Show AN AWFUL predicament A startling omission at a fondon state luncheon all was in readiness for the luncheon which M Hano the foreign secretary iv as giving to the members of the metrical convention and sir joiel about 12 the chief steward bestowed a last look of brou prou at the harmonious set ou of the table all at onue he shuddered 13 a poet might have done in the final ev ision of his proofs at the discovery of a printers error that would have horribly lorri bly disfigured his latest sonnet the menu cards he exclaimed they have been forgotten lay them orial at once there s not a minu teto lose search was made for the bills of fanon the sideboards in the dining room n the butlers pantry at the foreign tf ice even in the ministers privat oom not a trace of the menu card and the lord mayor might arrive am moment no such disaster had befallen befall ei ince alie days of poor vatel the fact was communicated to al dwier rw ier with all the delicacy that tin demanded various pro asals were submitted at length it was decided that all the functionaries function aries great and small who happened to be present should be laid under requisition even the son of the ball porter found himself pressed for the nonce into the service of the diplomatic corps the ink of the last copy was bardh dry when the lord mayor entered the banqueting hall honor was saved le figaro |