National Republican., 1883-01-13
The Pigeon Prize.

GABE CASE is q gentleman in New York
who keeps place of call where other gentle
men with loud ncclStics and plaid trousers
who are willing to bet on anything from ADAM
to Prof WIGGINs's predicted storm are found
at all hours. In short, Mr.. CASE caters to
the taste of the sporting fraternity, although
a number of gentlemen, including such model
citizens as ex-Mayor GRACE and Mr.. JOHN J.
O'BR1EN occasionally partake of Mr. CASES
hospitality. Just now Mr.. CASES establish
ment is the center of attraction owing TO an
experiment which is taking place there. 1t
has been said that no living man could eat
u quail daily for thirty consecutive days.
The assertion has been made repeatedly
during the last forty years not only in New
York. but in London, Paris, and Vienna. 1t
has no doubt been accomplished, but il is a
more serious undertaking than is commonly
supposed. A gentleman heretofore unknown
to fame, one Mr.. WALcoTT, is now engaged
in this feat, and a crowd assemblies every day
at GABE CASES place to see the quail dis
appear. DR.. HEARD, of Brooklyn, offered to
bet from 500 TO $500 that WALCoTT could do
it, The experiment was begun on the seventh
of January, and as yet Mr. WALCoTT has not
weakencd but even the most signal failures
in the attempt have been able to get away
with the quail for sixteen or seventeen days
in succession. After tho twenty-irst day
comes the tug of war. About twenty years ago
in Paris to watch this experiment got to be
favorite amusement with people who had
nothing to do and a great deaf of time to do
It in. EMILE DE GRARDIN wrote very funny
little story about it, which was founded ON
fact. Thirty thousand francs were offered as
the pigeon prize-the quail being the pigeon
in France, A certain young man, poor, but
educated in the most thorough manner re-
gardess of cost, loved the daughter of a man
of fortune The cruel father forbade the mar
rage until the bridegroom cxpectant could pro-
duce thirty thousand francs to match the dot
of his daughter. Young hopeful, conflding in
his talents and requirements, he went Off in
high feather toraise so small a sum. He tried
succCssively art, literature, journalism, poll
tcs-evcryth succeeded moasurably
with all, but without the least chance
of making thirty thousand francs at any
work and disappointment he despaired, and
was rushing to the bridge of Jena to jump into
the Seine, when his eye caught the sign dis
played from window, "Thirty thousand
francs to the man. that can eat pigeon for
thirty consecutive days" Bnt thirty days
remained to him before ho had to present
himself before the father of his adored with
thirty thousand francs in hand. He entered
the shop and demanded TO compete for the
prize. The description Of the thirty days is
infinitely amusing how at first he fattcned
upon it and then grew to be merely lanll
shadow of himself; how his adored came and
gazed with fearful encouragement ON him
as ne daily devoured the hated fowl how at
last, on the thirteth day, yellow, emaciated
and almost fnmting with disgust, he ate the
last quail, and his stomach earned for him
what his intellect had failed. 1t is not likely
that Mr.. WALCoTT has any such object in view
as EMILE DE GIRARDINs young man, but he
says he has eaten quail every day for thirty
days before, and can do IL again. On Sunday
he ate, in the presence of an admiring constit-
uency, the quail, a dish Of boiled onions some
roasted potatoes, with clam broth, drank some
! cider and various kinds of bitters, and then
remarked, Pm through GABE," As the ex-
pertinent is tried at GABE's expense, he is
| probably the man to be pitied.