Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-04-15
FANNIE PALMER'S LETTER.
Lenten Pot-Luck in the Metropolis,
NEW YORK, March 26, 1880.

| NEW YORK, Marcn 20, looU.
Notwithstanding yesterday was Holy
Thursday, perhaps one of the merriest en-.
tertainments given in New York this season
occurred at Irving Hall last evening, viz: the
annual picnic of the Pot-Luck Club, to which
had been hidden large number of the giterat1
and society people of the city. The Pot
Luck Club is one of the most informal Or
ganizations in the country, having no rules OF
bylaws governing it, its only object being to
kill care and have a jolly good time The
company assembled at six o'clock, and were
received by the younger members of the
club, the hall presenting most animated ap-
pearance at that time. Busy cooks in fancy
dresses fitted hither and thither, putting the
finishing touches to the two endless tables
which extended the full length of the room,
and which were loaded with the dainties pre-
pared by the members and dishes sent in by
the guests, who were cordially permitted" "
so the invitations read, Ito bring, send, or
cook on the premises their own particular
variety in victusls or drink" In the centre
of one table hung floral gpsy- kettle over a
cheerful blaze of red grass burning on q
green moss ground, while on the other table
was an immense horse shoe, and suspended
above were placards bearing such legends as
"Hash there is millions in it," "Coming
through the Rock and Rye;" "The Goose
Hangs High y" "a Korner in Klsms )" 'The
Spoon is Mightier than the Sword" "Whst
you don't see, ask for"
Soon after six o'clock the tocsin sounded,
and the company, falling into procession, de-
filed slowly around the tables, headed by the
''Kitchen Khoir," singing "The Cuisinal
Procession, or Cooks Tourist" to the air of
''See, the Conquering Hero Comes" Then,
all being seated, ample justice was done to
the dinner, which was no Barmecidal feast, l
assure you. The guests were waited on by
''fifteen beautiful boss-puzzling young ladies,
aided by fifteen young gentlemen do dos, -
and the following officers of the household :
Boss Butler, Lord High Corkscrew, Captain
of the Spoon Brigade, First Gold Soup Ladle
in Waiting, Past Grand Master Masher, Ruler
of the Rolling Pins, Major General of Gam
mon and Spinach, Knights of the Mortar and
Colander, Pages of the Pots and Pans, Plates
and Platters, Doctor of Dishography, etc.,
all of whom were dressed in the most pictur
esque costumes, the gentlemen as cooks and
the ladies in French peasant dresses. AL
though they waited with grace, yet there
was dire confusion of dishes if not of tongues,
and one found himself served with tarts, with
raw oysters, doughnuts and chicken salad,
ecZares and picked fish, lemon cake and
beef a la mode, and other culinary inconsist-
encies, but all this only added to the general
merriment, and good digestion seemed
10 wait upon the appetite Notwithstanding
this awful mix. Many of the dishes were
served up with bits of sentiment by way of
poetical sauce, such as
A-la-Mode Beef.................by Jernie June.
''Give them great meals of beef"
Multiplied Fruit Pies. by Mary Kyle Dallas
''The Queen of Hearts she made some Tarts."
Telegraphic Trifles... ....by Clara Morris.
'Trifes light as air."
Joblochkeff Candles a-la-Russe ..................
George Kyle.
PUT out the light and then-eat up the candle"
A Rar Good Register Ragout..
.............................. by Anna Dickinson.
dragged Misery"
A Tour de Force in Mush and Milk.............
.........................by Aunt Fanny Barrow.
s'The Milk of Human Kindness"
A Lullaby in Lobster, by Fanny Foster Clark.
"He that sleeps here, swims"
Several Salads Barnet Phelps.
''Salad men to the front"
Coffee as Usual. ..............by Joaquin Miller
"Thou sparkling bowl thou sparkling bowl;
Though lips OF bards thy brIm may press"
Puff Paste Ad Libitum... m...........................
by the Polite and Partial Press.
''With your sweet breath puffed out"
After partaking of these and a variety of
other toothsome dishes, viands and wines by
the culinary scientists of the club, we were
all in fine humor to enjoy the flow of wit
and song which was poured out freely by the
and others. -~.'-- %
Mr.. Robert Roosevelt, the President and
founder of the club, opened with brief ad-
dress, which contained more cutsinal puns
than were ever before crowded into five
minutes speech, and which were received
with groans, Kisses, calls, applause and
laughter. Then followed a song by pretty
young lady, Miss Hattie Sims, who has re-
Gently made very favorable impression here
as a concert singer, in which she told US how
to brew cup of tea, with chorus
"Hang your eau de vie, nothing equals tea
Hang your de vie. nothing equals tea
Give to me, oh, give to me,
full and fragrant cup of tea"
the last stanzs being: