St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-20
A GAsTRoNoMIC FREAK.

He Lives in Philadelphia and He
Violates All Rules OF Eating.
Philadelphia Times
A very remarkable case of perverted
and artificial taste is found in the per-
son of Charles j. Cummings. thriving
grocer of West Philadelphia. who resides
at 3545 Fairmont avenue. The queerest
combination of food mag inable-mix-
lures which would nauSeate an ordinary
person-are his favorite dishes 1t is
not that he likes food prepared different
from the usual style, but it is the man
ner III which he mixes ordinary dishes
which eXcites so much wonder. and has
given rise to many conjectures and at
tempted explanations.
For instance. Mr.. Cummings buffers
raw tomatoes. puts salt in his coffee,
vinegar in his milk, gravy OH his ice
cream, cream on his melon, and makes
many other combination to tickle his
palate which are nothing if not unique.
One his favorite dishes is rare steak
Dreaded with fruit cake, with dressing
OF currant jelly. In winter 4 regular
morning meal of this gentleman is let
tuce chopped fine, with a dressing of
malasses and red pepper. There are
many other unheard-of dishes which
delight his peculiar palate, but enough
have been mentioned.
This freak of appetite has excited the
curiosity of Mr.. Cummings friends for
many years, and even the neighbors
have INDUCED in comments as to the
cause of such a striking phenomenon.
Hearing about the case, a reporter visit
ed Mr.. Cummings at his home yester-
day. The gastronomic freak is pleas
ant man of forty, of ordinary appear
ance. He was found in his comfortable
home surrounded by an interesting
family. He told the following story of
the way he acquired his remarkable
appetite:
II don't know that l am more stub
born than other men," he said with a
smile, as he lit fresh cigar, but they
tell me that l was as perverse as Old
Nick when child. No matter what
other people did, L wanted to do just the
opposite, out Of pure cuSSedneSS.' And
so, among other things, took to mixing
my food into unheard-of dishes. L can
even remember that when | began this
thing [ did not find it pleasant, but the
devil in me would not let me back down,
and so | really had relish for what |
ate. Indeed, it was not long before |
became Indifferent to dishes prepared
i'll the usual style, and to-day they are
really distaSteful to me-"
Mr.. Cummings continued as if there
was no possibility of any one doubling
his veracIty.
1.-The most curious thing about this
matter is that one of my children has
inherited my acquired taste, and
stranger still that this child should be
my youngest"
Then Mr.. Cummings went out and
brought III pretty child of four years.
This child, sir" SAID the father, as
he put her on his knee, has been a puz-
zle to lot of physicians and physiolo-
gists. They all say that they never
heard of such remarkable case of
heredity. You see that she does not
look like me, but is the image of her
mother, and yet she has inherited from
me taste which even with me is ac-
CURED. | have not met man yet who
can explain the thing even to his own
satisfaction"
The little girl soon became tired of
the conversation, and demanded her
supper.
land what do you think her supper
will be? Sliced peaches and cold bean
soupv'
AS his auditor looked incredulous,
Mr.. Cummings took him into the nurS-
cry, aud, sure enough, there was little
Lily discussing her peaches and cold
soup with the utmost relish.
All the other children have normal
tastes. and, though they have made
some experiments in imitation of their
father Just for the fun of the thing, they
have not been tempted to invent any
new menus.