The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-07-05
THE CASE Of Mr.. LOCRAFP
A NOVEL.
" WALTER BEsANT AND JAMES RICE
CHAPTER III.

TO waste such a dinner upon a youth
Whose only dreams are Of a suficiency
OF steak? Young man in after years
--ahem!-in after days you will remem,
Der this dinner. You will recall every
item in this delicious bill Of fare which
Boule-de-neige has set before you. Let
me teach you to eat it properly. Weigh
your meals"
Heaven! how | cursed his delay. He
kept one great hand between me and
the dishes, for fear, l suppose, that 1
should pOunce upon them and clear
them off all at once.
Patience, patience. Consider each
mouthful. Try to be thankful that
cooks have brought their divine art TO
such perfection. Garry back your
thoughts to ~-grunt-to time when all
mankind fed upon imperfectly cooked
steak. Think that all the treasures Of
the East and West have been ran
sacked to furnish for me this meal, and
that you will never, never, never see
such a dinner again as long as you
live"
At all events, I never saw such 4
meal again as long as he lived.
I'VE will now" he said, with a back
WAAu WdFC I'll lc IlSlL LdUu, CONSIDER
dinner as a science"
ooh, sir" l exclaimed, II am so hun
cry"
"It's beautiful to see you hungry,
but must not let you hurry. Eat as
much as you like when you begin to
but gently, gcntly-casily and gently.
Think of the future. Think Of me-"
l stared at him in wonder.
Think OF you, sir?"
why, what would happen to me if
you really destroyed your appetite, or
even yourself in swallowing a bone?'
| thought he must be mad.
young man." he went on, 'you will
say a grace before meat, if you re-
member one"
I did not.
"Then | will say one for you. Oh!
w%retched trade of stage acting. He
does not ever known a single grace be-
fore meat"
Then he began to help me-and we
went on with dinner without further
interruption. He kept up 4 running
accompaniment of comment as [ de-
voured the meal; and his manner
gradually lost all it's solemnity, until
before l was nor than half through
the dinner he was dancing about, slap
ping his leg with delight. and laugh
ing till he grew almost black in the
face.
Why he vas so pleased [ could not
tell. [ was soon to learn.
"These are plovers' eggs. No better
thing ever discovered to begin your
dinner with. Alderman Stowport says
oysters are better. That is rubbish. I
do not despise oysters. Why, he has
eaten the whole six! Bravo! bravo! an
excellent beginning. Let me take
away the plate, my dear sir. Now we
have turtle soup-gently, my young
friend, gently. All, impetuous youth!
More? ~Stay-green fat. Humor, hui.
NOR your appetite; don't drive it; cali
pash and calipec. It's really sinful to
eat SO fast. He takes all down with
out tasting it. Mono more; you must
give yourself a fair chance, and not
spoil your dinner with too much tur-
tie" He put the soup aside, and took
the cover off another dish. Salmon
with cucumber. Lobster sauce-bless
me, it's like a dream of fairyland!
Fillet Of sole-a beautiful dream to see
him. Ho! no! he's a Julius Caesar the
COnQueror. OrOquet de Voaillt-gone
like q cloud from the sky. Don't wolf
the food, my friend; there's a limit to
the cravings of nature imposed by the
claims of art; taste it. Ris de veau-
smiles Of the dear little innocent con
dding calf-a little more bread with
It? .Mauviettes en- caisse, larks in bas-
gets-sweet. rapturous, singing larks,
toothsome cockyolly larks. He eats
<hnrn I'm hnnnc or1 oil Io1 ~
Pause, my dear sir, and drink some
thing. Here are champagne. hook, and
sauterne; never touch sherry, it's
made-up wine, even the best of it.
Come, a little champagne"
II generally take draught beer, SIR
I replied, modestly. .'That is the
drink to which I have been accustom-
ID and-not too much Of it; burt, if you
please, a little fiz will be acceptable"
I drank three glasses in rapid sue
cession, and found them good. He
meanwhile nodded and winked with
ever-increasing delight which I failed
TO understand.
"Now, my Nero, my Paris of Troy,
my Judas Maccabaeus''- he mixed up
his names, but it mattered nothing
there is saddle Of mutton, with pota-
toes, caulifower, currant jelly. More
champagne? It's worth sums of mon
ey to see him. Curry? More cham
payne? Curry of chicken? Cabob
curry Of chicken, young Alexander the
Great? Plenty or rice? Ho, no, no!
Plenty of rice, he said; why, he is a
GOLIATH Goliath of Gath, this young
mani"
He really grew so purple that /
thought he would have a fit of some
Kind, but the lattery pleased me all
the same, and / went on eating and