New-York tribune., 1881-09-12
DINING IN A HEN HOUSE.
QUAINT EXPERIENCE ON STATEN ISLAND.

QUAINT EXPERIENCE ON STATEN ISLAND.
HOW THREE HUNGRY MEN FARED-AN EXTRAoR-
BINARY HOST AND COSMOPOLITAN WATERS.
IhIec hungry men sat on the upper deck of q
Staten lsland boat late one Sunday afternoon q
short time ago. Two of them whetted the appetite
of the third to a maddening degree of keenness by
tempting tales of an Italian restaurant near the
Stapleton landing whereat the hungry pro-
posed to break their fast. Their immediate bur-
roundings were not appetzing. The breeze waited
an odor of beer and sauerkraut from party Of
Germans to the windward, and on the leeward side
an unpleasantly warm Irish matrOn sought to
pillow her head on the shoulder of the hungrest of
the famishing three. Conversation was interrupted
by shreks of Popcorn chewing gum and peanuts" :"
One of the party sadly opened his mouth to speak
when a huge pill was nearly thrust in with the
request TO try one OF my peppermint drops, sir"
snuty old woman with oranges, man and brother
in the apple line aud a peripatetc philosopher
with ali electric battery, to say nothing of the
cruclating scrapng of some Italian musicians put
the finishing touches to the wistful melancholy
which envelOped the voyagers as Il garment. The
beautiful view down the bay was not regarded
Each of the three uursed an aching void. Allnsons
to the viands presumably awaiting them were
sternly frowned down. Levity was not encouraged
The pangs at work under three collapsed waistcoats
were too real to be the subject of idle mirth
landing was reached. There awful confession
was made. 81 don't know that | can find Pcre
Bergameau's," faltered he who claimed to be the
leader of the party. But on being promptly in.
formed that life would be made partlcularly un.
pleasant for him unless Pere Bergameau's were
found at once he led the way along the main street
of the village Just above the leading to the
landing one legged swarthy sailor fell upon him
and dragged him through low DOORWAY. But as he
manifested no of alarm the oth fol oil
Two low smoky rooms entered Groups OF
sun Drowned men at little tables con versing in
husky whispers. Their hannel shirts thrown
careessly open showed gmpses of muscular
throats. The whispering ceased as the strangers
entered. and they were eyed suspciously. One was
frightened and obliged to lean against the bar
tor support. The others promptly supported
themselves in the same way. The leader WHISPERED
thst this resort of river thieves and smugglers
from the Lower Bay. He also said that he would
take his straight. Then they continued behind the
wooden-egged sailor, through the two rooms up
SOME steps at the rear. They entered remarkable
place 1t cross between summer pavilion
and hen house, and the n-house had rather the
best of it. The sides of lattice work ware freshly
white he'd az the visitors found after leaning
against them. The floor was OF earth. Overhead
two coy but amorous cats proclaimed their love
until the canvas root shook beneath the violence of
their emotions. The end of this unique dining
room fortunately fenced Off, was the abiding place
OF a hock of hens. Part OF one side occupied
by some rabbits and few discouraged pigeons. In
the space not reserved for animals were some tables
and benches of vivid green. When the oue-egged
sailor had seated The visitors at of these tables
he disappeared. The service that followed was
extraordinary. The sailor who had been dscov-
cred to be IA Portuguese. stumpcd in with a table
cloth. Close on his heels, or rather heel, came a
English 9sthete lie was an Austrian, from Dat
malta. The plates were brought in by an Irshman.
dhen sound ,h m OF humping and heavy breathing
who Is OF french as well as Italian descent.
Fai, hfully folio wing, his wife. sylph of some
200 pounds. and his buxon daughter, of no me agre
proportions, brought up the rear. Pcre Bergameau
held his head clasped tightly in his left hand. as
though he feared 1t might explode. lie gazed with
atuous sadness upon his visitors, and muttered un
intelligibly TO himself. 1t painfully evident
that Pere Bergameau was not himself and what
ever else he was he could not be accused of heing
sober But the three hungry strangers up as one
Austrian and Mademosee Bergamean scnrpied iio in
and out with various dishes, the Portuguese. sailor
thumped after them, and the worthy but drunken
Pere put himself IN the way of each and all on
The dinner Was table Sao.e Some of the dishes
everything, for they were past asking questions
The cooking was excellent and the dinner better
In thus city Each course was seasoned with
variety. AS the soup was brought Pere Bergameau
hen escaped from confinement and 1uttered around
the dining room. When the roast came one of the
contending cats whose appetite had overcome its
discretion was successfully knocked through a
window. The Pere waddled in and out like a Jack
in the Box out OF repair. Whenever he appeared
the Portuguese sailor seized him by the arm and
firmly but gently led him out again. The wine on
the table, which was very good claret, appeared TO
be the Pere's attraction. The sailor expressyely
threw out his hands, shrugged his shoulders and
rolled his eyes In remarkable patois he stated
that the Pere sought his couch disguised in drlnk
every night clasping brandy bottle to hIs shame
less boson. Passing TO himself, his gestures waxed
yet more eloquent. He told of being sent from his
ship to a hospital on account of an accident, and
pictured the woes of living on charity while sick
and uniriended in strange land. When his appeal
met with the expected response. his face cleared
and his wooden leg beat lively tattoo upon the
floor. The materials for the salad were brought
and one of the three diners elected the hi gh
honor of salad mi~er. There doubt as to which
cruet contained the vinegar. The Damatian
settled it, Snatching up the he applied it to
his lips and with much gurglng took a huge
mouthful. His face was instantly puckered out of
shape. He choked and spat profusely. "Dat is dc
vinagre" he shrieked and continued his grimaces IA
If to give assurance that vinegar was not his
favorite drink. He seemed much astonished at a
mild but peremptory insistance another cruet of
With the after-dinner cognac came Pere Berpa-
meau, one hand still claspng his head. There was
panied and injured expression on his face.
to drink" boldly proclaimed that unabashed
specimen of inebriety. The sailor shook his head
sf B
it to his lips. Then look of unutterablc disgust
stole over his face on finding it empty. few drops
garded as personal atront, for he was accustomed
to helping himself from the bottle. But, on the
drained his glass gazing steadily his entertainers
meanwhile with highly reproachful expression of
injured innocence.
After the lapse of considerable time the attack
upon Pere Bergameau's vands was abated. Three
previously wrnkled waistcoats sat snugly on their
owners, well rounded out without a fold. Three
prev vousy dismal faces looked through the cigar
smoke wreathed in smiles. Three well-fed men
pavilion and hen house where they had oi,,re iarnS
sumptuously. Pere Bergameau was sitting at the
head Of table in one of the front rooms around
.l n,la