Greeley's Manners Were Bad
The genial oíd philanthropist, Horace Greeley, went to New Orleans after the south had taken him to her heart in grateful recognition of his action in going ou thu Jeff Davis bail bond, and the people were anxious to show him every attention in their power. A dinner seemed to be the proper íhing, and the markets of New Orleans, than which there are few better in the world, were ransacked to make the occasion as notable for its viands as for the distinction of the guest and the diners. Judge Walker, the veteran editor of The Picayune, presided. He was a great gormand, and after the manner of gormands wished none of the fine points of the dinner to be lost to the guest for lack of commeutary. "Mr. Greeley," said he, "these oysters are the best that come to our market, and we think they vie with those of Norfolk. I observe that yon are not eating tbem. '' "Well, no, "replied Greeley. "The truth is I never could abide shellfish. " And he passed. Then carne some delicious green turtle soup, which Judge Walker explained was preparod from the finest fat turtle the Florida bays could afford. "No doubt, no doubt, " was the reply in Greeley 's peculiar whine, "but cold blooded animáis are an abomination to me." The pompano, imperial fish that it is, and fresh from the gulf, was open to the same objection, despite Judge Walker's eulogy, and that, too, was passed. Mr. Greeley barely tasted the accompanying Parisian dainty and shook hig head ruefully at the idea that anybody would impair his digestión by eating cuenmbers. Shrimp salad, another New Orleans delicacy, proved uo more tempting. Shrimps, he said, looked so much like worms that they always give him the creeps. "Ah, here is something you will like I - a homely dish in name," said Judge Walker, "but fit for the gods. It is a Galicia ham. " And then he went on to teil how the hogs from which these harns were obtained were fed only on shestnuts, maküig the flesh luscious and delicious. "Perhaps so, very interesting indeed, " observed Greeley, "but do you know, judge, that there is so much talk of trichina nowadays that I wouldn't dare taste a bit of pork. ' ' The judge gave up in despair. The only things in all the array of dainties which had been provided which Mr. Greeley would eat were bread, potatoes and cauliflower, and he feared that he might be overloading his stomach at that. But when it came to the speaking, although he had drunk nothing but cold water, he spoke as one inspired and with a fervor, eloquence and tenderuess that nobody at the table could ever forget. -
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Ann Arbor Argus
Old News