Evening journal., 1893-10-02
DELIGHTS OF DINING.
HOW EASILY THE SPELL OF SOLEMN
ENJOYMENT MAY BE BROKEN.

tention, Reverence aud sIleuce--An Epi-
cures Serious Addiction.
For my thorough appreciation Of a
large and good dinner I am, believe,
indebted to my father. He was a great
diner, and it is well known that the fin.
est qualities of the English race are her
editary. Ny father suffered from gout,
and the doctors, who are a mass of pref
udices, tell me that 1 also have got it.
However, am thankful to say that |
know my own constitution. What is
really the matter with me is a sort of
cold accompanied by inflammation in
one toe. 1t arises, l should say, from
overwork. Old port is good for it.
A fine appreciation Of dinner should
be accompanied by a large income.
When my father died Of apoplexy
drought on by % quarrel with his cook,
who was a fair instance of talent ms dis
tinct from genius), l succeeded to his
position in the firm, and TO an income
which even in the city is considered to
be fairly large. love largeness. l love
large incomes, large houses, large appe-
tites, large waistcoats, large dinners.
can never be too thankful that / can well
afford large dinners. 1t was always my
ambition to be, like my father, a great
diner. and itwould be but false humility
to say that / shall die without having
earned the reputation.
/ distinguish between the diner and
the diner out. do not want to be un-
charitable, but have no high opinion of
the diner out. He does not as a rule.
take the dinner itself quite seriously. He
is liable to show an interest in the
women whom he takes in OF in the con-
versation. Now, life is too short for
that division of interests; we only have
time to do one thing well. Let dinner
be that one thing. l say. dine-merely
dine. That is enough. Do that well.
and you have the best delight that this
world can give you. AS for conversa-
ton, despise it.
Now, there was the case of Charles
Nutcomb He was with us at one time
and might for family reasons have come
into small partnership. 1t would not
have been much-some $4,000 q year
but ample for q young and unmarried
man who is willing to exercise ordinary
care. Charles was a diner out, and for
family reasons / once asked him TO dine
with me, although in a general wav I
will not have young men at my table.
At the very moment when we were eat
ing vol-au-vent that from its peculiar
ly subtle and lovely character demanded
the eaters attention, reverence and si-
lence-at that very moment. Charles
Nutcomb was tactlcss enough to tell
n story. 1t caused noisy laughter. 1t.
if / may use the phrase, completely
broke the spell. 1t was like whistling in
church. However, it was not in conse-
quence Of this indiscretion alone that 1
finally decided to get rid Of Nutcomb.
He refused port. A man who refuses
port-my ports a fool and conse-
quently unfit to be q partner in Gorg-
bury & Pigge. a fortnight afterward /
managed to make some excuse for get
ting him out Of Office. / feel positively
certain that he would have embezzled
money if he had remained. His after
career only confirmed my low opinion
of him. Hewent completely to the dogs
became an author in fact.
But am not unduly devoted to wine.
Indeed ! sometimes wonder whether 1
am more fond Of that or Of the solid part
Of the dinner. Both are good. Both
bring out all that is best in a man. The
feeling Of gratitude, for instance, is COM
mendable. Il is impossible to think
much about the commonest viands-as-
paragus, the simple oyster, or even a cut
from a perfect saddle of mutton-with-
out feeling grateful Then, too, dinner
promotes the kindly spirit. When l lie
back in my chair after dinner, breathing
stertorously, my temper becomes kindly
TO the verge Of fatuousness.
When in the morning q clerk arrives
an hour late and makes some paltry ex-
cuse-that his wife is dead, or some non
sense of that sort--I Of course dismiss
him at once. But if I were to defer nv
decision until the evening l should verv
likely confne myself to fining him a
weeks salary. If it were his first offense
and my dinner had been particularly
good, might even let him off with n
reprimand. That is the reason why 1 do
no business under any pretext after din
ner. 1t is all very well to feel kindh-
ness, but one has to be careful that the
feeling shall not influence ones actions.
How inseparable from our dearest de-
lights are our deepest sorrowsi have
but one serious afliiction. the great soup
the soup Of the city-has not a real at
traction for me. It is richly expensive;
it is hallowed by thousand historical
associations; it has brought ecstasy to the
hearts Of men with larger incomes than
/ shall ever possess, but to me it is al
most a closed book. Sometimes when
am eating it at a city banquet I feel as
if l could see afar off its perfect mean
ing and catch dim glimpses Of its SUI
perb generosity. But that is all. lean
not love it as know that it ought to be
| loved.
Heretofore have kept my ahliction a
secret, but last night, when Thomas
Pigge and 1 were dining with the Fen
dermakers zone Of the IL principal com
! panies), noticed that he was watching