Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-10-23
A GAsTRON0MIC FREAK.
He, Is Possessed Of. g, Most Re-
markable Appetita
Ills Fsvorite Dishes Ouoor and Unheard-
OF Mixtures Which Would sicken
ind Nausoato an Ordi-
nary Person.

,--.-.---..... nary Person.
A very remarkable case Of a pervertA
ed and artificial taste. is found in the
person of Charles j. Cummings, thriv-
ing grocer of West Philadelphia. The
quecrcst combinations of food imaginat
blcLlnixturcs which would nuuscatc an
ordinary pcrson-arc his fnvorito dish
cS. 1t is not that he likos food rrcp,fH:l
different from tho usual style, but it l.
the manner in which no mixes ordinary
dishes which cXcitcs SO much wonder
and has given rise to so many conJcc-
lures and attempted explanations. For
instance, says the Philadelphia Times,
Mr.. Cummings buffers raw tomatoes,
puts salt in his coffee, vinegar in his
milk, gravy in his ice-crc2rn, cream on
his melon. and makes many other com
binatiors to tickle his palate which arc
nothing If not unique. One of his favor
tic dishes is rare steak Dreaded with
fruit cake, with n 'drcS3ingof currant
jelly. In winter q regular morning
meal of this gentlemen is lettuce
chopped fine, with dressing of mo-
lasscs and red pepper. There arc many
other unhcard-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 indulgcd n comments as to tho
cause Of slch q striking phenomenon.
Hearing about the case, Il reporter Wis
tied Mr.. Cummings at his homo.
The glstron9mic freak is n pleas
ant mnn of forty, of ordinary appear
ancc. lie was found in his comfortable
home, surrounded by an Interesting
family. He told the following story Of
the way he acquired his remarkable APP
petite.
~ don't know that am more stub
born than other mon" he said with a
smile, Is he lit fresh cigar, "but they
tell me that was as pcrvcrsc as Old Nick
when = child. No matter what other
people did, I wanted to do just. the
opposite, ont Of pure cusscdncss.' And
SO, among other things, took to mix
ing ny food into unhcard-of dishes.
|, can even remember, that when I began
this thing l did not lind it pleasant, but
the devil in lac would not let me back
down, and 50 1 really had q relish for
what ate. Indeed, 1t was not long be-
fore / became Indifferent to dishes pre-
pared in the usual style, and to-day
they aro really distaStcful to me-"
Mr.. Cummings continued as if there
was no possibility o: anyone doubling
| his vGracity. t*
''Thc most curious thing about this
matter Is that one of my children has
inherited my acquired taste. and
80 I. I'LL Il.
my youngest. -.
Then Mr.. Cummings went out and
brought in q pretty child OF four years.
"Thi6 child. SIR said the father, rs
he put her on his knee, ''has been q
puzzle to a LOT of pnyslclnns and
| Psychologists. They all say that they
never heard Of such q remarkable case
Of hcrcdity. You sec that she does not
look like me, but is the image of her
mother, and yet she has Inherited from
me taste which oven with me is nc
uircd. | have not met man yet who
an explain the thing even to his own
ati5faction."
Tho little girl soon became tired Oh
he conversation and demanded heI
supper.
"And what do you think her sup
per will be? Sliced peaches and colo
bean noup!'' .......,
AS his nuliGor looked incrcdulous
Mr.. Cummings took him into the nurs
cry, and sure enough there was littlc
Lily discussing her peaches and cole
soup with the utmost relish.
All tho other children have norma
tastes, and though they have mad:
some experiments in imitation of thci
father just for the fun Of the thing
they have not been tempted to inven
any new menus.
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a Mo man docs not have as many Oh