The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-23
DUMMY ALIENS TURTLE.
The Soup 1t Furniahed For Albuny's
Old Time Epicnrey.

1
The soup IL Furnished For Albuny's
Old Time EpicureB.
A local paper half Il century ago pub.
lished the following sketch. which has
lost none Of it's amusing flavor in the
Intervening years:
"The early history of the first at
tempt at tickling the palates of ALBANY
epicures with that delectable chnos of
havors known rs turtle soup was made.
we believe. by the celebrated Andrew
Jackson Allen, better known as Dummy
Allen, who for many years acted as
Edwin Forests costulner and used to
personate Caleb Quotem on the stage in
a style peculiar to himself. At the time
we speak of lie kept restaurant in the
vicinity OF the old Gr"nn Street thnater
and was prime favorite among the
bloods of the day. who made his place
a customary resort.
"Albany was then, as now, a very
ce village. but still there wero some
t, .ngs i'll Dummy Aliens cookery book
not dreamed Of i'll our philosophy. He
therefore resolved to afford our ancient
epicures taste Of bliss in a guise hith-
eric unknown to them-to wit, turtle
soup Accordingly public announce
ment was duly made of the felicity in
store for the lovers of good eating, and,
in order that appetites might be fully
whetted, for few days before the nc
ceptable time IL sizable. aldcrInanic look
ing green turtle was allowed to prom
enade ut the end Of long string upon
the sidewalk III front of Aliens cstal,-
lishment. III due time the repnst came
off and proved Il complete triumph of
kitchen art. The new and delicious gift
to appetite became the town talk and
ehowered upon the immortal Dummy
vast reputation and much gold.
"Once moro and while the mouths of
epicures were still watering with mem
ories Of recent bliss the potent an
nouncement was reiterated; once more
a decent looking turtle, very like the
other, diyulged his ample neck on An
drew Jackson's premises, to the great
admiration of beholders; once more fas-
tidious pilates enjoyed select morsels
of paradise from Aliens marvellous
boilers. and once more did vast renown
and much lucre fall to the share Of the
inspired costumer of the inner man.
The governors first business in the
morning before proceeding to state af-
fairs was to inquire whether Allen served
up turtle soup that day. Tidings of the
miraculous food would agitnte the sen
ate, disturb the house and drive the lcl,.
bies wild.
"Turtle soup became all the rage
OF Il
voured. AT length some sharp and per-
haps envicus observers thought they
remarked striking similarity in all of
Dummy Aliens turtles. One very sus-
picious individual, struck with their
strong coincidence of aspect, quietly
took the trouble of putting his sign
manual on the back of one announced
for that days slaughter The ill fated
criminal duly disappeared and was COM
mented upon that day in the form Of
soup as unusually excellent.
"But, aInazementl When next week g
customary announcement Of turtle coup
was made. how speedy was the ladder
OF Immortality knocked fiat from under
the inspiring Allen when that same
tnrtle--the identical, supposed to be
slaughtered victim of the week before
bearing the deeply cut private mark Of
our suspicious friend-turned up and
resumed its sidewalk promenade, ap-
parently in capital condition for de-
funct animal.
"The secret was out. The game was
up. Dummy Allen was done for. With
regular cheap supply of calves heads
and one specimen turtle. Caleb Quotem
had been doing the Albany epicures for
9 whole season g: little or no expense,
and with the sole aid of their imagina-
tive powers he had regaled them with
unheard of delicacies and at the same
time put golden lining to his pocket :"
Albany Argus.