The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-06-14
LrIIrR IRON A eRuMRLlNe BRlToN.
nALrIMoRE vs. LoNpoN.
- O ~ 80 Dssssa.ls -Aaree..s.


Correspondence OF the DemocrAtic Advocate.
BALTIMORE, june 10, 1879.
My experiences Of Baltimore up 10 the
present time are Of limited character, mas.
much as they have been confined to food and
the outside inspection Of public buildings.
like the town; il is unique, and everywhere
find elb0w-room. | cannot appreciate the
stores. ! prefer shops, where I'LL a mans
stock is in the window, aud il yon cannot buy
you can at least look. And, after all, what
is the most costly apparel, the richest jewclry,
and the loveliest nicknaeks made for save for
other people 10 look att II, then, these are
displayed in a shop window, why |, and thou.
sands Of others can thus get all the enjoyment
out of these things that we are ever likely
to get. But these stores, they are a puzzle;
and, worst OF oil, the good things they do pos.
sess can only be seen by probable purchasers
Another thing / miss, too, in BALTIMORE do
not see any squalid, hopeless poverty. Poor
people have seen, il is true, but | have not
encountered that hopeless, despairing misery,
so prevalent in the large towns in the old
country. Poor people here seem to have an
active interest in fife, TO have something to
do, TO look forward TO, and TO attempt to
reach; and the effect that it has upon their
appearance is in marked contrast with the va
can't llstttHst pAuptflStu ldlh-luhtIG lOOk OF
the poorest Of Great Britain. America is a
great country, and hope the time is far, far
distant, before pauperism shall have become
an institution throughout the length and
breadth of its territory.
One Of my greatest troubles is in the matter
Of food. Thirty years ago, more or less, Il
fancy there are preponderance of the less, }
talented Frenehman summed up the Eng
fish character somewhat thus: - "Johnny
Boule is gldtton. He swear godam, he de.
vour rosbif, aud he sell his wife in Smithfield. %
There was, and is, good deal Of truth in this
estimate of my countrymen. More truth ID
it, believe, than in our boast that one beef
fed Englishman could lick six frog eaing
Frenehmen at any time. But | do not want
to discuss the relative national qualities Of
Englishmen and Frenchmen. What | want
Is beetsteak-a tender, juicy, rare, well
grilled slice from the hind quarter of we'll.
fed beef. The thought oft makes my mouth
wateri but, oh! the miserable failure Of u
Baltimore beefsteak. Ii out. Herods Herod.
IL IS delnslon and snare-a iraudest of
frauds. Never shall forget the stringy, taste
less, sodden lump, yclept beefsteak which
was set before me in restaurant. As an act
of courtesy tried to eat it, but--hunger not,
withstanding-t effort was a failure. Alas
and alasi beetsteaks are n British institution,
and can only be obtained in all their pristine
and toothsome perfection in their native land.
Then tried a pork steak. A steak, with
US, you know, means n slab of meat without
bone. Well, when my pork steak WAS served
was enchanted. There it lay, on o pearl
white plate, embedded in a thin layer of
gravy. II was done TO q turn. Brown and
crisp, it was an appetising picture. OIL how
was going TO enjoy that pork steak; but alasi
for human hopes and anticipations when
attempted to thrust my fork into the most
tempting part of the delicious morsel, it en-
couutered-horror ofhorrors bone. Iprod-
ded again and again, and still bone. Then
went to work painfully and carefully, and
eventually succeeded in dissecting that pork
steak. The flesh, when got bit, was deli
cious; but the bone, oh that bone; il is Gu.
riosity. Surely Baltimore pigs must differ
in anatomical construction from Irish animals
Of that ilk. To describe the shape of that
bone would puzzle geometrician; to tell
what part OF the porcine beast it originally
belonged to would equally puzzle an anato'
mist. II must, fear, be an institution pecu.
liar to Baltimore. OF course, you will say
that am fair specimen of the guttonous,
grumbling Britisher. Well, repudiate the
gluttony, but plead guilty to the grumbling.
II l were not allowed to grum6le, my life
would indeed be a miserable one. There is
pleasure in finding fault that is only known,
in all its ecstatic bliss, to n confirmed grum-
bier. But, mark you, never grumble with
out q cause. And il did grumbe-and that,
too, most cousnmedly-oyer those two unfor.
tunate stakes, no one can gainsay but that
had full and ample cause. But honor where
honor is due. IL | fail to appreciate steaks,
| have found other things that claim my un.
qualified praise. Notably, strawberry short.
cake. Oh that delicious preparationl 1t
compensates nearly, not quite for any
amount of failures in regard to steaks. When
took the FIRST mouthful, thought it food fit
for the gods; and the second taste convinced
me that it was confection worthy an Eng
llshman' 8 appetite. So long as strawberry
short-eake is to the fore, Baltimore will hold
me with chains as Of brass. Beef steaks may
perish, pork steaks may become things of
the past, and | will not repine; but if hard.
hearted fate should rob me of my strawberry
short.cake, then, oh then, will Othelos oc
cupation be gone. Baltimore will lose its
charm, aud, what is infinitely worse, the good
opinion Of the Britisher who now luxuriates
in its strawberry short cake
But am afraid you will think me prosy,
so no more at present, from yours ever very
truly, GRuMRLISG pRirox.