The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-18
ON FoRkLEss SALAD.

| Salad, says my cousin-in-law Clara,
| must never feel the touch Of metal. By
| salad Clara does not mean the prepara-
l lions of boiled lobster, capers and such
| that are served in the restaurants. She
1 means the salad that you make yourself
| out of green thing and few condi-
| nents.
| Clara thinks the greatest man that ever
| lived was Nebuchadnezzar the King
| Nebuchadnezzar the King. says Clara,
| must have laughed very heartily when
| ne was sent out TO pursue a grass diet.
AS she very wisely point out, the addition
] of a little salt and pepper must have
| given Nebuchadnszzar the King a salad
! that could not be duplicated today in our
most expensive hotels.
| We were early acquainted with Clara's
! views on the subject OF salad The first
night we had lettuce salad Clara quietly
! laid aside her fork and attacked the deli
cacy with her bare fingers. We were not
surprised, having observed Clara's ten
denotes for a day and a half; We were
merely inquiring.
Metal explained Clara. should never
touch the lettuce OF the dandelion or the
oscarole or whatever green thing is to be
served. II you viii permit me I win get
G wooden spoon and fork for tossing
This preserves the favor of the green
intact"
evening.
We all ate with our fingers We said
we had never enjoyed anything so much
in our lives. We got oil all over our
hands and cuffs, but we concealed this
fact from Clara. During the course an
old friend called in and had a plate of
salad. He was given no fork. Clara en-
gagged him in conversation, the while she
conveyed dangling bits of oil-skin let
tace to her lips, much after the manner
Of a professional maccaroni eater. The
old friend looked emba rrassed and finally
ashamed for US. l have no doubt he
thought all the forks had been used and
the maid had not time to cleanse them.
At all events. he left his salad untasted.
Clara gave a luncheon, few days ago.
at one Of the downtown restaurants, a
French place, where the cooking is good
end the walters are wise. a feature was
the salad. 1t was brought on, mixed by
the attentive waiter and served to Clara
with a grand flourish. Clara dipped out
little bit on the edge of her plate and
put il to her lips. This was on the same
principle as serving the first few draps of
vine to the host of party, in order that
any excess corkase or other topmost i'm
purities may not go TO the guests.
Clara, having tasted the salad gave a
little sigh and set the bowl from her. at
the same time reckoning the waiter TO
approach. She said something to him
and he hurried off. To her guest, Clara
said, Il must ask you to pardon a few
minutes delay. but really the salad. as
prepared by the waiter, was impossible.
/ shall have to mix it myself Which
she did.
The incident was very impressive. and
when Clara happened to mention II to
me. in an offhand way, my admiration
for her ability and nicely of taste was
deep.
She did not, however. convey the idea
that the waiter had been indignant over
the rejection of his preparation, and this
l thought rather strange. as l am in the
habit of taking. luncheon at that cafe my
self, and i know that particular waiter
for very experienced salad mixer. When
next l ate there, l asked him about the
little affair.
He smiled a fat, Swiss smile. well,
then m'sieu." he said, 'mamselle gave
me dollar before the guests came to let
her do the leetle trick with the salad
y. Y. Herald.