at hate New York.
This is the soul of hospitality. New York leads. Other cities follow.
They copy our clothes, our dances, our financiering, our barbers, our
sandwiches, and the uniform of our street-cleaners. Our superiority is
not only acknowledged, but resented. We have decided to do something
that never before has been attempted, not even by automobile
manufacturers. Let other cities copy us if they will. We are going to
feed all the hungry who have no money! We are going to do it on the New
York plan completely, intelligently, efficiently, and, above everything,
picturesquely. You have seen the sandwich announcements?"

They had. For two days all New York had seen them and all New York had
talked about them, for the announcements had taken on the aspect of a
puzzle. The answer was now expected. On vaudeville stages shining stars
were at that very moment volunteering humorous solutions through their
noses.

"We propose to do it by means of improved tickets. No man shall buy more
than one. The millionaire and the minister, the merchant and the mut,
all will help. And all will help equally that each may benefit his soul
in like degree without injury to any pocketbook. And, gentlemen, we are
going to do it in an entirely new way."

Everybody stared intently at H. R.

An entirely new way!

"Nobody will be allowed to buy more than one ticket. The price will be
twenty-five cents! That sum will buy one Ideal Meal. The ticket not only
will entitle the holder thereof to admission to Madison Square Garden,
but it will also carry a coupon worth ten thousand dollars in cash!"

He paused. The assemblage went pale. Hands were seen hastily buttoning
up coats.

"I personally will give the money," said H. R., sternly.

A great sigh of relief soughed its way himward.

"The meal will be a revelation to those who talk about the high cost of
living and will conclusively prove the advantage of being permitted to
do business in a large way without ill-advised interference by a
grandfatherly government. It thus will have an important bearing on
current legislation. Each ticket-buyer will see with his own eyes the
entire journey of the quarter from the pocket to the empty stomach. Also
the coupon attached to every ticket, worth ten thousand dollars in cash,
will be a reward not of charity alone, but of the combination of charity
and brains."

The audience fidgeted. They did not believe it. It was too remarkable.
But, anyhow, it