, 1907-06-10
The Imi atiVen SIS
OF Man


from the monkey. and I'm beginning
to think he is right" said the broker
across the table as he tilted back in
his chair and lighted {. cigar Any
how. mar possesses II of the
monkeys chief characteristics. II
you find any one who scouts that az
a general proposition" he wen on.
Just fetch him 10 a restaurant in
the business district during lunch
hour and tell him to use his eyes.
In a little while he'll he telling you
the monkey isn't in it with man AS an
imitator.
"Before the rush had begun the
other day | was standing up there
near the door talking to the proprie-
tor. when a decent-appearing chap
came in. The proprietor looked up
and said: 'Corned beef and cabbage!
| thought it was a joke or gag at first
and smiled at it
But that young chap took an aisle
a at the nearest table, and over
heard him as he gave his order to the
waiter: 'Corned beef and cabbage!
Then another chap came in and
nodded, and again the proprietor OBJ
served: 'Corned beef and cabbage.
This time ! began to be interested
This fellow also took. a seat on the
aisle, but down midway of the room
The incident was repeated posi-
bly, half a dozen times. and then
came on down to this table and tried
to solve the puzzle of its meaning,
THE half dozen were eating corned
beef and cabbage 1t looked so good
and smelled so good that | had or
dered 1t myself almost before. | real
lied II.
We'll | decided the key to the rid
die wasn't in the dish, which was
palatable and good, but nothing ex
ira. But yon would have thought II
was diamond backed terrapin if yor
could nave noticed the prevailing
eagerness to get it. Nine men out OF
every ten ordered it, and the tenth
man generally looked as If he hac
missed IA treat and regretted it,
We'll. sir. | finally sized ii mp thaI
the proprietor was playing upon the
monkey in man. but why he let then
down so easy puzzled ME. asked
him about it.
It's "A game, all right. he told me
and one | had to learn by experience
nearly Went broke before ! caught
on. My market bills were simply
enormous and my vast somethins
frightful. You see. ! feed 1000 per
sons a day here. In the beginning
would prepare a whole LOT Of every
thing for the rush. Some dishes or
the bill were never called for. AS the,
were clean waste ] cut them out. Their
everybody wanted them, until the!
got on the bill again-and then once
more 1t was all waste.
81 used to go home cursing the
tickle tastes of my patrons. and more
than once | was so close to the edge
Of failure that ! got to wondering
what the fixtures, wines and good will
would bring at auction.
Then one day | noticed n of m!
customers looking around to see wha
others were eating. and my ide;
came. The thing to do was not t.
leave the selection of their food tt
my patrons themselves, but to sug
gest to them what they should eat
If | could do that my troubles were
at an end. | studied it owe fol
awhile and made up my MIND to tr,
it out.
"'Those young fellows who came
in first are clerks in that big insur
ance house across the way. They
were occasional customers. and final
ly | told one of them I'd give him hi:
lunch gratis every day If he would
eat Just what | told him and would
always sit just where | placed him
He thought there was some trick II
it, but | convinced him there wasn't
and in addition told him the offer wa.
open to five of his friends. He
brought them along, n the games
been going on ever since.
Nov | know just how to market
that is. market to advantage.
decide to have my customers call fol
one special dish. and p. prepare that
one dish in great quantity. Then my
free ,unchers come in. and ! tell then
just what to order. They all sit or
the aisle. and no II a pass in
without seeing what is before them
The free lunchers eat with apparent
relish. and the chances are abou sc
in 100 that the newcomers will order
what the others r eating. | vary
the big dish every day aid I'm wei
satisfied with the results"
Il had one experience with the
thing that was really laughable.
happened to be up al the Grand Cen
trail station at noon the other day
and went over to the Grand Union
for lunch-only wanted a snack, sc
wen to the lunch counter. The i'm
pulse to try the thing there hit me
and | looked over the bill for the un
likeliest dish possible.
Il hit upon hash-corned beef hash
Every man that ever lived and knew
it has a %sneaking regard for hash. but
mighty few men viii risk eating hash
in a restaurant.
There was scarcely any one at the
counter when | sat down, but the
place filled up so fast that in five
minutes | hardly had elbow room.
And in ten minutes &c men on either
side of me we're eating-corned beef
hash-eating it as If it was the last
portion on earth and they were afraid