He had asked for
accommodation expecting to pay for it, and would not be content
until he had done so.
"Well," said Euphemia, "we are not keeping this house for profit,
and you can't force us to make anything out of you. If you will be
satisfied to pay us just what it cost us to entertain you, I
suppose we shall have to let you do that. Take a seat for a
minute, and I will make out your bill."
So the artist and I sat down and talked of various matters, while
my wife got out her traveling stationery-box, and sat down to the
dining-table to make out the bill. After a long, long time, as it
appeared to me, I said:
"My dear, if the amount of that bill is at all proportioned to the
length of time it takes to make it out, I think our friend here
will wish he had never said anything about it."
"It's nearly done," said she, without raising her head, and, in
about ten or fifteen minutes more, she rose and presented the bill
to our guest. As I noticed that he seemed somewhat surprised at
it, I asked him to let me look over it with him. The bill, of
which I have a copy, read as follows:
July 12th, 187-
ARTIST,
To the S. and S. Hotel and F. and M. House.
To 1/3 one supper, July 11th, which supper consisted of:
1/14 lb. coffee, at 35 cts. 2 cts.
" " sugar, " 14 " 1 "
1/6 qt. milk, " 6 " 1 "
1/2 loaf bread " 6 " 3 "
1/8 lb.
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