Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-08
HOT BOURBON FOR EGYPT'S
HERO.
Gen. Stewards Former FondnesN for
American Drinks,

american Drinks.
Gen. Stewart, who is now a figure
| throughout Christendom for his marked
| pluck and determination in fighting the
Arabs, says the New York Morning Jour
nal, was well known in this country just
| before the war. He made a tour of the
country and went on a hunting expedi-
/ ton to what was then known as the far
! West. After that he rejoined his regi-
\ ment, the SIXtieth Rifles, IN which he was
! a Captain, at Quebec, Canada, and was
| in garrison there for two or three years.
He and z. E. j. Miles, the present
manager OF the BIjOu Opera House, were
| great friends. Capt. Stewart had taken
! quite a fancy to America and liked the
Americans. Miles at that time ran a
I hO-el in Quebec called the American, and
Capt stewart used to drop in every even
/ ing and remain very often until or /
O'Clock the next morning.
He was one of the jOlliest En2lishmen
/ ever knew" said MIR. Miles yesterday
| to reporter. "He was a fine, handsome
young fellow, and evidently full of life
and dash. [ remember well that he used
TO come 10 the cafe Of the hotel and call
for hot Bourbon punch. He had taken a
great fancy TO Ameri an whisky and
dropped hot Scotch, which was then the
favorlte drink. His example set all the
omcers OF the garrison drinking hot Bour-
+ bon, and, curlously enough, the American
House became their only resort.
Capt. Stewart, who " as a good deal of
horse lover, soon found out my knowl-
edge of that animal, and together we or
gained the 1irst regular course of races
that ever was run in Quebec. He was a
very good rider and won some of the
prizes. The example Of the officers got
the men coming down to the hotel to get
their drinks, and l was rather afraid this
might drive away the officers. but Capt.
Stewart told me that he would soon set
tie that, and one night, as the soldiers
dropped in one by one, he stood at the end
OF the bar and looked at them in such a
way that they got uncomfortable and left.
From that time forth l was not
troubled with the men; good enough peo-
pie, no doubt, butrathe apttoget noisy and
sometimes upr0ariOus. l remember. too,
well the particular room in the hotel they
used 10 20 to, sometimes sitting around
and telling stories and drinking hot Bour-
bon until the dawn appeared.
But this business was rather curious
ly broken up when the Mason and Slidell
affair happened, in which il looked at one
time as il the North would have to- 90 to
war with England, as well as the South.
l noticed that my army custom began
gradually to drop OF. One by one the
crown uIspeTseu, Tut capt. stewart ana
one other were the last to 90. One night
he explained to me that the regiment
thought, under the bitter feeling that had
grown up at the constant insults that
were being passed to and fro, that it was
not wise thing for them to patronize al
m Ost exclusively an American house.
II told him l perfectly appreciated the
position. We shook hands over it and
took last hot Bourbon. l only saw him
a few times after, as l was compelled TO
leave Quebec because l had interests in
the circus business, and / never met
Stewart since. After the officers left off
coming, they, one by one, sent down tor
the bills they owed, and their accounts
were paid to the last dollar. They were a
fine, joyial set Of people, and Stewart
was the best among them"