, 1889-02-21
XXXYIu.

CHAPTER XXXvm
The great mass OF the American people live
ON tough meat uncooked and iced water I'M
filtered
TAX it for granted that sheep and cattle
are born at rs tender an age in America as
elsewhere, but the society for the protection
Of animals probably prevents their being
killed for food while they are young enough
to enjoy life, and so the patrinrehs alone are
reserved for the table.
That which renders the problem OF dining
almost past solving is that the meat has to be
attacked with plated knives which tear but
do not cut 1t | suppose that, ms half the
lower class Americans still eat with their
knives, 1t WINS necessary to abandon the idea
of having steel knives for fear Of their acct
dentnlly gashing their faces. II sharp steel
knives were in general use In America the
streets would be fun of people with fnces
scarrcd and scanned like those OF tho Heidel-
berg students.
The Americans drink little else but water
at table, and ono cannot help wondering how
it is that the filter seems to DO an almost I'M
known institution in the land. Leave your
glass of water untouched on the table, and
in a few moments a thick sediment OF mud or
sand will be visible at tho bottom of it
Down south 1t Is worse stu.
At jacksonville / WINS waited upon Mt table
by an extremely obliging negro.
One day he brought mo some wntor, put ice
In 1t, and discreetly withdrew behind my
chair.
took up tho glass and infinitely inspected
its contents
"Epaminondast" ! cried.
"Dat's not my name, sab; I'm called
Charles"
"charles, look Mt this water; there Is a
snake In itn
Charles took the glass, looked in It, and
then, with n reassuring grin, announced:
"It's dead, sah.n
That is comforting, y said ], ''but 1t mny
have left eggs, which will como to life by
thousands inside mo.n
Charles was facetious, and was not to be
put out Of countcnance for such a trile. He
took up tho glass again, ro-oxamined 1t, and
replaced it on the table.
"Dore's no danger, sah; it's a mnle,n he
said.
In almost all hotels south Of Washington
the walters arc colored men. Tho service is
DAh BRoAs n hcBIOto LII bloW-iL Is Inc
guests who do tho waiting"
At Delmonico's especially, and In the prin
cipal hotels OF New York, Boston, Philadoi
phia and Washington you can dino admir-
ably. In the smaller towns you must DO con.
tent with feeding.
But let US tako our seats ne tho table d'hote
Of tho best hotel in my second rate town that
you please in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, or
some other state Of tho Union.
No printed menu. A young woman, with
an elaborate couture of curls, rolls and bangs,
but no cap, approaches, darts a look of con
tempt at you and, turning her back upon
you, gabbles of in ono breath;
Croutaupoturbotshrim
keycranberrysaucepotatoe
mincepiovanillacream."
Do not attempt to stop her; sho Is wound
up, and when sho is started is bound to go to
the end. You must not hope that she win
repeat the menu a second time either. II you
did not hear, so much tho worse for you.
Unfortunately tho consequences are grave;
1t is not one dish TINT you miss-it is the
whole dinner. You arc obliged to order all
your repast at once, and tho whole is brought
you, from soup TO cheese, at ono time.
w." ~ AANHAOA pAc h1J Us " OIutl
some soup 10 begin with. Tho waitress re-
fused downright to bring me anything more,
THAT is all you ordered, y she said to me.
You do not suppose l can make twenty
journeys to the kitchen for you"
rose and sought tho hotel keeper. Imade
tho humbles apologies, pleaded that | was a
foreigner who had only been In America a
fortnight, and was not yet accustomed TO the
habits Of the Americans Ipromised solemnly
never to transgress again in this way. Mine
host went to the young person who was nj
the head Of tho battalion of harpies in the
dining room, and interceded for me with her
| had the happiness of being forgiven, and
was allowed to appeaso my hunger.
From that day forward, as soon as ono Of
these witching damsels began her incantation,
cried out:
Hold Enoughl Bring 1t all in"
Then | would cat the least distasteful Of the
nESses and leave tho rest | can assure you
tho hotel did not make much profit out Of me.
This is how the dinner is served:
The duchess" begins by 1inging u spoon
and knife and fork down on tho tablo In front
Of you. 1t is for you to set them straight,
and | would advise you to do so without nny
murmuring. When you have taken your
soup, the said "duchess' brings you a plate,
around which she places n dozen little oval
dishes in n symmetrical fashion That one can
but admire.
b first little dish contains fish and n tea.
spoonful Of sauce Of some kind. 1t is need.
less to inquire the name of this sauce. All
the fish sauces are the same; only the name
varies The second apparently contains a
little lump of raw beef; the third a slice OF
roast turkey; the fourth mashed potatoes
the fifth n stewed tomato; the sixth Gran
berry saucc; the seventh chicken salad, the
eighth como rice pudding, and the last con
tains horrible dictuD a slice Of apple tart,
with n large helping of cheese in the middle
Of 1T These two things are eaton together
and arc consequently served on the same
dish.
You begin at the left The first present,
no obstacles but its bones and is soon disposed
ot You turn your attention to the next
dish on tho right and attack the beef II l.
impegnable, you can make no itrfr,-Siui