Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-10-24
FEASTED IN SILENCE,
A CHINESE BANQUET RUINED sY 4
MoNooLiAN WARD M'ALusTER.
ssa yss.sisss's Celestial yeus uunArse
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ws.ss. psviisity q IL Iasi,ssai,s -

Tno Ioor nuooTvo - IVY W Se
town-thas u 70 say. The 90 sod more
chicken butcher. pawnbroksn end sausage
manufacturer, wore In . Wild .dutt9 o.
social sxcitsmsnt The indting oauss OF
the fururs was the dinner given b. The No.
chsnts' Exchange Of Chinatown 70 the
mlnistsr plsnipotsntisy ffom PsktnG.
Yang Yu. md the score Of pig tailed diplo-
mats IN his train. On the previous evening
his excellency hsd been dinsd In the true
oriental style By the Chinese Biz Companies
and Attorney Riordan, and last night IL
came 20 the turn Of the unclassined men OF
trade In the Monaghan colony 70 stun the
representative Of the Celestial empire with
all the delicacies known 70 their cuisine.
The restaurant u situated on Dupont
street, near Commercial, In . three story
structure, with balconies In the oriental
style and q profusion Of tinsel. rcd paint.
Chinese lanterns and music that would set
the teeth Of an alligator on edge. To this
repository Of Mongolian delicacies all the
invited guests were proudly wheeled In
American hacks piloted By acute Jehus
who figured with grim satisfsetion on the
glorious opportunity TO aniict The heather
and in some degree even mp matters By
charging them six prices for the unaccus-
toned luxury OF ride In four wheeled
chariot.
The hour Of the dinner was o'clock TO
the minute. In Peking this II the fashion.
able time for taking the evening meal, for
the law Of Confucius has % Get II for all
time In China
Precisely at o'clock the hacks began TO
roll up TO the Dupont street restaurant,
and the anxious but delighted pork
butchers, cigar suffers and hsh peddlen b.
gan to roll out and elbow each other up
stairs In the trial Of the plenipotsntiary,
from whom they were separated BY 20
diplomats In costumes that looked like the
hand painted nightshirts conferred on pop
ular bridegroom by admiring female rela-
tives. The merchants were also attircd In
long flowing garments Of the robe dc mutt
pattern.
The guests were soon seated without any
ceremony, but with much sorrow. for .
cold blooded social plot developed itself the
moment that the banquet hall was reached.
II was expected, of course, that the plen-
ipotentiary would take seat somewhere
In the main banquet hall, where the ora
tors of Spofford alley. which II noted for it,
eloquent speakers, would havea free whack
1t him. One fat pork butcher had roll Of
Chinese autographed eloquencein his pock.
ct, and several Jackson street and Cum
Cook alley hnanciers were about a. well
heeled. Il promised to bes great night for
the Chinese Language, and In expectation
Of prolonged how Of eloquence brass
band and an extra stock Of rice brandy had
been provided. The unexpected, however,
happened. a. always does occur on momen-
tous occasions
The Ward McAllister Of Chinatown Il .
sleek pawnbroker who does business back
of the jackson Street theater. His dictum
IL supreme court law on all social questions
within radius Of six blocks Of his store,
and be naturally fell into the position OF
chief director Of the nights festivities. He
had been much sought after for several
days by aspiring merchants who desired to
cit a. close ~ possible TO the plenipotenti-
ary, and every wire was pulled to further
such ambition. Merchants who can draw
their checks for four figures approached
him under the delicate pretense Of being
hard pressed and soaked their silver
watches. He has done . roaring trade for
several days, but his prosperity II at an end.
Il IL suspected that he tacitly allowed at
least 80 merchants to believe that he could
rub elbows with the plenipotentiary. Mat
tiers reached such crisis at o'clock that
there was nothing left for the Monaghan
Ward McAllister but TO snub the whole
band Of ambitious guests and thus get him.
self out Of the frying pan, 10 to speak, by
Jumping into the nre. To the unspeakable
Consideration of the guests, the head of the
grand procession did not stop when II
reached the middle Of the spacious banquet
hall, all bedecked with berries and redo
lent Of burning sandal wood, odoriferous
punks and delicious birds nest soup. which.
next to boiled caulinower and corn beef
and cabbage, Il the most fragrant Of all
kitchen connections.
Right straight ahead went the plenipo-
Tertiary. pilotsd BY the Monaghan Meal.
lister, and before the psralyzed merchants
could catch their breath the minister and
suit were out Of sight In snug chamber at
the farther end Of the banquet hall, where
all that could DO seen Of them was the oc-
casional hutter of the lenipotentiary's fan
or glimpse Of diplomatic foot stuck out
beyond the edge OF screen that hid It
from the vox populi.
A distressing silence fell ON the assem-
bled merchants, and dark and significant
scowls were turned on the Monaghan Ward
McAliister, who, after ushering the pleni-
potentiary out of sight. took seat with q
couple Of athletic looking pork butchers In
distant corner Of the hall.
The menu, which comprised everything
In the markets Of Chinatown, was dis
cussed with evident pleasure by the pleni.
potentlary and the diplomatic corps, for
occasionally bursts Of merriment come
over the screen from their room, but the
motley crowd In the main hall had neither
eyes nor stomach for the feast. They
chewed mechanically ON their sharks fms
and went through the pretense Of shoveling
rice and mince duck with their chop sticks,
but their appetites were gone, and the only
Thirst that afflicted them was . thirst for
vengeance ON the man who had Inundated
and betrayed them.
After Teasing for an hour and half In
this sequestered nook the plenipotentlary
and suit reappeared, and bowling to the
merchants, who kowtowed right and left,
strobe down stairs to their carriages and
ratified of to the Stockwell theater.
The Ward McAllister of Chinatown let
himself out OF the restaurant through .
skylight, and at the latest accounts was
awaiting the society reports OF the banquet
In The SpofYord Alley Gazette on the roofs
of Chinatown.-San Francisco Chronicle.
A Curiosity In Bookkseping.
talking about bookkeeping, said MILF