/ tual acquaintance in London and looked
me up the day OF his arrival. He had
gone to the Holland house. but spoke Of
the lonesomeness OF hotel life, especially
I for one not very conversant with English
& ~ FaI 70 h Nt~ l.,
weeks in New York. before going 70 Kan
sas City. and as he seemed most agree
! able person. I invited him 20 come and
make himself at home with US while here.
He accepted and came the next day
He showed himself to be refined and edu-
Gated, and evidently had always been ac-
customed to having plenty OF money.
Breakfast was the only meal he took at
the house. his lunches and dinners being
taken in the city. and 1 know tina. for
the latter he always paid 81 or 50, In
cluding wine.
Several times we met In town and had
drink together. When 1t was who in
vited him 1 paid for both. but when the
suggestion came from him he never vol
unteered to pay but for his own drink
which was generally beer. Knowing the
Dutch characteristics. only laughed a:
this as a joke.
But one evening had made arrange
ments for little theatre party for my
wife. my Dutch friend. and myself had
secured seats and bought the tickets
when, at the last moment. business made
it impossible for me TO go. So / turned
the tickets over 10 the Hollander. and he
and my wife went.
After the theatre he remarked that he
would like glass OF beer, and asked my
wife II she would care for one Supposing
that that might be the Amsterdam way OF
asking IL she cared for a little supper
my wife replied that she didn't mind. and
they went to an adjoining cafe. 1 don't
remember just what she ordered-some-
thing light that amounted to so cents all
told, and the man from Amsterdam paid
for it.
THE next day my friend mentioned to
me that owed him 81. as he had bought
supper for my wife the evening before
and paid her car fare both ways from the
theatre.
IL didn', mention the little Incident to
my wife. as wasn't quite sure what re-
mark she might make regarding my
selection of an acquaintance who would
accept half a hundred dollars worth of
free hospitality and then make his hostess
pay for her own supper. But a few days
after my guest had gone she said, casu-
ally. one evening:
George. what kind of a man was that
you had here from Amsterdam?
Why. my dear2 l asked.
Oh. nothing. George, she said. only
can't help thinking it so queer. Do you
know he had scme laundry sent out with
yours, and when he gave me the money
to pay the bill he said he hid deducted 3
cents for candy he bought for Alice. Alice |
asked him to get her some candy one
morning. he said, and he had paid cents
for it,
The man from Brooklyn ordered four
more beers. and nobody offered to help
him pay for them.-New York Times.