Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09
STORIES OF LONDON CLUBS.
Why Thackeray Blackballed Candis
date-Garrick Punch.

From I1t-bite.
Maj Arthur Griffiths tells a story apro-
pos Of the whimsical objections sometimes
raised by members to candidates. Tho
story is about Thackeray and the Garrick
Club. A man Of fortune named Hill. self
made but illiterate. who sometimes went
astray with his his. was a candidate for
election. IT piled him because he is q
liar" said Thackeray. He calls himself
III when he isn't"
Theodore Hook was one OF the Garrfck's
most famous members. He generally ar
rived at the club late I'm the afternoon and
never went home till morning" He had
been told by the doctors he said, to avoid
the night air. a member Of the club In
Hooks time predicted the advent or the
millennium at the end OF three years:
"An right" cried Hook. Give me f5
note now and 1 will repay you ESQ at the
millennium"
Apart, however, from the notabilities
who have been members of the Garrick-
and they include almost everybody who
has been anybody, in art and the drama
especially during the last eighty years-the
Garrick was. and is, esteemed for its good
cooking. Two famous things are still TO
be obtained-gin punch and the Garrick
steak. The recipe OF the first is to pour
rhalf pint of gin on the outer peel or
lemon, then add little fresh lemon juice.
a glass Of maraschino, about pint and a
quarter of water and two bottles OF icet
the result. The Garrick steak is made by
cutting through the sirloin. and the fat
piece produced contains both the upper
and the under cut.
At the Athenaeum Club-sixty-nins
members of which. 1t has been calculat led.
have been buried in Westminster Abbey
and thirty-two in ST. Pauls-a feature I'D
the feeding was the "Asiatic Sunday, as
some one STYLED it, when curry and rice
always appeared on the bill of fare. An
other popular dinner was that which pro-
vided marrow bones and jam roly poly
puddings.
Although the members OF the big cluhs
are most fastidious In regard TO the
cuisine the average salary paid 10 the
chef is said to be only between EaOo and
$500 particularly onerous responsible
ity is that imposed upon the wine butier.
In the old aristocratic clubs such largo
quantities of table silver are being con-
stantly handled that the utmost precau-
tons are necessary to prevent disappear
ance The whole of the silver out Is
checked and counted over every night
when the days work Is done. and no ser.
want is at liberty to leave the mouse until
the tally Is reported correct
The value Of the possessions of the best
clubs does not end with the silver plate.
The furniture OF the Oxford and Cam
bridge Club. for instance. is valued at
nearly $4,000; the books and maps In the
library are worth over R1o00o, while a
similar amount would not buy the wine
in the cellars.
Fifteen years ago the library OF tho
Athenaeum was entered on the BOOKS as
having cost G23, l27. its stock OF wine be
ing put at nearly $4,000. The wine stock
of the Reform Club is valued at over
f1OOOO while the Junior Carlton keeps
no less than s27. 900 worth of wines. spir-
it's etc. on the premises. BY the way.
the value of the property OF the latter
club. at the corner of Piccadilly and ST.
James, is estimated at G22o,Vo.