The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-11-22
USELESS ACQUISITION
French Chef Who Was Out of Place
with Buffalo Bill.
The Man of Many Meals Soon Cams
to he Regarded ~ an Expensivs
Luxury in the Western
Wllds.

started on a tour Of the Rocky noun
tains as the host OF a number OF Tor
eiRn military officers, having been
feted by them in their clubs and
homes, he was anxious to cater to
their every taste and comfort while
in camp life on this side of the great
pond. relates the Detroit Free Press
His orders were to spare no ex-
pense, and among the ''luxures"
taken along was a French chef with
a record and price. He was secured
from the Brown Palace hotel in Den
yer, Louis Pierre Gascirgue was his
name; but for the long trail, and the
generous price paid to him, go
plunks a week." cowboy said the
chef consented to be called Gas for
short.
He had the selection Of the canned
goods to be carried along, and turtle
soup, of the very best, NJ. Gas or
dered. and it took an extra wagon to
hold them. The chef was radiant in
a snow-white suit and cap and pre-
scented the appearance the first night
in camp of a ghost, and was regarded
with superstitious suspicion by the
cowboys and others of that ilk.
Gas" set in to show the wild west
erners thing or two in the culinary
art by his first camp dinner. He had
a patent cooking stove, the wide
world for q kitchen with heaven tor
a roof, while china, fine linen and
wines were right at hand. Six O'Clock
was the dinner hour that first night
at the base of the San Francisco
mountains, and Gas was in raptures
over his dinner Buffalo Bill, the
host, looked serious, the guests more
so. Such a dinner they could get in
any club in city, but they did not
say so. If they did keep up devil OF
a thinking. 1t was not what Col.
Cody liked, but it was what he
thought he ought to have for his dis
tinguished guests. The latter stood
it for two days and then went on a
strike.
Il say, Cody" ventured Sir ST. John
| Mildmay, major of the Grenadier
Guards, do you call this wild west
ern camp fare and cooking? You see,
we are all half dead with dyspepsia
now, and thought we would get some
good, wholesome food on this thou
sand-mile trip in the saddle with
YOU"
The others joined in the chorus to
the same effect, while monsieur, the
chef, looked as solemn as country
parsons horse. AS for Col. Cody, be
heamed with delight, said that Rocky
mountain trails and table d'hote din
ners didn't mix well, and Gas was a
once given leave to go along, as b.
couldn't be sent back, as an orna
ment, a useless acquisition, and TIVE
scouts were installed as cooks. AM
with the chef. the canned goods
china. fine linen and the stove wer
sealed up in the wagon, and tin plate
and cups were brought forth.
5 And such cooking as these scout
: did could not be improved upon, Will
, Col. Cody showed that he was a frs
l class cook himself He could throw
2 fapjack from frying pan into tn
air IS feet, turn it over and have
come down on the other side, neve
S once making a miss and falling int
# the fire. The guests tried to lear
this trick, but it was found too e,
pensive, as they never missed the fir
but always the frying pan. NJ. Lou
Pierre Gascirgue could not be pr
vailed upon to taste any of the fro
~ tier cooking, but stuck to his sou]
. and plum buildings, while he locke
IS as though he had buried his be
r. friend. He sought excitement in ri
ing a broncho, and was thrown dali
He took to a wagon and was upse
'e after which he walked, dropped b
n hind, and was scared nearly to deai
by the Indians. One day he stoc
u looking up disconsolately at the su
IS and said in funereal tone: dat su
"A do shine for all persun, but it do NJ
jHst seem to shine for me-
le When the long trail ended at Sa
l. Lake City the French chef was tt
only one of the party who had ind
- gestion, and he drowned his sorrow
n by getting gloriously drunk, hen,
Z was happy for the time being. BIZ
Col. Cody braced him up and returne
y him to Denver, having paid well fl
ii luxury" not to be taken on
"a Rocky mountain trail.