Their Silver Wedding Journey — Volume 2 by William Dean Howells
page 23 of 156 (14%)
page 23 of 156 (14%)
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in my fifties, and Mrs. March is younger than ever."
They were at the gate of the garden and grounds of the cafe at last, and a turn of the path brought them to the prospect of its tables, under the trees, between the two long glazed galleries where the breakfasters take refuge at other tables when it rains; it rains nearly always, and the trunks of the trees are as green with damp as if painted; but that morning the sun was shining. At the verge of the open space a group of pretty serving-maids, each with her name on a silver band pinned upon her breast, met them and bade them a 'Guten Morgen' of almost cheerful note, but gave way, to an eager little smiling blonde, who came pushing down the path at sight of Burnamy, and claimed him for her own. "Ah, Lili! We want an extra good table, this morning. These are some American Excellencies, and you must do your best for them." "Oh, yes," the girl answered in English, after a radiant salutation of the Marches; "I get you one." "You are a little more formerly, to-day, and I didn't had one already." She ran among the tables along the edge of the western edge of the gallery, and was far beyond hearing his protest that he was not earlier than usual when she beckoned him to the table she had found. She had crowded it in between two belonging to other girls, and by the time her breakfasters came up she was ready for their order, with the pouting pretence that the girls always tried to rob her of the best places. Burnamy explained proudly, when she went, that none of the other girls ever got an advantage of her; she had more custom than any three of them, and she had hired a man to help her carry her orders. The girls were all |
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