all. He said he was a Gentleman, and that no Cheap Skate in a Plug Hat
could tell him where to Get Off. This last Remark was intended for an
inoffensive Person who had slipped in to get a Rhine Wine and Seltzer,
and was pronging about Forty Cents' Worth of Lunch.

They got around Jim and Quieted him, and Mr. Byrd suggested that they go
and Eat something before they got too Busy. The Country Customer would
not leave the Art Buffet until Bob had promised to come down and Visit
him sometime. When they got into the Street again the Country Customer
noticed that all the Office Buildings were set on the Bias, and they
were introducing a new style of spiral Lamp-Post.

They dined at a Palm-Garden that had Padding under the Table-Cloth and a
Hungarian Orchestra in the Corner. Mr. Byrd ordered Eleven Courses, and
then asked Jim what Kind he usually had with his Dinner. This is an
Awful Question to pop at a Man who has been on Rain Water and Buttermilk
all his Life. Jim was not to be Fazed. He said that he never ordered any
Particular Label for fear People might think he was an Agent. That was
the Best Thing that Jim said all Evening.

Mr. Byrd told the Waiter to stand behind Jim and keep Busy. When Jim
began to Make Signs that he could not Stand any more, the Entertainer
told him to Inhale it and rub it in his Hair.

[Illustration: "HOORAY! HOORAY!"]

Along toward Dessert Jim was talking in the Tone used by Muggsy McGraw
when he is Coaching the Man who is Playing Off from Second. He was
telling how much he Loved his Wife. She would have been Pleased to hear
it.