The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-10
FREE PEEDPOR"D THERAT"
KELLY THE HORSE" ALSO HAD
MEAL FOR NOTHING.
Many Another Man Took Advantage Of
Good ThinG When Somebody Put .
Free Lunch Sign In Front VI the y. W.
4. 4. Restaurant In Long Island City

Over in Long Island City. on Borden
| avenue. near the ferry, the railroad branch
of the Y NJ. &. A. has established res
,aurant which il patronized principally
hv the men employed on the Long Island
Railroad In font of the door they have
hung out a blackboard announcing the good
things that may be- had in n regular dinner
for the small sum of IS cents. This amount
lust about covers the cost Of the meal.
| when anything particularly appetizing
appears on the blackboard or, a. 1t is called
the big slate" the trolley railroad men
-wnrrn into the restaurant and the place Is
crowded to the doors.
ON Monday the railroad men were aston
shcd to find big sign in front OF the res
taurant bearing the glad tidings: Free
Hot Lunch All Day" Naturally they con-
cluded that II meant treat AZ the expense
Of the Young Mems Christian Association
A. any ratio. they thought that some good
Samaritan had concluded 10 furnish hot
lunch free on account Of the sudden change
in the weather. 4 crowd gathered within
few minutes after III, lunch sign appeared
The first man Ia take a seat n, the table was
wel-known Long Island city character
known a. Kelly the Horse
Hey, Spud." he shouted to waiter
bring me an Irish stew in u hurry, And
after dat | want -let me see. couple OF
loose eggs and a bowl Of chicken soup
Dick the Rat another Long Island City
character. got a reserved seat near the door
and shouted
waiter. bring me some hot lunch and
don't be stngy about the size of the bowl
Soup or beef stew inquired the waiter.
I'm try EN- both" answered Dick.
A dozen other men had entered the place
and had given similar orders when Score
tary Jones. Of the Railroad \. NJ. {. A,
discovered that the beef stew was running
low II. could not account for SO many
hot lunch orders, Finally Kelly the
Horse" got through with his meal ana
started to pass the cash desk, bowling and
thanking the management for the huspi-
tality extended
Amt YOU going 10 pay for what YOU haH"
eaten?' asked the cashier.
WHAT" exclaimed Kelly, Pay? What
do YOU mean? Don't yer t'ink ! can read'
Don't yer sign on, deie SAY Free Hot Lunch
All Day?"
Manager Jones hurried out 10 the side
walk Here he found the hot lunch sign,
but it was not his. His sign, Regular
dinner. Is cents, WAS hanging on the
window Of the saloon next door to the
restaurant. II was the saloon hot lunch
sign that hung in front of the restaurant
window. He knew at glance that soihc
practical joker had substituted the saloon
free hot lunch sign for the restaurant
dinner sign But by the time the discovery
had been made a score Of men who had no
money in their pockets We're filling up on
the good things In the restaurant 10 which
they believed they were entitled free of
charge
Manager Jones permitted all those who
had started IN to finish what they wcr"
eating II. then explained to the others IN
the place that they would have TO pay for
anything they ordered. Then lie went TO
the saloon window and took back his dinner
sign. which he placed in front of the res
taurant. returning tn. free lunch sign to
the saloonke.per.
1T seemed a. if sonnet hing was doing"
said the saloonkeeper. "for haven't had a
customer in here during the las, hour ana
DIDN'T know what To make Of II, You've
been getting my trade. but | haven't sue
| Ceedcd in getting any Of yours.
I'm glad Of that" remarked Manager
Jones, its an i'll wind. you know, that
doesn't blow some good 10 somebody