The Cairo bulletin., 1906-11-04
TRAP AT A GOTHAM
TABLE D'HOTE

man one evening last week. lie was
hungry and he entered
The waiter showed him to a table
A large menu card, with the words
reiterated Table d'liote. 81, was
handed him
oysters, PURGE Mongole and broil-
ed fresh mackerel, he ordered.
AS course after course was served
he forgot that the portions were
meager, for there were plenty OF otl'
or dishes to come Just as he was
finishing his entrec the waiter unos'
tentatiously removed the menu card
first offered him and in a moment re-
turned with another card.
What will you have next, sir?'
asked the waiter.
Then. for the first time the guest
noticed that across the face Of the
new menu card had been written IN
red ink
Dinner 1925, unless drinks are
ordered
Giving the balance of his order he
was interrupted a moment later by
the waited returning to ask II he
wished to order anything to drink.
THANK YOU. some coffee, blaeb al
terward
The waiter departed
Dinner over, the guest called for
his check II was presented to hiAl'
the total being $l.25
Send me the head waiter he Or
dered
The head waiter came The guest
protested against the charge Of the
extra quarter
ut is our rule" said the head wait
err. Struggling bis shoulders.
"But your sign outside distinctly
saws that the table dhote dinner is
one dollar protested the guest
THAT is a mistake we have not
changed It ycl" said the head waiter
"But the menu card first offered me
said dinner was only one dollar II
YOU had stated on the menu card that
dinner was $i25 would either have
left your restaurant or ordered IN
carte something else Why was that.
The menu cad was wrong re-
turned the head waiter AS soon as
we noticed he mistake we sent yon
! the corrected menu card
Then YOU admit having made two
mistakes, said the guest Very well
! I refuse to pay more than one dol
/ lar.
Monsieur will save himself much
annoyance by ordering something to
/ drink. That viii make the amount
all richt. suggested the head waiter
You mean that you can bnlldozo
me into ordering drinks eh? Wen,
/ suppose | tell you never touch
/ drinks OF any kind?'
"Mousieurs check is for $l25,
| said the waiter lamely
Very we'll Suppose | go by your
/ menu card here, which says that din
ner is one dollar unless drinks are
ordered. On the back Of that card
/ see that whisky is Is cents. Suppose
ordered a whisky straight; viii my
check be $I152'
Pardon. monsieur, the check viii
still be 1926. We shall have to
charge you % cents for the whisky
That is our rule-we serve no drinks
unless the amount is 25 cents
But your printed card here says
/. IS cents?
"That is a mistake, monsieur
Another mistake. eh? The third
mistake you admit Now look here
The guest thcreupon pulled ont a
large roll Of bills and fourishod them
under the nose Of the head waiter
Then carefully selecting a one dollar
bill he laid if on he table.
Now. You and your miserable tribe
of holdup men can go TO b'azes, he
I said. You are going to get precisely
one dollar for that dinner
IF you want to so TO the trouble
Of mating "a scene I have plenty Of
cash You cannot accuse me Of dis
orderly conduct. lf one Of your wait
ers dares to lay a finger on me III
knock him through your plate glass
window
You can bulldoze an extra quarter
out Of some people upon false pre-
lenses. but 50 long as you've got thai
brass sign out front announcing din
nor for a dollar I'll see you TO KING
dom come before TIL ray YOU any
more. You restaurant keepers are
robbers. anyhow. and You are making
a bic enough profit on my dinner even
at the price { am going 20 pay you.
Take vour dollar and vamoose'
Saving which the guest calmly rose.
picked up his hat and stick and start
ed for the door leaving the head
w.i,er and the table waiter pale with
race. suddenly the guest turned
f nearly forgot you. Francois" ho
raid to the table waiter Though I
near all Won walters own real estate.
! guess III give you the extra quarter
as a tip Catch it,
And tossing quarter 10 tho waiter
vho had served him the CUES, strolId
: ont into Broadway.
Francois made a grab ior the coin.
but missed IT, The head waiter
promntly pHt his foot upon 3D.
That belongs 20 the house. Fran.
chs" he - d.-N. Y. sun
Live Simple Life on Island.