Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-04-28

THE BEEF WAS TOO RARE.
big Tan1nany chieftain, Dick Croker
that he rides on the street cars in New
York city and asks questions of the con.
ductors concerning passing events; and
from information thus obtained he
draws his best conclusions. When !
was n youth l read in book a little
rhyme which has been of value, and
may be of value to you. The name Of
the author has been forgotten, but the
words are branded indelibly upon the
palilnpsest of memory. They are:
Lean not on one mind constantly,
Lest. where one stood, two fall.
Something God hath to say to thee
Worth hearing from the lips of ALL
That is to say, don't depend upon
your own intuitions altogether, but
learn from others. Every man has
something in his personal experience
which would be valuable to you if you
only would grasp it and make use of it
for yourself.
Dick Shaw is n very black man. He is
fullbloodcd negro of one of the finest
intellectual types. He is the steward OF
tho senate restaurant, and has been
waiting upon United States senators
for many years. If he would talk for
publication he could fill big volumes
with his "reminiscences. In an informa!
chat to-day Dick Shaw said,
II have just been worrying about q
gentleman. and don't know whether ]
did right or not. You see, he is man
of power, and it is my business to dc
things right here if can; and gen.
orally try to do my duty. But this gen
tleman certainly did make me tired
He is out of order, and nothing will
suit him. looked after some things
for him myself, but he was dissatisfied
with everything. The soup didn't suit
him. He said it was like dishwater
The meat was too tough. Then it was
too rare. Then it was too well done
Then he said the fish wasn't fresh. lie
said that the bread was stale. He COM
planned of the butter and said it, was
oleomargarinc. Finally he left the table
and said he wouldn't eat anything at
all.
Now, you know very we'll" said
Shaw. that we cannot have anything
but the best here. These gentlemen
pay for their meals, and they want moth
ing but the best in the market. The
proprietor compels ME to go all over the
market and pick out the finest of every
thing. and we have only the choicest
food obtainnble. But what can poor
1,,r RI q FINi,oca
full here, and nobody can say anything
back to them. am satisfied that a ma
jority of them are we'll pleased; but if
any one of the gentlemen become dis
satisfied we must try our best to please
him."
There is not better steward in any
hotel than Dick Shaw, of the senate
restaurant. He personally looks utter
every detail of his branch of the bust
ness, and he courteously attends to all
of the gastronomic wants of the states
men. In response to inquiries, he said:
"Therc was senator in here once
who complained of his roast beef. He
always likes his beef rare, and this
time it was too rare for him. He said
that it was positively raw. made the
cook turn it over OH the gridiron and
send it back to him. The waiter re-
turned and said that it was too we'll
done. l just turned it over on the
plate. showing the rarer side on the
top. and sent it back to him for third
time. and he said to the waiter: Now,
why didn't you have sense enough to
send it to me right at first?'
81 had given him the same piece of
beef three times. but he didn't know it.
He finally accepted it, but it was Oh. y
after he got tired of worrying himself
and worrying the waiter. didn't mean
to fool him; but knew that the meat
was all right, l also knew that he would
ultimately be satisfied. Just think of
1t! The senator had the same piece OF
beef three times, before he concluded
to accept it,"
That is fair sample of human nature
as exhibited at a public restaurant. 1t
happens to be within my personal
knowledge that the senator would not
dare to open his head i'll protest if his
wife We're to give him hog and hominy
lOI his liIl1eF. lie wears Tue SKlrIS ana
she wears the breeches at home; hut
ut the capitol he is big fellow, and
swaggers about like IL born lordling.
1t is no wonder that Dick Shaw was
rutfied. 1t would rutfie you or me to
a frightful degree.
"One of our worst customers" said
Dick Shaw, was the late Senator Ma
hone. lie used to come to the capitol
every morning about ten o'clock for
his breakfast, and he always wanted
griddle cakes. He was very hard to
please. In nine cases out of ten he
would take the griddle cakes, look at
them, punch his fork through them,
and then throw them across the table,
saying that they were not fit for hogs
TO, eat. The walters would return
them to the kitchen, and sometimes we
We're obliged to cook him griddle cakes
several times before he would accept
them. OF course, there was no money