The National tribune., 1903-09-10


swell restaurants had begun to rage in
Washington the last year Of the war.
The horror and depression Of the war
was not weighing so heavily as at
first upon the people, except those
who had sons, fathers. sbrothers and
husbands in the army. New York
and the East were filling up with
men who had come into the coun-
try to make money. Money was plentiful
and easy to get, Washington was crowded
with men who We're making enormous
gains. Parties were coming to the city
from everywhere to procure big contracts.
sell their wares to the army, or get legis-
latiOn that would benefit them.
Dinner giving to influential men was
great factor in securing what they de-
sired. and so dinncr-giving flOurished enor-
mously. Being a good dinner-giver was a
most valuable reputation for any man.
any one who wanted to get anything from
the Government cultivated it.
Solomon Rosenbaum was in the van of
this fashion as of every other. He prided
himself that no man could provide n more
expensive and recherche affair thar he
and it must be admitted that several of
his small and select entertainments at
tractcd the attention of the town. even IN
those fiush-living days.
What he accomplished by them is an
other matter. The history might probably
be written from Treasury warrants, now
yellow with long lying in the vaults where
they were deposited. after being Cancelled.
Solomon RoSenbaum was not staying In
Washington for his health, and. devoted a :
he was to the Union, he was not the man
to stand around idle where so much mon
ey was being made every day, without
helping himself to liberal slices. His name
was guaranty against that.
When he started in to get up dinner
for the boys and their wives, he deter
mined that it should equal any thing that
he had ever prepared for notables and
influential men. He really liked them
better than anybody else in the country;
he sympathized with and appreciated all
that they had done and been through,
and he was unselfshly anxious to give
them and their wives the very best. He
said to himself:
why shouldn't dey half de very pest
dat de land has? Dey half earned it. il
effer men did. and Wy shouldn't | gif dem
joost as goot as | gif dem vat, whisky
drinking old Senators and razor-back Rep
resentatives who half peen staying at
home Wiling DER booklets. While me and de
poys half been risking our lifes! l like
dem heaps. peter dun de whole ca
bOotie OF congressman, put together,
and l CANT, spend my money pet
ter dan by Citing dem and DER vfes de
time off their lifes. NIT joost as vine
things to eat apd joost as much sdyle as
de PRESIDENT or anybody apout him haf.
For vonce.. dey shall half as goot Il din
ner as effer John Jacob Astor or Wander
pitt sat down to. l hat peen spending
money ON old buffers where l egsspected
to get one hundred times as much pack.
Now, let me treat myself, by spending
Something's on my friendts. 1t viii pc
lugshury haffent enchoyed for some
dime. to do some dings for which l egg
spect noddingsn
Eyes, T. do cggspect some dings." he
said after moments meditation. Il egg
spect to gif more habbiness to mighty
good people dan / hat in all de dinners
| hat effera given. I'm really eggspectirIg
more pleasure from it dan all off dem
put together. 4 amt bit unsefish."
He went to the SWEETEST of the many
swell restaurants ut that time in the
city, and ordered dinner more costly
and carefully gotten up than any which
he had ever served to Senators or Rep
resentatives, Or even to the Quartermaster
and CommissaryG Generals. He gave the
head waiter to understand that this was
an occasion which called for all the re-
sources of his art. and nothing must be
left -undOne to enhance the elegance of the
occasion. ..lass..-.
As the evening approached, he arrayed
himself in his sumptuous dress suit, with
an enormous solitaire glittering upon the
snow-like expanse of shirt-front, looking.
as one of his friends was in the habit of
remarking, Like a headlight on a hill.
side in January" He went early to the
restaurant, to make sure that his direc-
tons had been carried out.
The private dining-room was certainly
a bower of beauty. The mantelpiece was
bank OF large red roses, whose fra
GRANGE filled the room. The table, COW
cred with the finest and whitest napery,
was set for five, with dishes, silver and
cut glass. representing more than the as
sessed valuation of the Deacon's farm, and
there were plates painted by eminent ar
fists, which cost more each than Sis or
ShOrty's pay for a whole year. Wax can
dies, in chased silver holders, and with
fancifully- painted shades, threw mel
low light upon the table and its adOrn-
ments. In a cut-gass holder, mounted on
silver, was a cluster Of Jacqueminot
roses, then in the first flush of their ex-
chandelier, the prisms of which flashed
with the least motion a thousand many
colored lights. hung festOons of smilax
and flowers. Mirrors reaching to the floor
on every side. reflected and multiplied all
the tasteful decorations and appointments.
While waiting for his guests Solomon
ROsenbaum fitted anxiously about, chang
ing the arrangements here and there to
suit his exacting taste, sharply criticizing,
removing flowers and articles not up to
his standard and ordering others.
who dis coming tonight, Mr.. Rosen-
baum?" inquired the head-waiter. Mus
be the President hisself. Never knowed
you so partickler afore sir"
1.-The best friends l have in the world
are coming tonight, Robinson" answered
Rosenbaum. people that think a
great deal more of than the president
himself-at least the man who is now
PRESIDENT. l want you and your men to
do your burtiest to-nighd."
1--WE shall do our best, sir" respectfully
answered the head-waiter. "You won't
have any cause Ito complain, SIR"
Maria's iAspiSng presence had Of course
revived Shorty's dandyism, and it became
fragrant in lpatdnt leather chevrons, satin
stripes for his pantaloons, and other re-
finements nor contemplated by the U. s.
A. Regulations, in which he was aided
and abetted by Maria, who was immense
ly proud OF her tall, staIwart young hus-
band, and delighted to see him tower up
among thelothef soldiers like Saul among
his fellows He dressed himself with
scrupulous care for the dinner, and Maria
after the fashion Of Indiana brides of the
day, wore sher wedding dress with some