Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-04-15
The Admiral'S Soup,

A good story is told at the expense of
, P, the fashionable American boot
maker Of Buenos Ayrcs. 1t runs in this
wise:
Admiral Coe, who commanded the squad
ron at Buenos Ayres, had become so i'm.
pressed with the idea that some enemy
would put him to death by poison, that he
had cooking stove erected in the cabin of
his flag ship and prepared his meals with
his own hands. X white powder was al
ways present to his imagination whenever
he partook of food He thought of it when
awake, and dreamed of it while sleeping.
Now it happened that being on shore in
Buenos Ayers one day, he stepped into the
store of Mr.. P, and was measured for
a pair of boots. In due time they were
finished and sent off to the Admiral.
The boots seemed to please him very
we'll, but just as he was in the act of try
ing them on, he happened to invert one of
them, and horrors on horrors, what did he
discover but the inevitable white powder
in each boot. TO say that he was Iivid
with rage would but poorly express the
passion which swept across his breast. He
instantly summoned one of his officers and
directed him to proceed to Mr.. P-'s and
request his company at dinner.
The officer having departed, the old ad,
miral, knife in hand, commenced to cut up
both boots, which he placed in a saucepan
of water and placed on the stove to boil.
While the Admiral was making the soup
Mr.. P had received the invitation to
dine. 1t would not have done to decline
the invitation, so he accepted it aud com"
menced getting ready to accompany the
officer who brought the message. By-and-
by the boat was reported to the Admiral as
returning, as he forthwith emptied the
contents of the saucepan into tureen and
sat down to await the arrival of his victim.
Pretty soon P stepped on board and
was ushered into the cabin. The Admiral
received him with bland smile.
"Sit down, Mr.. P" he said, "you
have made me an excellent pair of boots"
P was fattered 81 am very glad
you like them, Admiral" he replied
The Admiral gave nervous start, and
gazed into the tureen; after which he
stepped into the state room and reappeared
with pistol in one hand and an enormous
spoon in the other. He then requested
P to draw up to the table, and placing
the spoon in the tureen, while an ungov-
crnable passion reused him almost to fury,
exclaimed:
Now, you internal rascal, drink every
drop of that soup, or III blow your brains
out"
P comprehcnded the situation, and
knew the Admiral too well to hesitate. So
he at once commenced to swallow the soup
made from the boots on which he had be-
slowed so much care. 1t was difficult
feat to perform, for the broth was hot and
moreover not very palatable, but the Ad-
miral stood by his side with cooked pistol
and the thing had to be done.
When the last drop was drained, poor
was placed in boat and sent on shore, and
for weeks afterwards was confined to his
bed from an overdose of boot soup. 1t is
only necessary to add that the soapstone
powder which was sifted into the boots was
the innocent cause of the Admiral's wrath.
P---'s friends said that for years after
wards he never had occasion to use a Ca
thartic.