The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-25
Dumas 90 a Cook.

Dumas a Cook.
TBE KITCHEN AND THE WRITING .rABLE-sHoor-
ING COCKNEYs.
We find the following story OF the great French
novelist told in the Mobile Sunday Times, BY John
II. Thompson. The general referred to was doubt !
less Beauregard and the French nobeman, the |
Prince Camille de Polignac, who served under |
him in the war: 80.
Hesitation of his eccentrcity two years ago, upon
the occa.ion of his entertaining at dinner a very /.
distinguished soldier of the Confederate army. at
that time on q visit to Paris. A French nooieman.
who had himself rendered conspicuous services
In behalf of the lost cause. DESTROYS OF showing
every attention in his power to his former CON-
panion in. arms, asked it, under any conceivable
circumstances, he would consent to SIT at table
with a negro. "Ceia depend" replied the dis
tineuished ex reb. Z" It matters very much who the
negro might be-" " En- bien q man of great wit
aud culture. in his way certainly the most cele-
hrated man in France, writer whose works are
known more widely perhaps. I" Teens, mon
ami. YOU most surely mean Alexandra Dumas.
roh hfys sTe he al Es p saSRe ta s e
Enough" rejoined our French noblemsn,
81 do mean Alexandra Dumas, and my pur-
| pose is to bring you together at dinner" The
| dinner was accordingly given. Dumas had re.
ceived his invitation, mad accepted II, and did not
| appear During the entertainment, however,
| came a CHARACTERISTIC autograph letter from the
| fdrcem- to say that he was rendered absolutely
wretched by not being able to attend, but that ne
| should expect the entire company 70 dine Al MS
| chateau on that day week. Dumas chateau lies
few miles from the city, In the midst OF pleasant
| woods, through which at the appointed tune
| might have been seen whirling some OF the nand-
=, NEST equipages in Paris bearing the companyto
| the Apician feast. On entering the dra wing room,
Judge the astonishment of the guests to behold
The master of the establishment In scant SACK
coat, an apron underneath across his ample chest,
| AID a cooks paper cap browning his crlnkled
| black hair. In this costume he was seated at
| a small table, dashng off " copy" for the prin-
ter at his highest speed. Rising Immediately
and removing bis MSS, he advanced towards
his friends with a pleasant smile and SAID:
- Messielus ct nesddnGes, l am delighted to see
Won IN my humble abode, but am desoated to tell
YOU tnat Just as the hour arrived for cooking the
dinner, my cuasnler Tell graveiy H. IN ,nis
dilemma, what do l. my friends! My faith It
remains only that / prepare the dishes myself
and SO what shall have the honor OF setting De-
fore you to-day has been cooked with these
hands For the present, therefore, must with.
daw myself to make ready the coup. Be seated,
| NV friends, and dinner will be served" Dumas
retired and there came from the kitchen, In
proper succession, the soup Ian execrable com
position) which our ex-reb. ald his French COM
r-de thought worse even than Confed camp ra-
tons, but which the Partisan fatterers OF the
eat Alexendre declared was beyond the reach
OF Philippe or the Moulin Rouge. the fish, the
sweetbreads, the roast. At intervals the hos
pitable cook made his appearance to tell some re-
usrkabe anecdote OF the wines that were success
sively produced; Of the trout, which had each
, a history of its own of a sauce which, In mo-
ment of inspiration he had that instant invented,
etc, till the arrival of the game. At this
I. point he took q seat at the table. poured out
goblet of still Sillery of '46 and said, :" Mes.
oqnis it will perhaps impart an additional havor 10
the birds whose happy destiny ii is to be eaten by
T YOU, to know the manner in which they had the
. pQulsr good fortune 10 be killed. Yesterday,
mad seated myself on the veranda with the lnten.
! ton of writing little romance Of the period Of
| 7 had nerfeofad the Mot. intro
{ duced by heroine, and was rapidly proceeding to
| get nv hero in trouble, when was invaded by
= chasselrs from the Champs Elysees. They were
r aequaintances and asked permission to shoot ovel
J, my grounds. They came admirably appointed
o with the latest breech-loaders, bird bags Of
freshest leather, and the Deatest pouches OF pre-
8 pared smmunition-they were tout.d tdu ch'c 10
i 9 stume velveteen shooting jackets, heavy boots
|, nothing could be better. have Some tendernesl
IS for nv pheasants my woodcock, my snipe, which
g abound in my preserves. But saw these feath
y cred innocents were in no danger from the COCK
Is ney innocents of Paris. | yielded, and returned
7, 10 my MS. and the Place Royal, where had LEI
y my hero making love to the wife OF caolne
Is minister. The day was charming, ligh
u breeze Just stirred the rich foliage of the cop
pice, all was tranquility around. A bottle Q
ID laftte and box of Cabanas stood within rea :,
le as l sat at my writing desk. Ny romance wa
2. getting on finely, when, all OF a sudden, pop
it,elf to hear and the birds ired from their leaf
e, coverts, came flying about me-. Then sllenc
I'd again. | 20 into the house and get my ow
ct double barrel and, coming back, place it BY m
,e SIDE. Again the fusillade and the hutter OF tn
ne birds. 1 drop the pen for the fowling piece an
IN strew the lawn with ime. In couple OF hour
II when | had comfortably got my hero into th
I, Bastile having never once risen from my seat III
IS sportsmen, very much fatigued render themselve
ne at the chateau. Their bags are empty: Th
De birds were mine. You are to eat them. Happ
y: creatures in falling by my hand, doubly happy
III The final appreciation OF their inestimsbe flavor
81 leave you to enjoy them, while propose it
'ir you btignet de poDlnaes." So saying, Alexal
ey DIRE again retired, aud was seen no more unit
IS. the fruit having been placed upon the table.
he reappeared in an easy morning costu n
"a rs il about to engage in literary labo
We MY friends, said he, al find myself u
by der some embarrassment. Owing to II
re distractions of yesterday and the interruption
ed ply not finished. My hero languishes in Il
Ter gloomy dungeon to which had consigned hin
"a and the cabinet minister's lady pines for his
en- lease. Moreover, the printers wait for the co
ID clusion of the story. Fifteen minutes will sum-
ut. to bring all things to pleasing and poetic te
lly nibation beg your indulgence while devo
he myself to this inexorsbe duty" Thereupon
Us sat down at an escitoTe Of ebony in an sdoinir
IL apartment, and sheet after sheet was thrown o
ey until the floor was as thickly covered with ieaV
A as Vallombrosa 10 October. quarter OF an no
lie had passed, when he arose, and, gathering up
ed, scattered work, asked leave to absent himself I
zee few moments. When he returned 1t was In q
ne. fsultess full evening dress Of q man of socist
las Messieurs ct mesdames," said he. 1t was nect
rk sary to dispatch the romance to the printer 1t
red done what happiness to me that shall spe
ro- the remainder Of the evening in your delight
mo society! Black coffee and little glass! a
yours"
md BEFORE ABRAHAM IT WAs.-Uz the grands
ns of Noah with a world of suitable materials
pms hand founded the Oldest city IN the world