The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-17

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The greater part Of Mr.. Atkinson's letter
consists of an enthusiastic description of
the chemical and culinary processes by
means OF which he produced the startling
contents of these seven jars. If we take the
communication seriously. it leaves no doubt
OF Mr.. Atkinson's own perfect satisfaction
with the result of his efforts. There is a
tone of exhilaration and even of artistic
exaltation which, as we here view the seven
glass jars, seems quite pathetic:
You say you would as soon think of un-
dertaking TO secure a full moon every night
as to eat one of my Scent dinners. You say
that you will dissolve partnership If l in
wife you TO such a banquet. You must eat
your own words. You shall eat a scent din
ner cooked here in Brookiine in my own
dining room. You will declare it to be a
well-cooked, appetizing. nutritious and
wholesome meal. You will not be able to eat
the whole 6 cents worth at one meal, but
you will save every scrap for another day.
You will grudge every mouthful that you
give any one else, and you will beg for an
invitation TO my own table in order 10 en-
joy the full fruition Of a scent dinner
served hot This dinner you will have to
warm over. 1t is not a gas-cooked dinner,
because gas costs too much; it is a lamp
cooked dinner OF three courses. . This
has been a stormy Sunday. and 1 remained
at home, preparing these samples after
breakfast. then lighting the lamps and leav-
ing the three lamps to do the work, while I
attended to other matters in the library.
TIL work is about done at this time. and
this evening the cooked food will be put into
the refrigerator TO be placed in jars, sealed
and sent you tomorrow. / hope 1t will be
received in good condition. l do not pretend
to be much of a cook myself, and this is
rather a hazardous experiment, sending
cooked food to New York to be warmed
witnesses to the testing of the 6-cent din
ner, as the community in general is as in
credulous as you have been. while some ig-
norant people consider ii even AN offenSe to
propose to give them a good dinner at that
cost"
Only one of the Above predictions turns
ont fr4tA HAo II ~ Hfpcn IL r-4
are certainly mot able to eat the whole
6 cents worth at a single meal" We are
not able to eat even l cents worth. We
prefer the mamma of the desert to the
feshpots of Brook.ine. We would do much
to oblige Mr.. Atkinson, who is a reasonable
man on many subjects. and a well-meaning
person at all times, but this seven-jar con
tribution to the sun must be respectfully
declined. In the kindiiest spirit toward
him, and with a full appreciation Of the
magnanimity of his intentions. we are COM
PEELED to say that nothing but one of the
strange Authorizations of genius could have
led him to imagine that under any circum-
stances we could desire a more intimate
acquaintance with his potage au plein
soleil, his alleged veal and sausage, his
lamb brisket too much done, or his as
founding Aladdin pudding, than we have
already obtained by cursory inspection of
the same through the glass of the seven
jars. feI
More than this, we have failed to induce
anybody to eat or taste any part OF the
Scent dinner. 1t is difficult to state the
reason and at the same time to preserve
the proprieties of language and the forms
of politeness toward the author of the Jars
contents. 1t is eenally difficult to suppose
that Mr.. Atkinson has robbed the cabinets
of one of the Harvard museums, or gone to
the shelves of Professor Marks laboratory
in order 10 set before us as a hideous prac-
teal joke some of the un~speakable prod
uctS of chemical m2 ceratiOn.
Mr.. Atkinson will understand that his
6-cent dinner has. been put at the dis
posal of the whole establishment of the
SUM-, and yet the jars remain unopened.
There are men on our staff who are ready
to risk their lives in the performance of
journalistic duty, but we hear of nc volun-
teers for this enterprise. A brave and de-
nights on the Sandy Hook lightship in a
December hurricane, merely in order to
report his sensations. gaZed at the jars for
six seconds and then turned deathly white
as he turned way. We have tried the
office boys, some of whom are distin-
guished by the daredevil courage and nat
ural.y strong appetite of healthy youth;
the lamb brisket ard the 6-cent quail are
too much for them. Even the Suns office
cat, when hailed before these awful seven
Jars, acted in a manner which we refrain
from describing out of consideration for
our Boston friends feelings
Mr.. Atkinson adds to his letter a post
script that offers a prospect of an accom-
Let me know if the stuff spoils or spills
on the way. If so, let the matter rest until
a representative OF the Sun can come and
dine with me-
Perhaps it will be better If we assume
that the stuff has spoiled on the way. We
shall let the matter rest until some repre-
sentative of the Sun spontaneously ex-
presses a desire to go and dine with Mr..
| Atkinson.