Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-21
.FAV0R|TE MINT JuLEP
How That Entioing Drinl,
and the Cocktail Became
Known to the People.

- an AHltIlcan drinks the mint |
Jniep' ana the cocktail take first
rank IN public favor. and "mlxolo-
Z SIS have met signal failures in all
their efforts to mix The fluid in a man.
ner which can tickle the throat sn
delightfully."- rs these two world IA.
nous connections.
The genesis of the mint julien has
been the subject of discussion i'm
newspapers on various and sunlrv
occasions. and some writer's have
sloutly maintained that Il is the In
vcntion of eminent scholars aud
statesmen of the present day. OH
ors 80 little more literally ANA say
the julep came into popularity within
the past century.
II is not difficult 10 trace Tho his.
tory Of this enhancing ANA seductive
beverage back To the middle of the
Ntcenth century In the ,nenolrsl
OF Jeremy Lane (Salcm lJlo) io.er.
cnce is made TO Il drink compounded
OF mint herb and heating spirits
which is grateful 10 the palate when
cooled in Il stone jug NJ the spring.
while the Boston Gazette of August
Ia. 1857, contains local item In
which occurs the statement tint the
drowncded man wasyknown to have
drunk several goblcts of mixture
composed of Holland gin Favored
with mint before he fell off the
wharf The Gazette adds That this
should be an example to those whOI
nave lately formed the habit of i'm.
billing with too much frequency what
the publikans and tayorn-kocpors cali
mint dcwlip."
"Julep' is evidently corruption OF
the proper name. ana one which is
due TO the hcayiness of the pronnnci-
alton of those who formed the "hab
BIT OF ordering il.
McMastcr. the historian. IN one of
mis- books, quotes from the diary OIL
an Englishman who travelled In Vir. |
einia early in the eighteenth century |
and who makes mention OF drinl, |
"flavored by brnising mint How
long prior TO this the Virginians hal
enjoyed the bruised mint and ii. !
quor' will perhaps. never H. record |
ed. but the present day mbibcrs in |
the good old state stick To the mint |
jnlep with bulldog tenacity. They
We're drinking the seductive concoc- !,
ton long before Daniel Boone pcnc- |
tratcd into the intcrmnable forests
OF Kentucky TO which state some
writer's have ,cndeavored to award the |
claim OF the birthplace of the mint |
jnlep. If history must decide. the
mint jnlep originated in Massachu.
sets. although it is generally bclicv.
cd to be a southern product
That cornwall institut on known as |
the cocktail was ushered into this
world of trouble during the days of
the American revolution. and the orl-
gin of the peculiar appellation given
ms essentially American connection.
which has gone the length and I
breadth of the civilized world into the
clubs where mcn-nnd women. lie II
acknowledged congrcgatc. makes in
teresting reading.
During the period of the revoiution |
one Patrick Flanagan. jolly and /
popular Irshman, enlisted In com
pany of Virginia cavalry. He had
recently married an Irish girl who
Intensely American in her sentiments
and who was determined 10 20 with
her Patrick wherever she could ThrI
officers were informed of her intcn-
tons. and in the spirit of fun enconr
aged her. hut she made, herself useful
in so many ways that she became re.
cogn zed MS necessary adjunct to
INV tbiilDtnN. fipr nUSbdnu ulcu. and |
the colonel of the company asked the
young widow what she would do. nowl
that her husband was gone. She
stoutly declared that nothing would
part her from her beloved company
If they would allow her to remain
This so pleased the officers that in
q few days she was informed that she
might act as sutlcr To the company
but orders had been received which
would take the company to New
York, and if she did not wish to so
so far away from home they would
cndeayor 10 get her similar pos
ton IN another company which would
remain south. But Betsy Flanagnn's
heart was true to her Patrick's com.
pany. and nothing would induce her
10 transfer her allegiance
So the question was settled. and in
1870 the company winterod at n piacc
In Wcstchestcr county, near New
York. called -Four Corners" botwccnI
White Plnins and Tarrytown AZ this
po' mt Betsy set up tavern. There
were sanded floors and convenient