Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-02
fLoRENCE's TERRAPIN STORY.
An Experienced Shellback That Easily Rec
ognixed Mai. Handy.

An Experienced Shellback That Easily Rec
ognixed Mai. Handy.
From the Chicago News
"Day before yesterday" says Mr.. william
Florence. the comedian, 81 met my friend
Handy Of the worlds fair. Never saw hin
looking so well before in all my life; have
known him, too, for going on thirty years.
was mighty glad to see him and we had nice
| long visit. Showed me letter he had Just go-
from his little girl, who is on a visit somewhere
in Texas. Dear papa she wrote, you would
| like the savoir faire down here in Texas very
much, but the cuisine wouldn't suit you Well
we had a great laugh over that letter. the re.
suit of our meeting was that agreed to dine
with Handy at the Richelieu last night He said
stewed terrapin.
:" But, bless you, my dear Mosesm says
there's no such thing as genuine terrapin in
the west; you may get the canned article, bu,
| surely not the live?
"'Oh, yes,' answered Handy, 'Bemis assures
me that it's the genuine thing. And 1 guess il
| il, for / We seen it,
:'Aliver saws l.
"'Alive,' says he.
well, i went, anyway.
DO you like my terrapin2 asked Bemis
Now, honestly, was disappointed in the
Wand. had eaten terrapin in Baltimore, Wash
ington and elphia-terrapin in very style
and l fattered myself that if in all the world
there was terrapin connoisseur he was VIM.
j. Florence and none other. Bemis terrapin
had that distinct flavor which betokens q long
| season Of preservation. l should have said il
was canned terrapin; it was sapid, savory and
delectabie, yet not quite the thing. But, of
course, told Bemis that it was splendid; and
indeed the fine old Madeira (S25 q bottle y
made up for every deficiency.
81 am glad to hear You say it, said Bemis
our friend Handy here has been insinuatlng
that don't keep the genuine article: whenever
serve it he intimates that it is the canned
All, but this is surely the genuine,
Indeed it u.s. said Bemis, and can prove
It, too. Here, waiter--gareon-go down into
bring me up one Of those terrspin. Donnaymoy
Won terrapin, toot sweet. see VOC play
1.-The waiter-a Frencbman, of course
hustled off. Handy tried to apologize. i
don't mean to say that you haven't got terra
pin, said he, for you've exhibited EN- alive
every time you had terrapin in the bill What
do say is that your cooked terrapin tastes
like the canned goods
"Bemis pooh-poohed the idea, and presently
back came the waiter carrying big tray and
on the tray sprawled q sure-enough terrapin.
You can't fool me on the genuine article. The
terrapln has certain distinct markings. color
ings, shadings; this Bemis terrapin was a
splendid specimen.
set it down in the middle of the table,
said Bemis, and the waiter did So
Give got the cellar full of 'em-more'n q
million, guess. said Bemis. Don't feed 'em
anything but minced liver and Bethesds water.
All fat as butter and lively as crckets When
the nights are still you can hear EN- whistling
like nightingales.'
II was satisfied that I had done Bemis a
serious injustice. Another taste Of the stew
convinced me that 1t was not the canned, but
the genuine article. So applied myself with
restored confidence to the Wand. An at once
Handy nudged me, whispering hoarsely,
Billy, did you notice anything
II looked up at him. He was white a. q
ghost and he trembled. 'Sakes aliyei what
ails You, Moses?' asked.
DO you notice anything queer-anythinR
strang or weird? he asked
NO; of course not. WhyY
Then must have taken too much of the
Madeira, said he, and he called for Q bottle of
apollinaris.
"But presently he said: There it goes again
look at iEthat terrapin-can't you see-its
bowling at mel
Vastly surprised, looked up and fixed my
eyes on the terrapin. The creature had crawled
to the edge Of the tray and reached its front
claws over the side thereof; its long neck was
extended TO Its utmost capacity, its bead-like
eyes glistened with intelligence and, surely
enough, ~ was Downing Its black head solemnly
Once twice, thrice it made obeisance-meas-
uredly, gravely, reverently.
'Marvelousn l cried 1T knows Won
Handy; the creature really knows your
'Bemis was greatly confused. Take il avay
send 1t back to baltimore he yelled. But
Handy and interposed. Handy understood it
all now: 1t was trick terrapin, the only one
Bemis had. He confessed-yes, Bemis owned
up at length. The terrapin he served was
canned terrapin; whenever any question arose
as to the genuineness of the dish Bemis would
send down into the cellar for 'one Of those
terrapin' and the waiter would bring back
this same lonely, unique terrapin 1t was a
shrewd game, but it was discovered at last.
for, however timid it was at first, the ter
rapin became Injured by degrees to exhibition,
and. having at last go. familiar with Handy's
face, it finally made so bold as to bow to
Handy, not fippantiy, but gravely and rev.
erently, as have said.
The terrapin is sagacious animal" con-
tnued Mr.. Florence. Before we finished
dinner that evening this intelligent creature
whistled an air from La Grand Duchesse;' it
had heard Billy Lyon sing it at terrapin din
ner that Bemis gave last week. You may not
believe this. Next time you eat at the Richie
lieu ask Bemis to show you the terrapin, and
he will. Although, unless Handy is there, too
the critter may not bow and whistle rs he would
do otherwise"
UnintentiOnal Slang.