Evening star., 1901-07-01
DIR. leafhernan.
UNDERWRITERS.
w. r. Speare,
Undertaken & EmbaHmer,
$40 F STREET NORTHWEST.
Everything strictly rst-elass and the most
reasonable terms Telephone call $40. ja7-lotf
FREAK DINNERS.

-
Casual Guests, Canaries. Raw Beef,
Race Horses and Reversed Menus.
From Cassells Saturday Journal.
The best medical. authorities will tell you
that fair variety of diet is good thing
for ones health, and it does not follow
that because certain articles are standard
foods such as beef, mutton and potatoes,
they are better than any others whlcn
can be placed upon the table. Therefore,
a considerable deviation from the norman
in dinners may pass without comment as
quite satisfactory and ineligible. But
what shall we say of the epicures VINO eat
raw meat in West End restaurants; OF
others who have a preference Tor morse
steaks; of others who send the waiter out
into the streets to find a casual guest, ana
on?
are more of them. Many old chefs ana
walters in both obscure and faShlonaple
London restaurants have strange stories to
tell of some Of their regular clients, men
who patronize the same seat at the same
table with the utmost regularity, simply
because at their particular establishments
their needs and tastes have come TO De uh-
derstood and are catered for without any
demur or expressions of surprise. FOR the
education of the restaurant keeper in such
little matters as these takes a little time.
The writer has been able to gather partlcu-
lars of some Interesting examples OF tastes
which his readers will hardly understand.
Let us take the raw meat. The eater
thereof is a well-to-do stock broker, VINO
repairs three times week to ntue res
taurant in city alley, and there par
takes of his uncooked lunch: One day a
piece of raw beef about half the size or an
ordinary steak is placed before him. an
other he partakes of a little raw mutton,
and he INDUCES also in raw lamb, raw
pheasant and such like when in season
all absolutely raw, not partly SO he
takes no vegetables, but has served upon
the same plate a couple OF raw appies,
pears or other fruit, and he accompanies
this strange dish with glass OF wafer
into which he pours few drops OF d Ut
tie mixture which he carries in his pocket
as help to digestion. ,,
But the man certainly seems to thrive
upon his extraordinary methods and en-
Joys them without doubt. The old geh1ie-
man saws he has never had a day g illness
in his life remarks the waiter VINO reeu. s,i
larly attends upon him, and he's kept this
raw meat fad up for just on eleven years.
1t is at a thoroughly fashionable restau-
rant In the West End of London Where the
man who eats his plate of horse SITS uowh
to It at 8 o'clock every Friday. But those
who sit at the next table even are never
aware of his peculiar taste, for whatever
special instructions are necessary are given
in advance by post.
AS much care as possible is exercised in
the selection of the horse. ana apparently
the diner has a special taste for the thor
Thus when a couple of years ago famous
French horse which was partly expected TO
win the derby broke down In the race and
was killed on the course at EPSON wire
was received at the restaurant from the
client: Get some Holocaust If possible
One course precedes the horse and two fol-
low it, with bottle OF WINE as Wen, ana
two guineas are always paid for the meal
with five shilings extra for the waiter
The horse eater, by the way, is an English
man who has always lived in England.
T. nft hA oYra GO
who prefers the strange guest to the one
he knows. He orders table to be reserved
for him and most luxurious seven-course
dinner for two to be prepared on an aver
age Of about twice a month. Not the
slightest arrangement for a guest is made
beforehand and the diner invariably comes
alone. When he has surveyed the ,prepara-
tions he calls his special waiter. tells him
! to go out in the street and invite the first
respectable man he meets to dine with
him. The host is in spotless evening dress,
but 1t does not matter about the other.
All kinds of people-clerks. shopmen.
tradesmen and others-are brought in in
turn, and after kind Of formal introduc-
ton by the waiter the host explains his lit
tie eccentricity and makes his newfound
guest thoroughly at nome, assuring him. as
is necessary, that there Is no catch" of
any kind, that all expenses are paid, and
tnat the acquaintance ceases at the end of
the evening.
After all, there is some reason in this &c
centricity. for the host, who is a man of
friends bore him, and he finds his own
way an excellent means of studying char
acter and learning something new.
The popularity of taste of another
strange frequenter of a well-known restau-
rant takes the form Of liking for birds
which are not commonly used for food.
They are prepared for him according to his
| special instructions. A standard dish of
| his consists Of six sparrows served up at
once, all Of which must have been shot for
him the same day. But he has also ex-
song birds, and thus. upon different occa-
| sions, has ordered that two good roast
canaries shall be prepared for him, gray
| parrot and pair Of bullfinches. These
prove rather expensive luxuries, but such
people with special tastes are prepared to
pay for them.
| lone Of the funniest customers I have
ever had to deal with" said famous res
! taurant proprietor to the writer, is gen
tleman who is constantly striving for nov
city of some kind In his dinners, not SO
| much in the strange character of the food
| as in the order and method of serving
| Thus on more than one occasion he has
taken my special dinner according to the
| menu. but has, to my sorrow, insisted upon
reversing the order completely and running
| It, At these times he has commenced with
| a cup of Coffee and then gone on to an ice,
| sweets, meats entries, fish, soup and oys-
ters in this order. Gastronomically. this is
| hideous; but he swears he enjoys it much
better than the old-fashioned way. As he
Is worth nearly $3.50 year to me, cannot
protest"
And another dining novelty Is to be found
in rival establishment, which Is patron
lied once week by a stout old gentleman
who carries the principle of taking time
over ones meals to its farthest limit. He
turns up at o'clock sharp, leaving only
when the lights are being turned low at
| midnight; and he has, during the six hours.
eaten hve courses spread evenly over the
whole period, with forty minutes inter-
val between each. He pays double prices
The whims of the epicure are beyond the
| understanding.
Sometimes 1t Won't Work.
From the Chicago Post.
"Of course" he said thoughtfully, 1.-THE
faith cure idea may be all right, but there
are occasions when it won't work."
Have you tried it?"
II have. l went to a champagne dinner
/ Ioc OF MI nd T rlrad ha