The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-08-04
The Fragrant Mint Julep and
Its Starting Point

that she might act as sutler to the
compsny. but orders had been received
which would take the company to New
, York. and if she did not wish to go so
far away from home they would en-
deavor to get her similar position in
another company which would remain
south. But Betsy Flanagan's heart
was true to her Patrick's company, and
nothing would induce her to transfer
her allegiance.
So the question was settled, and IN
| 1879 the company wintered at place
! in Westchester county, near New
York. called -Four Corners" between
White Plains and Tarrytown. At this
point Betsy set up tavern. There
were sanded floors and convenient Ut
tle stalls and rooms where the Ameri-
can and French officers met frequently
and PLAYED cards and enjoyed new
| kind of drink compounded by the
widow. and which she called "bracer''
| "a drink which made the little tavern
famous
| In the neighborhood of Betsy's tav-
ern, which finally became known as
1.-The Bracer Tavern" lived upon a
! fine estate an Englishman who kept
pack of hounds, fine horses and splen-
did poultry, all imported from the
/ mother country. He was rao1d 10y
alist and was an object of hatred to
| the American soldiers and of suspicion
/ to the people whereabouts who favored
! the cause of the colonists. Betsy was
/ fiereely hostile to this Englishman ana
his family, making dire threats OF
what she would do when Gin I'll
| WASHINGTON came. She was always
promising to feed the American ana
| French officers on the fine fowls from
| the loyalist's yards, and they would
| tease her about her delay in carrying
out the promises. One night When
there was an unusual attendance OF
the officers at .'The Bracer" she in
vfted them into her dining room, where
there was spread a bountiful feast OF
chickens done in every conceiYaoie
style. The Englishman's chicken coop
had been raided by some one. Inc
| owner was furious, but entirely pow
| erless. Among the poultry were sew
eral fine cocks of superior size and
breed and of unusual beauty, support
ing tail feathers of great height and
of the loveliest colors. They We're
much admired by people of the neigh
| borhood, and a local poet had even inn
mortalized them in verse. Betsy had
not thrown away the trophies of her
capture, damaging as they We're as
evidence against her, but she had
| spread them tastefully- over the side
| hoard. upon the selves of which stood
| bottles of various sizes containing the
delectable and now renowned "bracer.
After the chicken banquet was over
Betsy invited the guests into the taV-
ern bar, and with great pride and
triumph pointed to those feathered
| decorations The surprise was COM
plete and the event recognized by
"three cheers" for Betsy Flanagan, the
cause of the co1onists and the discom-
! future of the Englishman. The 'brac-
ers" came off the shelves speedily
and the remainder of the night was
passed in the barroom amid the COCKS
tails and the ''bracers." One of the
toasts was. 'Heres to the divine lid
uor which is as delicious to the palate
as the cocks tails are beautiful &c
the eye.' while one of the French Of
+ fcers sang, ''vive la Cocktail!
This was the keynote to the now
celebrated name. 1t stuck good anc
fast. The call for "bracers' now ceas'
ed, and ever after the demand was
for cocktails" After Mrs. Flanagan
death the ingredients of her famous
compound became known. and wner'
ever bon vivants are to be found tne
cocktail is likewise there, even &c
the most remote corners of the earth
T. Is the fashionable drink not only
throughout the civilized world. bu'
even In far-off Africa and other coun'
| tries