Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 04.pdf/228

 The Cup-and-Saucerer.

205

The lard in useful pail of tin, Oysters neat little kegs within; A lucky man may get from far His ginger in a 'hawthorn jar,' And those who take in lager-bier Do often have the bottles clear; One may 'commute' for soda-water, And buy five tickets for a 'quarter;' The chop-house waiter loudly calls, ' We here give bread with two fish-balls! ' Free lunch is served at many a bar From Maine to Californiar."

Here counsel paused to take a drink And mop his brow, and seemed to think Of soon reverting to his brief, When quick observed the reverend chief : "Judicial notice we will take Of the last instance that you make; Its force may not be well denied. I think we 'll hear the other side." But Dannaher's eloquence was lost; They 'd not believe the trifling cost Would have the slightest tendency To hurt the coffee, or the tea, Nor did they deem the choice to be In nature of a lottery. • Thus Montignani's magic wit The gist of the contention hit; And so the art of selling tea Is helped by cup-and-saucery, And Gillson's rivals, I surmise, May straightway go and do likewise.1 1 Selling packages of coffee on which are pasted slips of paper marked "I plate," for each of which slips, when presented to the seller, he gives a plate, is a violation of Code Pub. Gen. Laws Md., art. 27, § 185, which prohibits "any scheme or device by way of gift enterprise of any kind whatsoever." Long v. State, Court of Appeals of Mary land, March 24, 1891.