The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-23
From the washington Post.

\@ psrsmp a Fy'' demand of for fr
w Their information about that
Louisiana bird, the papabotte, to which
reference was made in these columns two
or three weeks ago. Our correspondent
however, is a well-known citizen, justly
famous as an epicure and bon vivant or
great experience, to say nothing of his
established reputation for highly cult
waited taste. 1t gives us pleasure. there
fore, to make a brief explanation, the
more so since we quite syinpathize in the
establishment and indignation he must
have felt when the Post told him of a
princely dish he had never tasted or, up
to that time, so much as heard of.
''Papabotte'' is the Louisiana name for
what is known in this part of the coun-
try as the upland plover." 1t is one of
the finest of birds in Virginia and Mary
land, but down in southern Louisiana,
after it has been feeding for some weeks
on a certain insect which infests the
lowlands from late February until the
end of summer, 1t becomes so transformed
in every respect save that of mere plum
'OSfN~
be an act of barbarism. We shall not
undertake to describe the peculiar, the
wonderful flavor which has set this bird
apart from all others in the philosophy
of the cognoscenti of every land who
have visited New Orleans during the
papabotte season. As well endeaver to
put in words the sweetness OF loves
first kiss. or paint the light that never
was on land or sea. Nor can that flavor
be carried to any distant point. 1t were
as impossible to transport the papabotte
of New Orleans to washington or Bal
timore as to breed the nautilus in the
Ohio river.
Some years ago, just when the late Jo-
seph Jefferson was playing in this town
with dear old Billy Florence. a midnight
supper was given in his nonor at John
Chamberlin's, and on that occasion he
discoursed to a gathering of kindred
spirits touching this same bird. As an
owner of certain orange groves. sugar
fields, and marsh lands on the gulf coast
of louisiana. he had had all the expert
ence necessary to inform him. AS mas
ter of picturesque. poetic and ornate mar
IdliNc uc was pciuaPS bcetSA 4uhhhS0 "
convey his feelings to others than any
man then living. He spoke with almost
uncomfortable emotion. None of the sur
vivors of that memorable symposium will
ever forget 1t. The papabotte is not really
food; 1t is a drug at once harmless and
enchanting. Two of them, with pint of
real champagne or mellow burgundy, a
little Creole coffee, and large, fresh
Havana cigar, not more than six days old
that's all you want until you wake up a
couple of hours later. No inconvenient
soups or impertinent entrees; Just papa
bottle, and plenty of it, with the access
SORES above specified. Then you get into
a lounging chair, and dreams take you on
their tender wings and bear you to a
land where 1t is always afternoons land
of spacious Landscapes, many streams, and
shaded places resonant with unseen mel
ody. Wood nymphs throng from hooks
and glades to dance upon the checkered
forest floors Long, deep, thrilling notes,
as if drawn from the strings of fairy
'cellos, mark the throbbing cadence of
the tune. You are on Olympus. or think
you are. You sport With Amaryllis in
the shade, or with the tansles of Neaera' s
hair The perfumes of the date groves
drown your senses in hopeless ectasy.