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Collection: Books and Periodicals
Three Years in California by John D. Borthwick (1857)(LoC) (423 pages)
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Page: of 423
AT A TABLE D’HOTE.
there were now almost as many waiting for the second
table as there had been for the first. A crowd very
quickly began to collect round the door, and I saw
that to dine at number two, as I had intended, I
must enter into the spirit of the thing ; so I elbowed
my way into the crowd, and secured a pretty good
position behind a tall Kentuckian, who I knew would
clear the way before me. Very soon the door was
opened, when in we rushed pell-mell. I laboured
under the disadvantage of not knowing the diggings ;
being a stranger, I did not know the lay of the tables,
or whereabouts the joints were placed; but immediately on entering I caught sight of a good-looking roast of beef at the far end of one of the tables,
at which I made a desperate charge. I was not so
green as to lose time in trying to get my legs over
the bench and sit down, and in so doing perhaps be
crowded out altogether ; but I seized a knife and fork,
with which I took firm hold of my prize, and occupying as much space as possible with my elbows, I
gradually insinuated myself into my seat. Without
letting go the beef, I then took a look round, and
had the gratification of seeing about a dozen men
leaving the room, with a most ludicrous expression
of disappointment and hope long deferred. I have
no doubt that when they got into the bar-room they
guessed there would be lots to eat at table number
three ; I hope there was. I know there was plenty at
number two ; but it was a “grab game ”—every man
for himself. If I had depended on the waiter getting