The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-21
DINED WITH THE POOR.
DIR. Chauncey M. Depew and Three
Friends at the Mills House.


NEW YORK, JAN 2O-One hundred and
ffty-fve men and two ladies dined at a
Beecker-street lodging and eating house at
noon yesterday. The aggregate wealth of
153 of the guests nets $3.50, and the esti-
mated wealth of the other four persons is
$31, 100000 The wealthy four were d. o.
Mills, DR.. Chauncey NJ. Depew, Mrs Burke
Roche, who was Miss Fanny Work, and
Miss Josephine Johnson, a well-known So
cety woman. The dinner was served in
Mills House No. /, which one of the diners
at to-day's luncheon has built for the indi-
gent men and has termed the Poor Mans
Waldorf" 1t was merry party, and the
gay chatter and laughter of the members
attracted no little attention among the hun
dred or more regular habitues of the place,
to whom the problems of life form a sub
ject too serious for merriment even at
lunch time. DR.. Depew was especially hap
by. Under Mr.. Mills's guidance the party
repaired to dining room NO L. where $50
men had gathered together from all parts
of the country. A wide ripple of CONVERSE
ton spread along the tables when DR.. De-
pew's familiar countenance appeared.
Eight out of every ten of them knew Mr..
Depew by sight or through the widely dis
tributed pictures of him.
Il wish he would give me pass back to
Buffalo, said man who had been trying
for weeks to find the writer of an adver-
tisement that lured him to New York UNI
der promise of a. job as theatrical agent.
He amt like the man who couldn't,
couldn't do 1t, put in an old Albany poll
tician, land he amt like the man who
wouldn't, either. Many's the favor he did
d'oeuvres or huitres on the bill of fare 1t
was service chaud, however, and the
various courses came on piping hot. The
menu was as follows
Roast, prime ribs of beef.
Vegetables.
Mashed potatoes Boston baked beans.
Turnips
Dessert, hot apple sauce.
Indian pudding. Pumpkin pie.
DR.. Depew ate his soup with "a relish, as
If it was green turtle or birds's nests at SO
a plate. The beef, ne declared, was superb,
and he toyed over his portions of vege-
tables as if they were the daintiest morsels
sert Mr.. Mills Mrs. Roche and DR.. Depew
chose apple sauce; Miss Johnson selected
Indian pudding. All Of them declared them
fare. Then they arose and walked over to
the cashiers desk The bill was So cents.
Mr. Depew wanted to pay it, but Mr.. Mills
did not let him. DR.. Chauncey, however,
purchased some "two-fors'' cigars, and also
two perfectos for rs cents, and, handing one
of each to Mr.. Mills, asked him if he could
tell the difference. The kitchen was then
inspected and found to be as clean the
dining room. On the way out the party
waiting at the Mills House for the flowers
to bloom in Madison square again. Mr..
Mills nodded to Citizen Train and intro
duced the ladies.
DR. Depew said last evening: Eyes, I
lunched at the Mills Hotel to-day, and do
not know when enjoyed a luncheon more.
Everything was In the finest shape The
hotel is as clean as any Fifth-avenue home,
and if the menu was not elaborate it was
eminently satisfying and palatable. | do
not think Delmonico can go further than
that. My own share of the luncheon 1 fig
ured out to be Is cents, and l could not
have duplicated the order at an uptown
restaurant for $1.50. The soup was well
prepared, nourishing, hot and savory The
roast beef was excellent, as hot and juicy
as clever cooking could make it, and if it
was not served off a silver roasting pan
with a spirit lamp burning under it it was
quite as satisfying to the palate and the
appetite"