Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-09-21


of the Noted Athletes Swimming
Feats-successfuI Culinary Expert
ment In Making a Welsh Rarebit at
a Restaurant-His Offer Concerning
Man Eating Sharks.
The late Hermann Oelrichs, who was
a famous athlete, club man, steamship
manager and society man, some time
ago tolda stsry on himself of rather
an expensive bouquet, says San
Francisco correspondent of the New
York Mail. There was a charming
young woman out in San Francisco
from New York, and a dinner was
given in her honor. The wine was
capital, the music good, the converse
ton was witty, and the flowers were
beautiful. Great masses of American
Beauty roses We're piled upon the table
with an extravaganza that to the New
York girl seemed ruinous. She Won
dered If the hostess was going into
bankruptcy and made an observation
to that effect to her companion at din
ner.
"Oh, no. eagerly explained Mr.. Gel
richs, flowers are absolutely without
value in California-f1owers, fruit and
sunshine"
us it possible?" answered the girl.
What a jolly place to live in! 1 love
flowers"
do you?" answered Oelrichs.
stated that the wine was good. The
lady was also lovely. So he added:
Tomorrow morning shall give my
self the privilege OF sending You some
of the prettiest flowers 1 can find.
Which are your favorites?"
Orchids" she answered cOyiy, and
nurmured, How nice of you"
Oelrichs felt that at that moment the
young lady should have all the orchids
the florists could supply and told her
So When morning came he had not
forgotten his promise, and he strolled
from his club to a florists. He select
ed Il few dozen orchids, penned some
thing pleasant on a card and sent
them to her hotel Then he asked for
the bill and found that his dinner
promise had cost him only SO. OF
course that was nothing to an heir to
the Fair estate, but still he could not
help being cogniZant of the fact that
the, young lady would be grateful. SO
he waited for her message Of thanks.
Afternoon, evening, one day and two
days found him still waiting. He
called up all the servants OF the club
No message had arrived. Finally he
went to- the florist. The flowers had
been received by her. She left town
and went to Mexico. After nearly
three weeks OF waiting Mr.. Oelrichs
received this message from the City
of Mexico:
"It was so nice of you to recollect to
send me the flowers. You are really
curiosity-a man who keeps promise.
Thanks"
Now" said Mr.. Oelrichs, do you
think women are grateful"
Mr.. Oelrichs was devoted to all out
door sports, but was particularly fond
of swimming, says the New York
Times.
Some of the transatlantic shippers
used to',say jokingly that upon nearing
the American coast they would look for
Hermann Oelrichs and would then
know that they could not be very far
from land. The skipper Of one of his
own steamers, who once had gone two
or three. miles out of his way to pick
up what he thought was a man strug-
Cling for hfe.in the water only to find
Hermann Oelrichs coolly passing the
time of day and refusing to be taken
aboard, was. quoted as saying:
"Dot tam Hermann, 1 schtop no more
anudder times for him"
Once, while in a boat off the house
of a boating club, he surprised his
companions by leaping into the water
and swimming two miles against
swift current, and when the boatmen
picked him up he was as fresh of wind
as at the start.
Hermann Oelrichs, with a party Of
friends, among them being several well
known citizens, after q theater party
one night some time ago adjourned to
a we'll known Broadway restaurant in
New York to enjoy a repast Of Welsh
rarebits and the usual liquid concom
liant. After the inevitable delay the
waiter brought the rarebits, and after
Mr.. Oelrichs tasted of the steaming
saffron dish he turned to his COM
panians and said:
Gentlemen, i, for one, don't like this
rarebit, and, as L already know you
have just as fastidious paIates as my
self. 1 move that we pass them and
that you allow me TO make an Oelrichs
Welsh rarebit.''
The party consented, the chatting dish
was brought, with it the cheese and
other necessary elements of the pop
ular dish and Mr.. Qelrichs began his
culinary experiment. It was success,
so much so that Mr.. Oelrichs was en-
cored and obliged to respond with an
other all round.
Mr.. Oelrichs had great confidence in
his own opinions. On one occasion
while speaking in public Of swimming
in the tropics he made the assertion