The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-23
THE WEAR AND TEAR OF BANoUErs.
A Popular Former MAJOR or baltimore Tells
How TO Withstand It.
From the Baltimore Sun

In these days, when many Of the ills which
flesh Is heir to are said to be attributable di-
rectly to the eating Of too much good food or tho
drinking of too much good drink, 1t is difficult to
find q man who, in the course of two decades in
public life, has attended, at a conservative esti.
mato, not less than 600 banquets and still main
tains a comfortable avoirdupois and shows no
i'll effects of an ordeal which might we'll make
many a gourmand shudder.
Such a man. however, Is ex-Mayor Ferdinand
Claiborne Latrobe. For fourteen years he sat in
the Mayors chair, and during all of that time he
was subject to an unwrittcn law, which declares
that a part of a Mayors duties is to go to ban
quets. Before he was ever elected Mayor Of
Baltimore he was a public official, having been
Speaker of the House of Delegates, and held other
9ucts was IS not small. And since he ef has retired
to private life his friends, who, during seven
years as Mayor had honored him with invita-,
tions to banquets, have not forgotten him, and
no has continued to grace tho tables which have
known him in his official capacity.
which Gen. Latrobe has been a regular guest at
public banquets. He himself says that he must
time uaae aiSi" that m makes axes. the i",t total sSa 600 SIbr ansu iea.
What is the secret of doing this without shatter-
Ing health a, and haappinsss; without even being
OF having ones stomach removed Perhaps it.
would be best to give it in his words. -
Il nevcr found the task arduous." said he
yesterday. II have attended all kinds OF ban
gusts and dinners. at which the dishes of many
that l never alto much and seldom drank any.
a good dinner. before / lei, home: and Would.
when l arrived at the banquet table. partake of
perhaps q few things and then sit still and en-.
JOY myself until it came time for me to respond
"A Mayor can make no greater mistake than
to trJ to go to two ~banqucts in one night. This
an invitation / wrote it down. and il another
amt l Informed the second, Corners that ! was
already engaged to eat and drink. As far us
bothered me much. When tho time came to
talk l would get up and tell my hearers some.
confess. ! knew n great deal about at one time"
1t struck Gen, Latrobe. ms rather funny
With no had attended Was called to his atten:
ton. There were the German celebrations. for
instence, with very Teutonic dishes. and wine
Hibernian Society, where the sons OF the sod Of
Erin had the catering, in charge. The st. An
ana equally hot Scotch whisEeGy and the st.
Georges Society stuck to the, ronst beef of old
Ali Of these Gen. Latrobe attended assidnous.
v and regularly, and there were others. There
was tho BANQUET Of the Hebrew Benevolent So
eye, the ~banquets OF the City College, and ether
educational institutions. and last, but not least,
the Merchants and Manufacturers Assoc!a-
ton. where orators Of national fame usually
a's Si really Upon eni tSpsdS it G' a .rL'''' eo aninrSsa' the OK.
Mayor. II liked to go, not only to the ban
qnets which YOU have mentioned, but to many
others. ! always had a good time wherever |
went. But Il didn't eat much hnnquet-goers
should remember that-and | didn't drink
much. and that is why ] have not developed
any Of those many diseases, which are lurking
in the atmosphere surrounding the gourmet.
"A public man must needs attend "A great
man, OF these functions, but nj all OF them he
Is almost sure to meet a number of people whom
he knows, and i Is always pleasant to talk to
ones friends. Thus II man may combine pleas
ure with, a duty which might at times seem
disagreeablc on account of its frequent recur,,
renee, but II he would have peace of BODY and
avoid surgeons. who have . hankering TO re-
move stomachs, he should follow my example
never eat much and never drink much