The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-10
A GAsTRoNoMIC FREAK.
He Lives in Philadelphia and He Violates

All Rules of Eating.
A very remarkable case OF perverted
and artificial taste is found in the person of
Charles j. Cummings, a thriving grocer of
West Philadelphia, who resides at 3545
Paramount avenue. The Queerest combina-
ton of food Observation-Disclosures which
would nauseate an ordinary person-are his
favorite dishes. II is not that he likes food
prepared different from the usual styles. but
it is the manner in which he mixes ordinary
dishes which eXctes so much wonder and
has given rise to so many conjectures and
attempted explanations. For instance, Mr..
Cummings buffers raw tomatoes, puts salt
in his coffee, vinegar in his milk, gravy in
his ice-cream, cream on his melon. and
makes many other c0mbin ations to tickle his
palate which are nothing if not unique. One
OF his favorite dishes is rare steak Dreaded
with fruit-cake, with dressing of currant
jelly. In winter regular morning meal of
this gentleman is lettuce chopped fine, with
a dressing of molasses 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 Gu
rosity of Mr.. Cummings friends for many
years and even the neighborS have INDUCED
in comments as to the cause OF such strik-
ing phenomenon. Hearing about the case
IcpUlltI floiLcu WI db Ilio uiO
yesterday. The gastronomic freak is
pleasant man of 40, of ordinary appearance.
He was found in his comfortable home, sur
rounded by an interesting family. lie told
the following story of the way he acquired
his remarkable appetite:
Il don't know that | am more stubborn
than other men," he said with smile, as he
lit a fresh cigar, 'but they tell me that |
was as perYerse as Old Nick when a child.
No matter what other people did | wanted
to do just the opposite, out of pure cussed-
ness And so, among other things, took
to mixing my food into unheard-Of Dishes
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. In
deed, it was not long before | became in
different to dishes prepared in the usual
style and to-day they are really distasteful
to me-"
Mr.. Cummings continued as il there was
no possibility Of any one doubling his
veracity.
THE most curious thing about this mat
ter 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 in pretty child of years.
This child, sir" said the father, as he
put her on his knee, has been puzzle to
lot of physicians and Psychologists. They
all say that they never heard of such re-
markabIe 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 az
quired | have not met a man yet who can
explain the thing, even to his own satisfac-
ton"
The little girl soon became tired of the
conversation, and demanded her supper.
And what do you think her supper
Will be? Sliced peaches and cold bean
soupP'
AS his auditor looked incredulous. Mr..
Cemmings took him into the nursery, and
sure enough there was little Lily discussing
her peaches aud cold soup with the utmost
relish.-Phila0elph Times.