OCR Text |
Show BET HIS PATBOlf AWAY. A severe loss has been sustained by a guest and a waiter at the Auditorium hotel. The loss Is a personal one, and material to the other, but both of them feci it keenly. Col. Joseph Titus has lost the guardian guar-dian of his appetite, and Gamblin" Sam has lot part of his steady income. Both men are disconsolate, and Sam has taken ta-ken his oth for the one hundred and forty-seventh time never again to take part in any game of chance. Col. Titus, Ti-tus, who Is 72 years old, is a bachelor, and has lived most of his life in hotels. He has now reached a stage when his appetite needs considerable urging, and his stomach requires the kindest treatment. For many years Col. Titus has lived at the Auditorium, and for nearly as many years he has been served at his favorite table in the corner of the cafe, near the south window, opening upon Michigan avenue, by Sam. an ebony-hued ebony-hued product of the ante-bellum days in Virginia, whose devotion to the Colonel Colo-nel Is second onlv to his devotion to the g-aming table. This last devotion is the cause for the sobriquet "Gamblin' Sam," by which name he Is known to his fellow-employees. Col. Titus spent much thought and time upon the' education of Sam, and five years ago that darkey graduated aa the best waiter In Chicago and without with-out a hint from the Colonel he could order a dinner to the latter's entire satisfaction. Things went along without with-out a hitch. The Colonel was liberal with tips. If Sam's tales are to be believed. be-lieved. But like all good things, this (rood thins of Sam's ended last Wednesday Wednes-day night. Thursday morning Col. Titus found a new waiter standing behind his chair at breakfast. "Where's Sam?"' asked the Colonel, sharply. "He's done lost you, sah," replied the new waiter. " iist me? What do you mean, you fool? There he i over In the corner. Come here, Sam," he bawled. Sam, with gloomy counlenarre, came nnd stood beside the Colonel. "What do you mean by sending another an-other man over here to take my order, Sam?" asked Col. Titus In no pleasant inood. "I'se not your water any more. Colonel," Colo-nel," declared Sam. "I done lost you. sah.' I was shootin' craps last night with Tom that's your new waiter, sah, and he cleaned me out, sah, just completely. com-pletely. An' I wanted Just one more try to get even, sah, so I put you up, an' I lost. Tes. sah, I done lost you for my steady customer. But so help me, I ain't never goln' to tech dice rgaln. not till I saves up enough money to buy you back." Chicago Tribune. |