Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1893 — A Capacious Maw. [ARTICLE]

A Capacious Maw.

It was In the summer time. Ao Englishman of gentle manners arrived. at a Swiss hotel. Tired with his Journey, he sat down at the dinner table, placing his bag on the chair next to the one he occupied. When he had finished his repast, he called for the bill, when he found that ho was charged double the amount. “llow Is this?” he inquired, and was told in reply that his bag had taken up the room of a guest at the table. Upon receiving this information he; quickly paid the bill and took his departure. A couple of days afterward the same Engllsman returned to the hotel, where, as before, he took his scat at the dinner table, and as before placed his bag on the next chair. The dinner was served. The Englishman ate a hearty meal, and so did his traveling bag, which received its full allowance of every dish that was brought on tho table. General merriment among the guests, our English tourist all the while observing a grave and silent deportment. The waiters looked In blank astonishment. The bag was getting fuller by degrees. At last the landlord, in a towering rage, appeared on the scene. “Sir, how dare you! I never saw anything like it In my life!” Then the taciturn diner got up and observed in his blandest tones: “My traveling bag is in better condition now than it was three days ago. It is sorry that Its appetite was none of the best on the former occasion. ” A dark mist overspread the eyes of the landlord, whereas the l'ght seemed to dawn upon the rest of the company. The Englishman told them all what had happened. Loud laughter! Shouts of applause! Disappearance of the landlord!