The Washington critic., 1890-03-11
THE CRITICS. CAMERA
PICTURES OF MEN AND THINGS AT
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.

that Would Have Pleased the Eyes
OF Sydney smith--Presideut Harri-
son When He ,,Unbends,p
How many readers Of THE Critic
have ever seen one of those beautifully
decorated and tempting-loobing salads
which are served at public banquets
dished up? Very few, probably. A
CmTIc man, however, witnessed the
operation last night. A banquet was in
progress at one of the most popular
and best-managed bostelries in town.
The exigencies of news gathering
caused the reporter to penetrate into the
kitchen to obtain from the cbef some
information about matter entirely un.
connected with the banquet. While
there he saw several walters come in
and ask for additional dishes of chicken
salad.
The celebrity with which their de-
mands were filled was something little
short of marvellous. Grabbing one of
the familiar oblong dishes in one hand,
kitchen assistant would plunge his
free arm up to the elbow in washtub
filled with an uninviting gray mixture
and at one fell swoop would fill the
dish. A few deft pats with the hand,
few shreds of lettuce from an adioin-
ing tub placed around the edge, some
slices of hard. boiled egg and boiled beet
from similar receptacle placed on top,
and heigh, prestol There was q salad fit
TO set before a king.
Tho yvltOln rrOnnec u-oc fbnrouoI,1,-
clean, the materials used were of the
best and probably incorporated in the
right proportions, in fact the character
of the house makes this go without
saying, but not one person in ten who
might happen to witness the operation
would ever again care to eat chicken
salad at public banquet.
T. @
In this connection Governor Shoupe
of Idaho, who is now in the city in the in
terest of the bill to admit his Territory
into Statehood, tells good story, in
which the laugh is on himself. When
he went to the New Orleans Exposition
with the Idaho exhibit, he made large
number of friends among the residents
of the Crescent city. Among them was
a wealthy Creole who was noted as
priding himself on the excellence of his
cuisine. The Governor dined frequently
at his hospitable mansion on the out
skirts of the city, and soon became
thorougly enamored Of Creole cookery.
One dish of which he learned to be par
ticularly fond was species of sweet
potato croquette, the succulent roots
being mashed fine, rolled into small
balls, and deliciously fried to a golden
brown. The Governor became so fond
of these that it was no unusual thing
for him, when at his friends house, to
make almost an entire meal of them.
One morning, after stopping there al |
night, he arose earlier than usual aud
went for stroll about the grounds. On
his way back he happened across the
kitchen, which, as in all far Southern
States, was in an open shed at the rear.
There he saw his favorite potato
croquettes being cooked for his break
fast. Standing before the stove was a
stalwart negro cook. The combined
effect of the sub tropical sun and hot
fire caused perspiration to eXude
from cookies skin at every pore and to
fall from him in great drops. He stuck
bravely to his work, however, and,
with machine-like rapidity, picked up
small handfuls of mashed potatoes from
big bowl at his side, deftly rolled
them into balls on his sweat-dampened
bare arm and then dropped them into
the kettle of boiling oil before him.
Governor Shoupe left his friend house
before breakfast that morning, and il
ever he should come to eat o. meal with
you it would be unwise, not to say un
kind, TO set potato croquettes before
him.
Among the arrivals at the Nationa
last evening was thick.set. clean
shaven man of medium height, dressed
in dark gray suit, who attracted con
siderable attention by the numerous
questions he asked of nearly everybody
with whom he came into contact. III,
was Jonas NJ. Cleland. He takes grea
delight in fooling the hotel clerks, nint
out of ten of whom, after reading hi
signature, address him as "NIr. McClei
land" While he laughs at the hote
men who make this mistake. he neve1
fails to rail at the newspapers for thu
same error.
He has many times been advised t
drop the middle initial or spell in full
the name for which it stands, but will
inherited Scoth obstinacy he refuses Il
do either. Mr.. Cleland halls from
Siouy City, and was the orig o
the famous corn palace at the New
Orleans Exposition. He is quite
wealthy man, and is said have &C
quired most of his money by the ex
ercise of the peculiarly which mad
yesterday-that of asking questions
he having first been successful re
porter and afterward brilliant lawye
in the far West. The answers he re
ceived to questions in both these ca
real estate and politics. Hence thes
millions.
In spite of all the talk about Presi
dent Harrisons stiffness and GOODNESS
there is a great deal more friskiness il
his composition than would be su;
pected by most of those who have onl
met him in an official capacity. Usual
4.30 or J o'clock sees the main busi
ness of the day ended at the Whit
House, and then the President is lik
boy when school "lets out" His ey
brightens, his figure unbends like bow
and he looks elastic and ready for reC
reation. Perhaps his favorite big ba
horse John" is driven to the from
door. lie draws the mail buggy,
substantial vehicle holding two pei
sons. The president takes the rein
and away he goes for a brisk drive c
an hour or more.
Mrs. Harrison often accompanie
him. Sometimes Lille" Halford goc
along, and often the Presidents con