New-York tribune., 1899-07-30
IN A "XENODOCHEION"
THE SPARTAN RESTAURANT IN WASH
INGTON-ST
\ MYSTERIOUS BLACK BEyF,RAcF THAT NAV
HAVE BEEN SPARTAN BRoTH-GREEK
PATRIOTS ON HAND

NOBODY would so to the near neigh hborhood Of
oloated Wall Street to look for Sparta, or for a
fragment thereof That quarter Of the CITY
seems to reek Of gold; there is no hint Of iron
money about it, however hard the market may
at times become But II you choose to turn 10
the west of Broadway, skirt the railing OF
Trinity churchyard. and get yourself in a labv
rinth where the elevated railroad seems mixed
up fearfully with everything you will see diff
fercnt conditions Of things
Most puryeyors Of meals in this region DO not
pretend, it is true, TO furnish strictly Spartan
fare OF which neither they nor their patrons
have ever heard. Beer is popular there. and
the Spartans-the ancient ones-never cared
much for beer. by all accounts. But after
passing through a truly remarkable street or
two where the people going in and out Of the
doors have a strongly Oriental and yet not
Hebraic, look. and the names on the signs are
not German, nor Chinese nor Irish Sla-
vonic the explorer, turning into Washington
ST, finds himself face to face with just the very
thing which ne may we'll have been thinking Of
q desideratum in New-York-a Spartan
restaurant.
At least, that is what It purports to be. The
sign the window says plainly, in English,
spartan Restaurant" and then it repeats un-
derneath. in characters that look If they had
been copied from something in the Cesnola col
lection "Xenodocheion Tes Spartes"
Coming from the sybaritc displays Of lower
Broadway. the explorer naturally feels impelled
to enter this heroicay named Xenodocheion.
Its exterior even recalls the Pal9strum for
two youths are contending on the sidewalk, both
IN modern trousers. to be sure, though one
Of them looks like the descendant Of Brian
Boru and the other, by the extreme foreignness
Of his features may be of the lineage Of Achi-
les In a short time Mac Brian Boru sits on the
neck Of the Achilleid and jeers at him for
Dago. while a young and attractive damsel de-
eidedIy 'bathukolpos" looks on from the side
door Of the XenodOcheiOn and smiles
All this is encouraging. So is the glimpse OF
the interior which may be had through the
open door for the floor is Of severest wood
strewn sparingly with very coarse sawdust
and a few playing cards, and the numerous
tables. too, are all uncovered. But, 1t beng
stun day and not the time Of the midday mea'
there < hardly any one TO be seen consuming
black broth or anything else.
To see the Xenodocheion understandings the
.v.,lc-er must 60 there after sunset. 1t is then
that the Leonide take their black broth Inc
very picturesque Leonicas with a world-chaI-
leuging mustache who IS sitting nearest 1he
door does not happen 10 be taking broth' ne ls
tusv with something else black. but sohd winch
exhales strength. That gives the explorer
ritle qualrn. but he remembers Thermopyl@ and
braces up as the Xcnodochos bears down Oh
Inn.
can have some broth"
The spartan host seems unfamiliar with the
English name for his countrys most famous
culinary product. Failing broth, and IN the
odor Of the neghboIing Wand, prudence coun-
sels The explorer to 20 slowly. He says Hun
huh" 10 gain time and the AeL'dochos
laconically asks, Coffee:
Yes Of course Black coffee"
All IL one moment the solution Of great ms
torical problem bursts the explorer the
black broth OF Sparta was nothing but theH
coffee
y comes quickly, in a toy cup, perfectly bear
, ONT the familiar statement OF the historian,
pyticb is given them n small quantities. 50
a.. .ho,, learn moderation" The historian
,bo,ia have explained that little OF TINS oIach
bro,s goes a long way. II is BLACK as 'ne I"0e
- Arouo when ne strode down the HANKS OF
Crv1rus like 10 the night" Also, IL j s"ee'
as honey and as sticky. The ancIeh's' very
,fLlv sveetened il with honey, though theF
r,a-.~v men said 1t was sweetened win to4-'
r., down IN Washngton-st. the Xenodochos
Son. o. use sugar and mucilage But III d
eere-sl Uav il is doubtless, the same oId biach
brotb hat taught the young Laced&nohlahs
rs.-..,or a+ table-and drove them TO steal
ing foxes ~
When Won once get 10 talk 10 him the nauVe
LconIc habit Of this Spartan host gives way 10
Arre-.os,, cororunicativeness He will tell you
-. ..- -...,s.-1, apd severely classical title