The daily gazette., 1883-09-01
spARRoWs oN ToAsT.
New Jeraey Lads sel'ing the Birds 20 Res
taurant Keepers.

New Jera0y Lads selling the Birds 20 hes-
taurant Ksepors.
New York world.l
A bare-tooted, dirty-faeed urehin, carry
ing large basket, the eontents Of whieh
were half concealed by cloth that had once
been white, emerged from Chatham street
restaurant Yesterday morning and stood for
a moment looking about Making sudden
dive across the street he entered prominent
hotel, from which be came out very soon
and went into another restaurant few
doors below. corner of the sheet cover
ing the basket had become disarranged ana
the brown feathers of little birds could be
seen. To an inquiry as to the contents oi
the basket the little fellow laconicaly re-
piled: "Sparrows." -,
"What are you going TO do with themF'
''Sell 'em, of course.
"To whomP
"Anybody that wants to buy. Restau-
rants and hotels take most Of 'em."
s'What are they good iuri"
uGood fori" he exclaimed, opening his
eyes so widely as 10 crack the dirt ON his
ls g. "Good to eat, Of course. 'Spose they
want to use them for baitl Sparrow pot-pie
is hoss Everybody likes it have already
sold 1856 birds this morning"
Further inquiry ELECTED the Information
that the boy had been engaged selling spar
rows for food for about three months lie
| lived about IA miles back OF Jersey City
and trapped the birds In large numbers. AT
| first he began In a small way, but his father,
who was a farmer. had taken to the busi-
ness and large numbers were now trapped
| and shot every day He found an eas, sale
| for them in nearly all the downtown res
| taurants and hotels, receiving ~ cents per
/ dozen for the better birds.
aBut," It was suggested, "the restaurants
do not sell sparrows 70 customers. Az
least the dish is not comprised in their bill
of fare" :,
? "WelI, YOU see, at some places they call
sparrows reed BIRDS 1t sound better anc
the birds seem to taste better under tina
name. But down here in Pearl street ther'
is place where they advertise sparrow pot
| pie every other day"
Az the restaurant named the pot-pie
seemed to be the favorite dish. placar'
in the window announced II TO be fresh AM
also conveyed the inform alton that the spar
rows were English The proprietor said b
had been serving the dish for month pas
and his customers appeared TO be well salts
lied with IT, He purchased the birds iron
peddlers, who carried them from door L
ieor That sparrows were AS palatable a
any of he smaller birds he had not th
slightest doubt" why, sir" said he, I'll
| EnElA L nave bt' II epdIIbh- many
: time. 1t is a standard dish there and is 8
/ common as beans In Boston
At the Everett House, on Chatham stree
the proprietor said he did not furnish spa
rows regularly, but occasionally had specii
orders for the toothsome dainties. Tw
b weeks before he furnished dinner to larg
1 party at which, by special request, sparrow
on toast formed one of the courses.
cit required SO birds to satisfy the app
tites OF those eight men" declared Mr.. e.
: eret;, and they appeared TO enjoy the litt
e brown fellows. The reason why we do N
At have sparrows on our bill OF tare, is becau
=, it requires too much time to prepa
them"
'e At a Broadway restaurant, where IS
= reed birds ior % cents are given, an
n auiry for sparrows elected negative rep
.o 6ut it was intimated that the reed-bir
!" we're very nice and very cheap--as cheap
n sparrows. The market quotations show
reed-birds selling at rs cents per dozen, a
to | the proprietor was unable to explain ju
e. how he could afford to sell them at less tn
- the original cost. He thought his bu.
IL might have been imposed upon, as sp
rows when plucked are very like rec
birds.
Y "But sparrows are very good too"
N, added, apologetically.