The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-01-23
HOW TO KEEP A TAVERN.

An illustration ofSuceess, ana How
Man May Make His Guests Com
Portable ut His Inn. Hotel. Tavern.
or Whatever YOu Choose 90 Call Et.
THE CRIIuc was sitting not long ago in tho
rotunda OF Wizards, watching the maneuvers
OF the bevy OF ever-present "maiahs" and
'Judges" and keeping tally on a notchei
stick OF the number OF trips they made to tho
contiguous bar-room, and at the Same time
discussing with prominent business man OF
Chicago the cause OF tho drop In tho Chicago
grain and provision market. THE CRITIC had
kept the p. b. m. of O. epellbound for some
minutes with erudite dissertations on the
cause md effect of "vfsible supply" tear
lots" "weevil In wheat" "dry-rot In corn"
and prohibition Of pork products by foreign
governments, and had grown eloquent In his
prediction OF S0cent wheat and 80 cent corn,
when the said .. b. m. OF @. Interrupted him
with
walking about suecessful speculation, there
goes man that is one or the greatest sue
cesses know Of"
The eagle eye OF THE CRITIC followed the
direction indicated, and II rested on Mr.. o. g..
Staples, proprietor OF tho hotel, who, with
pom behind his ear and an unllghted cigar In
his hand, was fitting hitler and yon, giving
directions 70 an employe, welcoming newly
and doing dozen things at once, yet all the
time eelf.poesessed and pleasant.
"what do you mean successful specu-
lator 2" inquired TIE CRITIC.
"Hang II, man; no. He has no time for
speculation. What mean Is that l have
Travelled all over this country and stopped at
nearly every first class hotel I'm ", and I have
never seen man who understood the art OF
keeping a hotel like Staples. To my mind he
ia the beau ideal Boniface. Why, guest
scarcely has time to throw or his wraps and
wueh or the SCOT and dust OF travel before he
begins 10 feel tho influence OF staples man
agement and is as perfectly at home as II he
were in his own house. And then his table,
There is no house In America that puts better
God on the table or puts II on better cooked.
ell you he Is success " fi
nrx.t IA
| he wandered up to the hotel and found Mr..
Staples and fntimated n desire to be initiated
INTO the mysteries of excepting tavern"
| "My dear boy, there is no mystery about 1t at
all. Come along and VIII show you the
And THE CRITIC, wincing q little mt being
| called a boy, was nshered into the kitchen "a
| Kitchen that would mako the eyes OF n model
| housewife green with envy. Tho floors were
as guiltless OF speck OF dirt as a ne wly.coined
| dollar. The huge ranges were steaming and
| emitting a delicious odor, the copper covers OF
| which shone like gold. Tho cher and six as
sistants and dozen cooks, clad In snowy
| white aprons and caps, were busy preparing
| dinner. Juicy tenderloins, luscious chops, fat
turkeys and game, fresh vegetables, etc., were
displayed in prefusion. THE CRITIC immedt'
| ately felt hungry ana was sure he could con-
| vince his guide that he had a full-slzsd mans
appetite II he was given the chance. But the
chance was not offered, and no was ushered
| out OF tho kitchen into tho storeroom.
Here hung n halt dozens nue deer,
sides OF beef, turkeys, ducks, chickens,
| 0tc, enough 10 Teeu Hu army, Wnlle
on shelves were partridges, prairie chickens,
| and other small game In profusion. Barrels
| OF sugar, cofrec, -four; boxes OF can goods and
everything In variety and quantity, equallns a
| large wholesale grocery, was 70 be seen. A
| huge refrigerator was opened, showing stacks
| OF rolls OF sweet butter, yellow as gold. The
bewildered and surprised scribe was In
| formed In answer to " question that Mr..
| Staples bought everything from headquar-
| tiers. The beef came from the world-famed
Ottman Co., OF New York yenison, prairie
Chesapeake, turkeys from Rhode Island (the
| best IN the world, and celery from, Kala-
mazoo, Mich. Mr.. Staples remarkec thar he
bought the best evidences OF which were on
every hand) no matter what 1t coat. His beef
cost him 20 cents q pound-but 1t was the
| choicest In the market. Il .ft.t .tIL.
Tho next place visited was the bakery,
whose huge Ren was presided over by a
man who, Mr.. Staples claimed, was the best
baker In the country HUNDREDS OF i9syes OF
the shelves which, on being broken open and
tasted, proved tho assertion correct. All
1resd Psst wrs ots are SaE ond on ia
with the choicest brands, and on par with
the rest of tho establishment.
Now" said the propsiotor' "you see keep.
get plenty OF provisions, have them cooked
and ihon get people enough to cat all you cook
| see."
THE CRITIcsaw, but the moro he saw the
more no wondered, and said
sit takes money TO do all this"
| "Money or credit, my boy, but prefer the
money. Not a pound Of anything comes into
this house on credit. pay cash for every
thing. II a dealer brings anything here and
does not get his money before no leaves will
never pay him. Cash on the spot Is my
motto. When can't do that stop keeping
tavern. Come down and take dinner with
me any day."
THE CRITIC thanked hIs generous friend
and promised TO accept tho Invitation som'
time In tho near future, and loft convinced
that tho p. b. m. or O.. was correct In his esti
mate OF Mr.. Staples, and glad TO know that hC
| was meeting with success, aud that his hote
was full and likely TO remain 80. His fame Il
spreading and the old-timo popularity OF the
! famous old hostelry Is sure to be reinstated
| Tho name itself attracts, and with men-like
Staples at the head 10 bound to bring every
body coming to Washington within his doors
Break fast Cocoa,
as beverage, is universally colQSaed supe
| rior IN all other drlnluQ for tha<iy3arv man q