Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-23
DORsEY.s HOSPITALITY.
Lavfshness With Champagne That
Was Unnppreciutcd.

Was Unnppreciatcd.
Santa. Fe Letter to tie St. Louis Globe Democrat.
stephen w. Dorsey is no longer numbered
among the picturesque characters. of New
Mexico. The log mansion, with its beauti-
1ul hardwood finish and elegant appoint
ments. looking out from the edge of a high
mesa over fifty miles of plain and noun.
tam range, with fountain playing on the
lawn, no longer knows the presence of the
man who designed it and dispensed lavish
hospitality which New Mexican taste could
not appreciate. Through the mutations of
cattle company, ex-senator Dorsey has
transferred his residence to Denver This
territory has her quota of talented story
tellers. but big gap was made in the
ranks when Mr.. Dorsey departed
The hospitality which Dorsey dispensed
at the log mansion on the mesa is still the
marvel of New Mexico.
Il remember" said a territory official
that one time when court was in session
at South Las Vegas, Senator Dorsey in
yited us out to his place to stay over Sun
day. Naturally, we all accepted and In
the party was Judge Vincent, whom Presi-
dent Cleveland summarily, and, as we all
thought, unjustly removed for appointing
Dorsey one Of the jury commissioners Of
the county. We had heard much of Dor
sey's home and hospitality, and looked for
ward to the visit with a great deal of in
terest It was twenty-mile drive. When we
got to the place we found that its attrac-
Of which the house was built were dressed
outside The interior was hardwood and
polished. Senator Dorsey had piped wafer
from large spring high up in the noun
tain. He had water all over his house,
and the pressure was sufficient to keep a
large fountain playing continually in front
Of the big porch.
1.-THE Senator received us in the dining
# will <hk
There wasn't a dron of whisky on the
place., Not a glass oPbeer was to be had
But champagne of the costliest brands was
pressed upon US: Champagne was good
right thing for New Mexican crowd, and
one after another of Us slipped away from
the table and got cut of doors. I can re-
member to this day how thirsty we were
and how we longed for a little of the
whisky to which we were accustomed. And
all of the time the fresh bottles of cham
payne were coming on the table to mock
US. The Senator was prodigai. He
wouldn't let the bottles stay to be emptied.
single glass, perhaps, would be poured
out In few moments the Senator would
wave the opened bottles away and order
fresf;, saying the wine was fiat. wouldn't
that night. AS soon as we could We got
out of doors, all of US but one of our
party, and the Senator. They remained at
the table engaged in political argument.
Inc senator was SuaVe. His opponent
was emphatic. I slipped back to the door
and listened.
Now let US consider this question calm
ly,' I would hear the Senator say And
then he would add, by the way, my
friend, your wine is fiat. Waiter, here,
bring us fresh bottle
And so 1t went on until our representa-
tive suddenly lurched and slid off his chair
literally under the table. He didn't arise.
1 saw Dorsey look steadily toward the va
cant chair, and heard him say to himself:
"'Where is my adversary? He seems to
have fallen early in the combat
II went into the room. and suggesting
to the Senator that 1t was more comfor-
table in the parlor, gave him my arm
Then got help, and two of US pulled our
compadre who had remained with the
champagne from among the table legs and
put him to bed. We never again accepted
Senator Dorsey's hospitality. One recol-
lection of that ocean Of champagne and
not a drop to drink satisfied U.S.