BOUND TO BE MISUNDERSTOOD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 32, 5 February 1879, Page 4

BOUND TO BE MISUNDERSTOOD.

A story is iold of a dashing colonel quartered in Brosse's. which speaks more for Ihe honesty and scrupulous obedience to orders than tbe britjhtoess of liia servant. The colonel, who was engaged out to dinner, just as he was leaving home, was ee'zed with such a violent toothacbe that he was obliged to s»nd on exoiße. " Take this nole to Madame W., and bring me my dinner." The man delivered (he uofe in'o my lady'B hand, and to her surprise showed no si^ns of eo : ng away. On beiog esked what he was waiting for, he answered that lie whs to take back the Colonel's dinner. The lady saw through his blunder, ordered the dinner to he sent, and added a hulfbottlfl of champagne to b« served at dessert. Laden with saucepans, the worthy man returned, and proceeded to wait on his master, who found his dinner so much better ihnn he usually got from the restaurant, that he forgot his ailments, and eijoyed the dishes one after another. At last came the champi gue, and that necessarily leJ to an explanation. Tt;e poor colonel wa9 in despair; after a momeut's reflection he gave his man ten francs and told him to buy a bouquet and take it with his compliments to Madame W. By-«nd-by he came back, and gravely placed ten franca on the table. *• What does tbbt mean ? Where do*s that come from!" "From Madame W," answered the man, with evident setia'action ; " she paid for thn bouquef." On reo^iviig it she had given him five francs for hineelf, but he, careful of hia raaßtei's interests, had replied, "It is not five, franca — it's ten francs," end brought them- back. The colonel has taken to bis bed, and tbe Btory bus got about, much to the amusement of hia fellow-officere. The lady h a widow.