Evening star., 1901-10-12

old anecdote proving it is impossible for
any one person to eat more than $50 worth
of food in any Paris restaurant. The story
is of a sporting Partisan who bet new-rich
colonial plunger that he could not do it.
Too Much for Him.
The stakes were heavy, and the unfortu-
nate tenderfcot soon discovered the differ
ence between ordering twenty dollars
worth and eating the same. He had be-
gun with lobster a PAmericaine, because
it was marked Is francs portion, and they
let him off from eating the whole of the
burning red sauce. His hors-d' oeuvres and
hisque--it was an error to load up with
soup, matter how expensive-had cost
searcely 10 francs. He was going in for
a stuffed and garnished quail (perdeau) at
20 francs, but dare he risk an entree be-
fore 1t? He risked 1t and got rid of 8
francs thereby; so that when he had fin
ished the quail and it's stuffing, he had
already that full feeling. Yet there remain
el almost 40 francs to dispose of in hot
house asparagus-he found it encroaching-
hot house peaches and coffee. He could not
do it. This is the way the story runs,
with variations, according to the season of
the year in which it is told. 1t is well un-
derstood, in any case, that above 100 francs
or $50 francs per head it is no longer
either the food or drink one pays for. If
one spends more, 1t will be because one
absolutely wishes to do 1t.
The man in Paris supposed to know most
about eXtravagant restaurant bills Is M.
Emile Aoust, one time maitre d'hotel at
Bignon's and the founder of the Amphi-
tryon Club Of London, where the Prince of
Wales used to accept hospitality
At the Amphitryon Club Emile had the
honor Of composing many royal menu.
For the clubs opening dinner of twelve
covers was served. The Prince of Wales
was present, and the bill came to f215, or
$50 head. The record, however, was
made by the late ex-King Milan, one of
the clubs best customers. To entertain five
persons one day he spent 5000 francs,
which comes to $24O head
The menu card itself, in the kings col
ors on blue satin fringed with gold, was
engraved in Paris and cost 1,250 francs.
A Royal Dinner.
There were three bottles of each wine -
says M. Aouse, whose total cost was 900
francs ($1SO). The dinner properly social
ed was counted at $500 francs $500, or
500 a head. The table was ornamented
with festoons Of white Muscat grapes.
which cost at that moment 80 francs, or
$6 a pound. The private parlor in which
the dinner was served contained 1000
francs $500 worth of lilies of the valley,
bought by King Milan himself. Counting
the royal tips to the walters, his majesty
must have spent 10000 francs"
"Then why did you say just a moment
ago that it cost him 5000 francs?" some
one asked.
Il suppose 1t was because he never paid
the balance" replied Emile" with for-
giving smile. ''His majesty had forget
full memory, but We never thought the
worse of him for that When he had the
funds he spent them royalty. He never
looked at the items Of a bill"
Another Amphitryon Club dinner worth
mentioning" continued the veteran, was
that paid for by Joseph Gudala, an English
solicitor, who had won colossal lawsuit
against the city OF London. Thirty-seven
persons sat down to 1t, among them sew
eral ministers and Lord Rothschild. The
total bill was fl 900 $4,000. On one oc-
casion Mr.. Astor, receiving the Prince of
Wales and twenty-four other persons, gave
Just such another dinner"
What do the walters think of such stu
pendous money scattering?" some one
asked.
No Less Than $50 Tips.
"Oh, they get used to 1t quickly" was
the answer. land all the more SO as they
pick up very solid crumbs. grand seig-
neur who knows how to pay his bill never
leaves less than five louis (s2O) for the gar
con- But there is better than thati One of
your American confreres mote, this must
refer to q Newspaper proprietor, not corre-
spondenD used to tip Henri with LOCO
franc notes. The Russian grand dukes for
a table of four or five covers always leave
800 or 400 francs. At the marriage dinner
of the Marquis de x which cost % coo
francs $4,000, the maitre dhotel and the
six garcons pocketed 200 francs ($24O>."
One noisy and very mixed establishment