The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-10-10
DELIGHTS OF DINING.
HOW EASILY THE SPELL OF SOLEMN
ENJOYMENT MAY BE BROKEN.


eurc's Serious Aniiction. .,
For my thorough appreciation Of a
large and good dinner ] am, / believe.
Indebted to my father. He was a great
diner, and it is well known that the fin
ut qualities of the English race are her
sditary. Ny father suffered from govt.
and the doctors, who are q mass Of pref
udices, tell mo that ! also have got il.
However, l am thankful to say that
know my own constitution. What u
really the matter with me is a sort OF
cold accompanied by inflammation In
one toe. II arises, I should say, from
overwork. Ola port is good for it.
A fine appreciation Of dinner should
DO accompanied by a large income.
When my father died of apoplexy
Drought on by a quarrel with his cook.
who was o fair instance of talent a dis
tinct from geniusl ! succeeded to his
position in the firm, and to an income
which ven in the city is considered to
be fairly large. i love largeness. ] love
large incomes, large houses, large appe-
tites, large waistcoats, large dinners. I
can never be too thankful that / car well
afford large dinners. 1t was always my
ambition to be, like my father, n great
diner. and it would be but false humility
to say hat / 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 or 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 n thing. / say, dine-merely
dine. That is enough. Do that we'll,
and you have the best delight that this
world can give you. AS for converse
ton, / 4 espise it.
Now, there was the case Of Charles
Nutcomb. He was with us at one time
and might for family reasons have come
into a small partnership. 1t would not
have beer much-some ca, 900 a year.
but ample for q young and unmarried
man who is willing to exercise ordinary
care. Charles was o diner out, and for
family reasons / once asked him to dine
with me, although In q general way I
will not have young men at my table.
At the very moment when we were eat
ing a vol-au-vent that from it's peculiar
ly subtle and lovely character demanded
the eaters attention. reverence and 81
lence-at that very moment. Charles
Nutcomb was t~actl-ss enough to tell
a story. 1t caused noisy laughter. 1t,
if / may use the phrase, completely
broke the spell. 1t was like whistling q in
church. However, 1t vas not in conse-
quence of this indiscretion alone that I
finally decided to get rid of Nutcomb.
He refused port. A mar who refuses
port-my ports a fool and conse-
quently unfit to be a partner in Gorg-
bury g. Pigge. A fortnight afterward l
managed to make some excuse for get
ting him out Of Office. I feel positively
certain that he would have embezzled
money if he had remained. His after
career only confirmed my low opinion
Of him. he went completely to the dogs
became an author, in fact.
But l am not unduly devoted to wine.
Indeed l sometimes wonder whether I
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 1t is impossible to think
much about the m viands-as-
paragus, the simple oyster, or even q cut
from a perfect saddle Of mutton-with-
out feeling grateful. Then, too, dinner
promotes the kindly spirit. When / 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 nom
sense of that sort-I of course dismiss
him at once. But If I were to defer my
decision until the evening / should very
likely confne myself to fining him a
weeks salary. II it were his first ~offense,
and my dinner had been particularly
good, might wen Get him off with a
reprimand. That is the reason why l do
nc business under any pretcxt after din
ner. 1t is all very well to feel kindli-
ness, but one has to be careful that tho
feeling shall not influence ones actions.
How inseparable from our dearest de-
lights are our deepest sorrows! have
but one serious affection. the great cup
the soup Of the city--has not a real at.
fraction for me. 1t is richly expensiye:
1t is hallowed by a thousand historical
associations; it has brought ecstasy to the
hearts Of men with larger incomes than
] shall eve possess, but to me it is al
most a closed book. Sometimes when l
am eating it at a city banquet / feel as
If / could SEQ 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 1t ought to be
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