The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-08-24

A couple of correspondents of Every
Saturday." an illustrated weekly published
at Boston, Mass, have recently been making
a tour of the South, writing letters and fur
nishing illustrations to their paper of men
and things that they saw, and amongst 9TH
ers, stopped at the Prentiss House, Viclls-
burg, and encountered. the whOle-souled'
genial Gen. McMakin, the "Pioneer Cater
err of Mississippi, of whom they publish a
likeness and write as follows:
five were surprised by the unwonted
comforts of our hotel, we were simply
amazed at its proprietor, gentleman sixty
nine years of age, as active as boy, VINO
introduced himself to us as 1.-The only origl-
nal living pioneer af the Mississippi Valley
He is known all over the South for historic
miracle in inn-keeping- On one occasion.
thirty or forty years ago, it Is alleged, he
fed eleven hundred people and their horses
in the Mississippi wilderness, bridging his
supplies from Tuscumbia and Memphis. By
this and other meritorious service he has
won the title of General. 1t is not, however.
what General McMackiH has done, but what
ne does now, that to us marks him out from
his fellow-men. At every meal he donS
white apron and. with carving-knite and
fork in hand, promenades the dinIng-room,
announcing the bill of fare with all sorts OF
verbal accompaniment and variations.
This has been his practice ever since his
his present guests were born. We give you
his portrait, taken on the spot, but we can
convey no idea of his voice and manner, as
he walked up and down among the tables,
heralding the dinner something in these
words: Ladies and gentlemen, this is
great country,-a great country, in spite OF
the war. Oyster, soup without oysters, and
oysters without soup. Hand around the
soup and boiled rice. Fried fish, fish boiled
and broiled Mississippi trout (Which is
pleasantly for that piscine horror, the cat
fish, fish from the rivers and fish from
the sea. We are an immense people Roast
beef, boiled beef, roast mutton. boiled NUT
ton. mutton with caper-sauce. beef and NUT
ton with and without onions; not shoat,
cold Shoat. potatoes mashed and potatoes
whole potatoes baked and potatoes fried
upon one side and potatoes fried upon the
other side. Gentlemen and ladies. help
yourselves. o, the ham and the lamb, the
Jelly and the jami all jam up. After fish,
flesh, and fowl, we have the old-fashloned
dessert, just as nanny made. Walters,
hurry up the dessert; cranberry tarts ana
apple pie: plum-pudding, and cold potato
pudding. rice pudding, and cold potato
budding for those that are in love. Fruits
from all countries wines from the Rhine,
and wines from the Pc; wines from Po-
tugal. and wines from Ohio. Tea and coffee
and sweet buttermilk,-alI the best in the
world. Old Cherry, that good old COW, has
come I'D to-day the COW, gentlemen, that
gives the buttermilk. Rene mber, too,
gentlemen, there is no river between the
house and the cow-pen. Yes, ladies and
and gentlemen, this is great country, and
we are an immense people,"
The music of the old-time feasts was
nothing to this. The tongues of nightin-
gales had not the piquancy OF the voluole
one of General McMackin. To be assured
by venerable age that you are eating the
best in the world, to consult your bill of fare
as it comes to you riUd uOce through the air,
to be relieved of all conversational needs by
the jokes which are served you td6te-dhote,
and then to have your patriotism stirred
with your gravy,-this surely is the trans
cendentalism of dining.