The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-27
The
Waiter-Guest
How He Gave Eclat to a
Christmas Dinner
By ALAN HINSDAI.F
By ALAN HINSDALE

and tnouEnt VI he many Christmas
ewes he had spent In days gone by
when he was one Of half dozen chill.
dren growing to manhood and woman.
hood. There were a father and a moth.
or who were interested In making the
anniversary Of the birth of the Chris,
Child happy event. Then was the
going to bed with visions of Santa
Claus coming In his sleigh. drawn bv
reindeers. distributing gifts on the way
What change between then and
now The father and mother had pass
ed away. Some of the children Law be.
side them. while those that were left
we're scattered. Ned himself had drift
ed to n city where he was unknown
Christmas had come, and he must
spend ii alone. Better his daily work
than the crowding upon him of happy
DAYS that were gone forever. He
would 20 to the Office the next dav ana
busy himself with end of the year ac.
counts.
In the morning he woke up looking
straight at the fireplace The ashes
we're cold. not an ember left No
stockings hung there as of yore Life
seemed to him as desolate as these
ashes on the hearth. He arose Ian
guidly. dressed himself and went out
TO restaurant where he usually took
his breakfast. then went to the office
where he stayed and worked most Of
the day.
Ned had been accustomed at home
to put on evening dress for dinner.
and the habit had become fixed on
him lie would as soon have neglect.
ed 10 wash his face or brush his hair
in the morning as to dine in his bust
ness clothes. SO he went TO his room
and put on his glad rags" then went
out to dine alone at restaurant
where he had not dined before, n more
expensive place than he thought he
could usually afford. 1t was o'clock.
AMI he was the only guest in the
room Having taken off his overcoat
and hat. he was standing irresolutc as
to which Of the many tables he would
take when a waiter came in from the
kitchen. looked at him and said:
Are you the man who is to wait on
the Vineents?"
Ned returned the mans glance with
out reply
IF you are don't stand there gaping
but get move on you. The dinner Il
at 6. You'll be half an hour getting
there. and you'll be needed to help
arrange the table"
Ii was evident to Ned that the man
had mistaken him for a waiter. His
self esteem was not tickled. but 1t
flashed upon him that II he could not
be one of Christmas dinner party he
might at least see one. Would not sery-
ing joyous company be better than
dining alone? 1t occurred to him 10
start out to fill the place OF waiter
and decide on the way whether or not
he would do so.
Give me the address," he said.
The man told him where to 60 and
Ned jumped into a trolley car and.
having on the way made up his mind,
In due time rang the bell of the base
ment door of the Nincents He was ad-
mitted by the butler and made himself
Known as the man who had come to
al ha toI Go a
admitted without word and, having
iaid aside his coat and hat, was led up
to the dining room, where he found the
lady Of the house arranging flowers on
the dinner table.
This is the man sent from Knise'
ley 5, men," said the butler.
Mrs. Vincent looked up at Ned. she
was eyidentl7 pleased with his appear
ance.
What's your name:' she asked.
Ny name? Giovanni"
oh. Italian. Go into the pantry
where you will find the Little Neck
clans. and bring them in here
Ned brought in the clans and placed
them on the table. This was all that
was required of him then. for the din
ner hour had arrived The lady went
INTO the drawing room, telling him 10
Follow her and announce dinner.
how he wished that he could be one
VI the persons assembled there. Ihey
We're nearly all young. and there were
many pretty girls among them. Each
man at once sought his dinner compan-
lOn' and they all went into the dining
'oom In pairs. Ned was reminded OF
picture in a book given him when ne
was a boy of the animals going into
Noah's ark.
Ned and .he butler were the only
walters. and they had all they could 90
% serve the viands. Nevertheless the
ulhner was not hurried. and a long m
.efval between courses was permitted
uuring lull when the company were
slpFing sherbet Ned stood against the
val Pretending to stare al vacancy
Out really observing a very pretty Glri
VppoSite him. Several times be causnt