The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-13
Some Pointers for Housewife in
Planning Dinner.
Also for Head Of Family Who
Pays the Bill.
MENU OF "a YEARS AGO
Prices ON Old Bill of Fare Cam
not Be Believed.
In That Day You Could Get Full
Meal for so Cents.

This is a tale for the housewife who
is planning the budget for the Thanks
giving dinner-and for the head of the
family who will pay the bill. This is a
tale for the young gallant who has in
vited his ladye faire to dine with him
on Thanksgiving day. at exc the swell
est tavern on the avenue-or per-
chance, having considered, has re-
Trained from issuing so injudicious an
invitation. giving due heed to the ex-
pense thereof.
Or for the travelling man, caught
far from home and home cooking on
this, the day which has come to be
dedicated to Epicurus and the gods of
gluttony, and who will partake of the
Thanksgiving Special dinner at his
hotel or restaurant.
In the span of the worlds history,
twenty-four years-less than a quar-
ter of a century, means little. In
twenty-four years the human race
makes small progress, along many
lines. But, natheless, and maugre that
fact, changes, sometimes startling
changes, can take effect.
Menu of Twcnty-Four Years Ago.
In the top of the glass cigar case at
Clarence L. SCOTS restaurant on Kan
sas avenue, just across from the post
office, there is pasted menu or the
Thanksgiving dinner which was served
at the GT6Ifl6Tl0 IGSbduI lAGA
owned by 1. L. Scott and Clarence l..
Scott, and located at the corner of
Eighth and Kansas avenues, where the
New Toggery now stands
The edibles listed on that twenty
four year old menu, and especially the
prices which were charged for them,
read foolish in the enlightened glare OF
the present day rate of exchange or
the coin of the realm.
MANY a man will pay on November
l25, 1920, $3.50 for his Thanksgiving
dinner, Many more will pay $1.00 for
a very ordinary meal. And fortunate
the man who can eat at all. let alone
dine, for SO cents. Yet, running on
the score card of the Cremerie in 1896.
! ii were a very gourmand who could 90
! away with four bits worth of food.
Two and a half would have banqueted
party, at Clarence SCOTS
just Listen to This.
! Give a listen once to some of the
/ items listed: Dinners started then,
with oysters. Half a dozen New YORK
counts in 1895 would cost 20 cents
| And for the queen olives and radishes
which went with them as relisnes'
there was no extra charge.
Soup to fish-tire menu covered
them all. And for green turtle soup,
the charge was one dime. Would that
New York might read this! The fish
on the schedule was boiled blueflsh-
which. tho one nO1Q IO AOA
the finny tribe as articles OF dlet'
nevertheless is not such bad eating.
And again give ear-the sauce with
which the fish was served was port
wine sauce-"genuine port wine, too.
and no one asked any questions about
it," said Mr.. Scott last night. If your
taste for sea food was still keen, there
was shrimp salad, but at the appalling
cost of 10 more cents.
And then, of course. the real feature
of Thanksgiving dinners since one
Heart o. Grace Mather, deacon in the
First Puritan church of New England.
was lucky enough to knock over a
wild turkey on his way home from the
office, with his new automatic matcn-
lock, or perchance the fantastical
wheelock just over from England and
regarded by the other elders with sus-
picion as being perchance a work OF
the devil.
OF course there was turkey in 1896
as there was in 1926, and may be for
the potentates of the earth and for the
farm families in 1926.
Pocketbook Suffered.
That was where the pocketbook suf-
fered. For roast young turkey stuffed
and served with cranberry sauce cost
rs cents that day. And doubtless here
and there some one protested that ii