Milford chronicle., 1896-10-09
OLD TOM TYSON.
The Buttered Toast Autocrat and His FL
nous Manchester Restaurant.

The Buttered Toast Autocrat and His Fa-
nous Manchester Restaurant.
The most famous hot buttered toast
house in the world was Tysons restau-
rant in Rock street, Manchester, which
still flourishes, but no longer is animated
by the crisp individuality Of its founder,
old Tom Tyson, as he was known. Tyson
was born autocrat, who knew that in
their heart Of hearts Britons, for all their
rule Britannia sentiments, like to be slave
! driven. So he established restaurant
wherein he an inhexible autOcrat, might
enforce laws Of his own making and win
riches by this very enforcement He pro-
vided only chops, steaks and Cumberland
ham and served with them, instead of vege-
tables, hot buttered toast or bread Most
Of bis customers took toast To people
who asked for potatoes it was sarcastically
remarked that they should have brought
their own Every one who ate at Tyson's
was compelled also to drink Ale, stout,
coffee and tea were the liquids. A Gus
toner asking for water was referred to the
''teetotal shop next door "
A host Of good stories are told of Tyson
He dominated the place in his shirt sleeves ]
and nothing escaped his vigilant eye. His ]
duty to the customer, as he conceived it, |
was done when good food had been laid |
promptly before him. After thrtt - cas- [
TONER'S duty e master of the restlu-
rant began. Reading was not permitted,
at least in the middle of the day, nor
grumbling, nor a proracted sitting, nor
smoking. Tyson's strength was the excel
lence of his wares, his cheapness and his
businesslike dispatch, and, knowing this,
he played the tyrant to the top of his bent.
A young man once calling, Waiter bring
me steak at once, " was amazed to find q
raw steak clapped on the table before him.
To his expression of disgust came the re-
ply, You can't expect meat to be cooked
If you want it at once. " Another customer
had the temerity to complain that his
steak was tough. A considerable space Of
time elapsed before he came again, but
Tyson who forgot nothing, was waiting
for him. The grumbler called for a steak.
: Steaks are tough, - was the reply. "Then
I'll have a chop" "Chops are tough. "
Then what can haves'' Nothing II
you can't be satisfied with food that pleases
other people, you can go somewhere else. -
customer daring so much as to glance S
It letter from his pocket was CURLY in {
ormed that 'this is not "a library" A /
customer who had exceeded his welcome
vas hidden to go. To the few who com 9
'lained of incivility Tyson's reply was that :,
le served his civility with his chops and u
teaks. Tyson's as it now is has under d
one notifications, but the toast tradition h
Odds good. Both in Manchester and in o
he London establishment hot buttered II
oast is always ready. There is room for n
lore toasthouses. Who knows but that i
no establishment of a good toasthouse :.
light not restore the days of witt In -
curse of time, if the toasthouse became as III
otdblo as Wills coffee house of old, an al
lher John Dryden or DR.. johnson might Of
forthcoming to dominate it, and we s.
eed another DIR. Johnson The occasion. IL
has been said, produces the man.-Corn
II Magazine