The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-02-10
A MAGYAR RESTAURANT.
PICTURESQUE SCENES IN A HUN
GARIAN EATING HOUSE,
The wonderously Appealing Odors
From the National Dish, Gulyas-
Mad Revels to Gipsy Music.

Like all large cities, Buda-Pesth has
beautiful hotels, on which we need waste
no words. When we arrive IN a strange
town we do not go in search of those
things which it has in common with
other municipalities, but we look for
those things which are distinct and pc
culiar. We will then take advantage of
the beautiful evening not to visit the
National Theatre, where the Hungarian
language is used (Which, unhappily, we
don't understand), or the New Opera,
which strives to compete with the opera
houses of other cities, but to enter a
Hungarian restaurant in the courtyard of
a house, where some dusty oleanders
form sort of garden, covered with an
awning. Peculiar, wonderously appe-
tizing odors of the kitchen greet our
nostrils, for we are here on the classical
soil of the Hungarian "gulyas," which
the Viennese pronounce "gollasch," " and
the Hungarians "guiaasch."
What Is, then, "gulyasW Meat
roasted in peppery onion sauce. But
what stupid definition that is isl 1t is
like saying that an opera by Mozart is
combination of sounds. One thing,
however, is beyond dispute-if there is
Hungarian heaven, "gulyas" is sure to
be eaten there. 'Gulyas," then, is a
concoction of onions, pork, meats of all
sorts, and paprika (red Hungarian pep
per-. But who can praise in fitting Ian
guage its savoriness2 Who can describe
with adequate eloqusnce the blood-and-
marrow penetrating strength of the
paprika, this boasted national product2
Who can praise sufficiently the pungent
pepper with which the "gulyas" is
seasoned in such abundant measure that
the stranger who eats 1t feels something
dissolve inside of him2Stars dance before
his eyes, and the perspiration breaks out
upon his brow. BIT this ex cessivc pun
gency is tempered and enriched by the
potatoes cooked into a mealy liquid and
the little dumplings known as "nokerln."
In "gulyas," as in music, there are in
finite variations possible. but the key
note is always the paprika. With the
"gulyas," one or more bottles OF fiery
Hungarian wine are drunk. Ho, hol
Hungarian brotherl Ellen!
AS an accompaniment to "gulyas'
and paprika belongs gypsy music. One
of the many bands, whose chief is
local celebrity, installs itself in a corner
of the room. In foreign countries one
sees gypsies of questionable origin.
Often they are Bohemians, or even Ger
mans Gn Hungary they are called
Schwooh), who in meretricious huzzah
costumes exhibit themselves to their
guests. But in Buda.Pesth such play
ing at gypsies would not be practicable.
Here the brown, brawny fellows, with
their shrewd, deep dark eyes, and their
mustaches, show themselves in all their
native picturesqueness. Their clothes
present mixture of peculiarly Hungarian
and European costumes; on their heads
they wear small round hats with turned
up brims. The men play without notes
and it is asserted that the majority of
them do not know one note from an
other, but play by ear, if not to say by
instinct. The leader of the band plays
the first violin, turning constantly with
nervous alertness to the right aud to the
left, and the Others simply accompany
his melody with all sorts of variations.
An important role belongs in every
gypsy band to the cymbal-player, who
with two little hammers beats kind of
big either. According as the leader
with nervous, almost convulsive motions
beabors his fiddle, tine Others file away
after him, until they work themselves
up, Just as he does, into musical de-
lirium. Long-drawn, plaintive, melan
choly, signing tunes alternate with sud-
den, unbridled bursts of Joy. Like the
clever psychologist that he is, the leader
of the gypsies instantly picks out
some quiet patrician in the audience,
to whom he addresses the music.
Boldly he places himself in front Of him,
sticks his fiddle almost into his face, and
ne forms first fearful tunes, which make
the listener gaze with serious intent
ness into space; then the gypsy accel-
crates the tempo until he reaches the de-
lirium, which kindles such an intoxicating
ecstacy in the patrician that, with a half
smothered "Jai!" he grabs his head.
When the playing is at an end he says
not a word, but pulls from his big leather
purse a bank-note of considerable value,
and splitting on the back of it, pastes it
on the gypsys forehead. Not so quiet is
the scene when the whole company have
been wrought into ecstasy; then some
one present is apt to tear bill of high
denomination in two, give one half to the
gypsy and stick the other half into his
pocket, surrendering it only when the
gypsies have given the company their fill
of music. Frequently a struggle for ex-
istence arises between the musicians and
the carousers. 1t has happened many a
time that the gypsies, when they have
earned money enough, have vanished
one by one just as the company had been
seized with a desire to dance. To guard
against this contingency each one Of the
band had to pull of one boot and keep
the other, playing with one foot bare.
The confscated boots were flung into the
cellar, and only surrendered when the
dance and jollihcation were at an end.
This ingenious procedure does not ex-
press, perhaps, high degree of mutual
confidence; but practical and effective it
is,which s,after all, the main considera-
ton Harper's Magazine.
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Some of the English gas meter inspec
tors are being provided with uniforms,
because heretofore, according to a Brit