The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1901-07-13
DISCOVERY OF BOTTLED BIER.


/
| A great deal of controversy has
been going on of late regarding the
origin of bottled BEER" and the fol.
lowing piece of true history will
therefore be interesting, as it is little
known. says the London Globe.
In the middle of the sixteenth cen.
fury Alexander NOVEL;, d. D., was
head master of Westminster school,
. prebendary of the abbey, and the
possessor of charming country res
idence, named Redhall, situated near
Clitheroe, Lancashire, whittier he was
wont to retire during the holidays.
Now, DR.. NOVEL; was stanch Prot
estant, so when Edward vi. died and
Queen Mary succeeded to the throne,
he thought it prudent to forsake the
cloister for Redhall Park, having a
very shrewd suspicion that il he did
not trouble might befall. The doctor
was an enthusiastic and expert an
gler, and, thanks to the well-stocked
trout streams running through his
Lancashire demesne, he had every OPP
portunity for indulging in his favor
lite pursuit.
One fine May morning, then, saw
NOVEL; preparingg his rod and tackle,
and, as it promised to be a scorching
hot day, he, before starting out, took
the precaution of filing large stone
bottle with home-brewed ale. The
sun rose higher and higher in the
heavens, the fisherman got warmer
and warmer, and the stone bottle
became more and more of an incum-
brance. He, therefore, determined to
leave the bottle in safe place until
he. felt ready to enjoy it's refresh
ment, and what could be more suit
able for the purpose than the hollow
of an old pollard tree, overhanging
the water, ensconced in which thu
stream could gently lave the bottom
of the jar and keep the contents
fresh and cool. Hardly had this been
done when he heard a voice calling
his name, and, looking around. saw
one of his servants, his features agi-
tated with terror They've come.
sir! They've come!" the man cried.
''Who has Gomez" asked the amazed
doctor. THE soldiers Of Bloody
Mary, sir; they are searching high
and low for you; they are ransacking
your chests; and one varlet has
piece of paper bearing great seal
and the queens name on it." HAS
he" grimly replied NOVEL;, and, with
out further -forgetful of his
fish, forgetful of his stone bottle--ho
tucked up his cassock and fed across
the meadows. After some days OF
perilous wandering Novel; reached
Chester safely, where an old West
minister boy, named francis Bowyer,
q merchant of the city, received him
into his house and eventually SNUG
gled him to the continent in one of
his own trading vessels.
Six years had elapsed; Queen Mary
was dead; Queen Elizabeth was on
the throne, and NOVEL; was back in
Lancashire. Once again a hot May
morning saw him setting forth to
fish. but this time, fortunately, neg
lecting to take with him bottle of
ale. AS the day waxed hotter, NOVEL;
became both tired and thirsty. He
dropped his rod. and his thoughts
drifted back to that eventful May
morning six years ago, and then to
the stone bottle which he had SC
carefully slowed away in the hollow
of the pollard tree. Was the bottle
still there, he wondered. He wan
dered down the stream until he
picked out that particular root, and,
kneeling down, thrust in an arm. Out
came the bottle, apparently none the
worse for its long sojourn. NOVEL;
was very thirsty; the icy GOODNESS Of
the stone was most tantalizing. OF
course, hecontents were nndrinkable,
thought he; still he was very thirsty;
just one cautious sip. The cork.
swollen and damp with age, was ex-
tracted, and the bottle lifted to the
lips. Ye gods and little fisness What
was this heavenly nectar he was
tasting? NOVEL; threw back his head
and took long, deep draught. Could 1
anything be more delicious than this
amber ale, mellowed by time and
cooled to nicely? What were the
wines of Rhineland which he had
thought so excellent during his exile
In Germany as compared with this de-
fluid?
That same night DIR. NOVEL; sum-
moned his whole household in solemn
Every empty pitcher, jar
and bottle that could be found was
filed with honest English ale, corked,
and then consigned to the cellars.
The doctor had discovered" bottled
beer; but for some years it was a
Itill-room secret of Redhall park, nn-
ill at last the discovery was given to
the world, and the popularity Of the
new liquid speedily established itself