Connecticut Western News

A dusty, sun-browned stranger stalked into one of the principal hotels early on last evening, laid a big black valise, which had perhaps made quite a smart appearance in its youth, carefully beside him, and with a hand unaccustomed to public writing, scrawled, with great exertion, the name of Lorenzo Smith upon the register.

"Will you have some supper, Mr. Smith?" asked the clerk.

"Wall, no, I guess not," returned the rustic gentleman. "The folks at home put up a good bit of grub, and thar's enough left in this yar carpet-bag for a supper, I reckon."

The clerk smiled, and the countryman and his corpulent carpet-bag were shown to their room. Country was somewhat dazed at its magnificence, but he was hungry, and placing the satchel on the centre table he drew forth a large chunk of boiled ham, numerous pieces of cold chicken, several enormous doughnuts, and half a dozen hard-boiled eggs. He was about to absorb the meagre repast into his starving system, when his eye caught sight of the "rules for guests," tacked upon the door. He got up and read them aloud. He came to the last one, and read, "meals in rooms charged extra."

He read it again, this time slowly.

"Wall, I'll be danged," he ejaculated, and turning to the table, in an instant he had removed the ham, doughnuts, eggs, and all into the omnivorous carpet-sack, and in another instant he was down in the office, where he accosted the clerk with, "I see, stranger, yer sign up thar in my room says meals in rooms charged extra."

"Yes," responded the clerk, who recognized the customer a few minutes ago, "$1 extra."

"Wall, I'll be consarned, I guess the expense of a hot meal won't be much more," and beckoning to a bell-boy, he called out, "hy'ar boy, show me the way to your kitchen, and in a moment later he was in the hands of the waiters. - Chicago Times.