The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-01
wHArsPUG COULD EAT.
"Reminiscences of n Man With Large
Appetite.

"Reminiscences Of n Man With Large
Appetite.
"l've heard tell OF eaters. said the
smooth faced man with the glasses. ana
I've seen some pretty good ones IN my
on the Bowery who couljHeat anything
tina. ever cfme out OF the west. You
know all these crack Attacks who can ear
a house and lot and wash IL down with
can of vitriol are Westerners. but my
man was n real product OF the Bowery,
aud he showed under anything that was
ever put up against him. / never knew
his first me- but everybody called him
Spug Jackson. and for all know he may
be- alive yet.
"spug was ur his prime about ten years
ago, and my meeting him was the result
OF a practical joke. Some friends OF
ne introduced ne to him without let
tins me knew OF bis speciality, and as
We wall ed up the Bowery one night Spug
cast longing eyes at an oyster stand. II
was one OF the stands that used to line
tho Bowory from Chatham square to
hct ston street. II lad a full line OF
great pile Of oysters topped by cake Of
ice at one SIDE. the whole lighted up with
a circus fakir's gasoline blaze.
We'll. as 1 said, Spug gave longing
glance at the stand. and /. being new
Acquaintance, suggested that we have a
" No said spug: no. | don't want TO
eat half dozen oysters and then Stop
When eat oysters like to eat as many
as | went
" Wal.' I Maid with much dignity.
when | invite any one TO have anything
/ generally mean for him to satisfy him
The rpshot Of IT was that he went
UP to tn stand. where spug paraiyzed
me by rem6ikir Z:
open me five dczen.'
HE ate the whole lot while I was get
ting away with plateful. and then
asked the man how many more he had.
Fifty said the man.
open them said Spug. AMI one after
another he ~ lrcd them down.
During all this | had kept silent, but
Spugs next rem ark settled me.
Got any moreY he askel |, swallowing
the last oyfter.
Well said the oysterrnaa. scratching
his, head. I've got two barresfIll In the
Bring them both up at once said
Spug. and save yourself trip.
Il called "A halt here, and after much
arguing got Spug away from the stand.
THAT was how | met Spug Jackson I
saw much of him afterwards, and was
soon convinced that he could eat more
than any two other men. | remember
one time when one OF those fellows who
had been going around making money by
eating thirty-six quail I'm thirty-six days.
what's quailY askei Jackson when T
spoke TO him about II, ana offered to
back him.
Why it's small bird of about the
size Of pigeon but very rich and
That's enough. said Spug: bet him
two TO one, and make 1t twelve pound
turkeys
AT another time I got hold OF a fellow
who thought he could down Spug at
miscellaneous eating. and | took him
down TO a saloon whore | knew Jackson
would be. Spug modestly offered to try
his appetite against the other fellows.
but insisted on going at IL then and there
So II was arranged that the men should
eat the spme things. one making a se>
lection and then the other, first choice
TO be decided by the toss Of a coin. Spug
won the toss, and his opponent remarked
carelessly
Well, what shall we start on?
Hams, said Spug.
How many sllces2 said the other
Slices" roarei Spug. who said any
thing about slices? Hams. | ssid-whole
hams
"The other man retired on the spot
Nothing can give you an approximate
idea OF this mans appetite. II was sim
ply beyond description. | never saw him
give up. yer. and he tackled twenty-four
apple dumplngs and a similar number
OF cups OF coffee before my face one
night I've seen him go into a restaurant,
too, and order beefsteak dinners for six.
When tney came ne a ten the waiter
that he guessed he wouldn't wait for his
friends. but would start right in. Then
he'd 20 through the whole pile.
AT drinking. he was a marvel. too. He
could drink a whole keg OF beer; and.
speaking Of beer, reminds me OF a story
they told of Spug years before ! met him.
II seems that he was working In brew
cry at the time and some people bet a
friend of his that he couldn't drink a
keg Of beer. So the friends brought the
dot ttiul ones around TO the brewery and
introduced them TO Spug.
'Spug' he said. these gentlemen want
10 bet me $50 that you can't drink a
keg OF beer DO you think you can do
it?
Wait a minute said Spug, and he
left the room"
Ten minutes passed AMI he didn't come
back. The ten minutes got 20 half an
hour. and then Spug came In.
Bet him. was all he said.
"The bet was made and Spug drank
tho beer When he had finished his
friend remarked:
'Spug why did you leave the ROOM
and why did IL take you so long 10 make
up your mindY
:" We'll, IN tell YOU said Jackson. I
didn't want you to bet your money that
| could drink "A keg OF beer. and lose II.
So / went out 10 see ii | could, first!'
The man with the glasses wound up
with this his reminiscence Of Spug Jack
son. and his listeners marched 10 the
bar and had whiskey straight-New
York sun.