The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-03
The
Waiter-Guest
How He Gave Eclat to a
Christmas Dinner
By ALAN HINSDALE
By ALAN HINSDALE

Ii was Christmas eve. Ned Willard
sat In his bachelor rooms before a fire
place, on which he had lighted blaze
an! Thought of the many Christmas
ewes he had spent I'm days gone by
when he was one Of half dozen chill
dren growing to manhood and woman
hood. There were a father and moth
er who were interested in making the
anniversary of the birth Of the Christ
Child happy event Then was the
going to bed with visions of Santa
Claus coming in his sleigh, drawn by
RENDERS. distributing gifts on the way
What change between then and
now! The father and mother had pass
ed away. Some of the children lay be-
side them. while those that were left
were scattered. Ned himself had drift
ed to a city where he was unknown
Christmas had come, and he must
spend it alone Better his daily work
than the crowding upon him of happy
days that were gone forever. He
NOulu ~ W tut tnC ntAl diN anu
busy himself with end of the year ac-
counts.
In the morning he woke up looking
straight at the fireplace. The ashes
were 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 lam
guidly. dressed himself and went out
to a restaurant where he usually took
his brea. fast. then went to the office,
where he .tayed 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. He would as soon have neglect
ed to 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 Mt a restaurant
| where he had not dined before. more
| expensive place than he thought he
could usually afford. 1t was o'clock.
and he was the only guest In the
room. Having taken off his overcoat
and hat, he was standing irresolute as
to which of the many tables he would
take when waiter came in from the
kitchen, looked ut him and said:
Are you the man who is to wait on
the Vincents!"
Ned returned the mans glance with
out reply.
"If you are don't stand there gaping,
but get a move on you. The dinner Is
at 6. You'll be half an hour getting
there, and you'll be needed to help
arrange the table"
1t 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 IL he could not
be one of a Christmas dinner party he
might at least see one. Would not serv-
ing a joyous company be better than
dining alone2 1t occurred to him to
start out to fill the place Of a 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 go, and
Ned jumped into trolley car and,
having on the way made up his mind.
in due time rang the bell Of the base
ment door Of the Vincents. He was ad-
mitted by the butler and made himself
known as the man who had come to
wait At the table for dinner. He was
admitted without word and, having
laid 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's. men," said the butler.
Ms. Vincent looked up at Ned. She
was evidently pleased with his appear
ance
whats your manner" she asked.
/ MY name? Giovanni"
"Oh. Italian. Go into the pantry.
where you will find the Little Neck
clans, and bring them In here"
Ned brought I'm 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 to
follow her and announce dinner.
How he wished that he could be one
Of the persons assembled there! They
were nearly all young. and there were
many pretty girls among them. Each
man at once sought his dinner compan-
ion. and they all went into the dining
room in pairs. Ned was reminded of a
picture in a book given him when he
! was a boy of the animals going into
/ Noah's ark
| Ned and the butler were the only
walters. and they had all they could do
to serve the viands. Nevertheless. the
dinner was not hurried. and long In
terval between courses was permitted.
During lull when the company were
slipping sherbet Ned stood against the
wall pretending to stare at vacancy.