The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-04
FAMOUS FRENCH EATERS.
A Worthy Couple Who Spent the Greater
Pnrt of Their Lives Mt tho Tablc.

a Worthy Couple Who Spent the Greater
Part OF Their Lives ut tho Table.
When epicureanism is joined with an
expert regard for the laws of digestion,
it ceases to deserve reprobation. All the
world might, on this basis, properly con-
sist of epicures, for if oSe has nothing
more to eat than oatmeal porridgc, NUT
ton hroth and cabbagcs and prepares
those articles of food daintily and skill
fully he may truly call himself gour-
met. distinguished instance of the
influence of good cookery in prolonging
life was found i'll the case of thc MARQUIS
and MGrchioness de Bcchamel. famous
cplcures i'll The days of the old monarchy
i'll France
Bechamel achieved the distinction of
having sauce, which survives to this
day named after him. He married a
Young woman named Valentino de
Rocncmont, who is said to haveattractcd
him purely because she was a wonderful
~ good cook and had Il remarkable aD-
petite.
Though this might seem TO be an in
sufficient basis for IL happy marriage, it
proved quite enough in this case. The
marquis and marchioncss cooked and
ate together for 80 years in perfect ac-
cord and perfect health. They were said
TO have almost passed their lives at the
table, and when they were not at the t;s-
bic together they We're generally in the
kitchen together. That their cookery
was wholesome their long life testified.
and that it was delicious all the famous
caters of their epoch were absolutely
agreed.
They had Il famous feast at their gold
ell wedding. For many years the mar
quis had been saving for this occasion Il
bottle OF priceless Constance wine from
the Cape of Good Hope. and every guest
was TO have Il drop or two of it,
Just as the bottle was being brought
out the Marchioness of Bcchamel sank to
the floor. 1t WAS quickly ascertained
that She was dead. She appeared simply
to have reached the term of her exist
ence, and her death ut such a festival
was regarded as most beautiful and
touching one.
The bottle of Constance was put away
unopened The marquis was inconsol-
able Before long ho fell apparently
hopelessly i'll. In this emergency his
physician, having informed him that his
end was surely near, the marquis called
Tor the bottle of Constance wine.
With sinking, dying voice the old
man said:
when | meet my beloved Valentine
on the other side, she will say. What is
that perfume, my dear, which | detect
upon thy lips And will answer, 1T is
the Constance wine, my beloved. that
we had saved for our golden weddingr"
Bechamel drank of the wine, and his
livid head fe!l back upon the pillow. All
supposed that lie was dead, but lie was
merely asleep. An hour afterwartl he
called his nephew and sent him with Il
key TO open Il drawer i'll IL secretary and
bring from it y box
The nephew made all haste, supposing
that the box might contain his will or
some other document which he wished
to sign or modify before his death.
To his establishment it was found to
contain Il pie.
1t WAS wonderful Pcrgord pie.
dressed with truilies of sarlet. The mar
quis ate freely of it and again sank back
upon his pillow.
''Hark. said the doctor. II hear the
fatal rattle III his throat 1t will soon be
over
But the "rattlc" turned out to be Il
snore The marquis was asleep. And
though he was then - years old he lived
10 years longer and invented several
more famous dishes. YOUTHS Comnan-
ion.