worldly ways and byways-第25章

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down。〃



There　is　certainly　food　here　for　reflection。　　Why　should　we　be　more　

inclined　to　wander　than　our　neighbors？　　Perhaps　it　is　in　a　measure　

due　to　our　nervous；　restless　temperament；　which　is　itself　the　

result　of　our　climate；　but　whatever　the　cause　is；　inability　to　

remain　long　in　one　place　is　having　a　most　unfortunate　influence　on　

our　social　life。　　When　everyone　is　on　the　move　or　longing　to　be；　it　

becomes　difficult　to　form　any　but　the　most　superficial　ties；　strong　

friendships　become　impossible；　the　most　intimate　family　relations　

are　loosened。



If　one　were　of　a　speculative　frame　of　mind　and　chose　to　take　as　the　

basis　for　a　calculation　the　increase　in　tourists　between　1855；　when　

the　ten　pioneers　started　for　Paris；　and　the　number　〃personally　

conducted〃　over　land　and　sea　today；　and　then　glance　forward　at　what　

the　future　will　be　if　this　ratio　of　increase　is　maintained　the　

result　would　be　something　too　awful　for　words。　　For　if　ten　have　

become　a　million　in　forty　years；　what　will　be　the　total　in　1955？　　

Nothing　less　than　entire　nations　given　over　to　sight…seeing；　

passing　their　lives　and　incomes　in　rushing　aimlessly　about。



If　the　facilities　of　communication　increase　as　they　undoubtedly　

will　with　the　demand；　the　prospect　becomes　nearer　the　idea　of　a　

〃Walpurgis　Night〃　than　anything　else。　　For　the　earth　and　the　sea　

will　be　covered　and　the　air　filled　with　every　form　of　whirling；　

flying；　plunging　device　to　get　men　quickly　from　one　place　to　

another。



Every　human　being　on　the　globe　will　be　flying　South　for　the　cold　

months　and　North　for　the　hot　season。



As　personally　conducted　tours　have　been　so　satisfactory；　agencies　

will　be　started　to　lead　us　through　all　the　stages　of　existence。　　

Parents　will　subscribe　on　the　birth　of　their　children　to　have　them　

personally　conducted　through　life　and　everything　explained　as　it　is　

done　at　present　in　the　galleries　abroad；　food；　lodging　and　reading　

matter；　husbands　and　wives　will　be　provided　by　contract；　to　be　

taken　back　and　changed　if　unsatisfactory；　as　the　big　stores　do　with　

their　goods。　　Delightful　prospect！　　Homes　will　become　superfluous；　

parents　and　children　will　only　meet　when　their　〃tours〃　happen　to　

cross　each　other。　　Our　great…grandchildren　will　float　through　life　

freed　from　every　responsibility　and　more　perfectly　independent　than　

even　that　delightful　dreamer；　Bellamy；　ventured　to　predict。









CHAPTER　29　…　Husks





AMONG　the　Protestants　driven　from　France　by　that　astute　and　

liberal…minded　sovereign　Louis　XIV。；　were　a　colony　of　weavers；　who　

as　all　the　world　knows；　settled　at　Spitalfields　in　England；　where　

their　descendants　weave　silk　to　this　day。



On　their　arrival　in　Great　Britain；　before　the　looms　could　be　set　up　

and　a　market　found　for　their　industry；　the　exiles　were　reduced　to　

the　last　extremity　of　destitution　and　hunger。　　Looking　about　them　

for　anything　that　could　be　utilized　for　food；　they　discovered　that　

the　owners　of　English　slaughter…houses　threw　away　as　worthless；　the　

tails　of　the　cattle　they　killed。　　Like　all　the　poor　in　France；　

these　wanderers　were　excellent　cooks；　and　knew　that　at　home　such　

caudal　appendages　were　highly　valued　for　the　tenderness　and　flavor　

of　the　meat。　　To　the　amazement　and　disgust　of　the　English　villagers　

the　new　arrivals　proceeded　to　collect　this　〃refuse〃　and　carry　it　

home　for　food。　　As　the　first　principle　of　French　culinary　art　is　

the　POT…AU…FEU；　the　tails　were　mostly　converted　into　soup；　on　which　

the　exiles　thrived　and　feasted。



Their　neighbors；　envious　at　seeing　the　despised　French　indulging　

daily　in　savory　dishes；　unknown　to　English　palates；　and　tempted　

like　〃Jack's〃　giant　by　the　smell　of　〃fresh　meat；〃　began　to　inquire　

into　the　matter；　and　slowly　realized　how；　in　their　ignorance；　they　

had　been　throwing　away　succulent　and　delicate　food。　　The　news　of　

this　discovery　gradually　spreading　through　all　classes；　〃ox…tail〃　

became　and　has　remained　the　national　English　soup。



If　this　veracious　tale　could　be　twisted　into　a　metaphor；　it　would　

serve　marvellously　to　illustrate　the　position　of　the　entire　Anglo…

Saxon　race；　and　especially　that　of　their　American　descendants　as　

regards　the　Latin　peoples。　　For　foolish　prodigality　and　reckless；　

ignorant　extravagance；　however；　we　leave　our　English　cousins　far　

behind。



Two　American　hotels　come　to　my　mind；　as　different　in　their　

appearance　and　management　as　they　are　geographically　asunder。　　Both　

are　types　and　illustrations　of　the　wilful　waste　that　has　recently　

excited　Mr。　Ian　Maclaren's　comment；　and　the　woeful　want　（of　good　

food）　that　is　the　result。　　At　one；　a　dreary　shingle　construction　on　

a　treeless　island；　off　our　New　England　coast；　where　the　ideas　of　

the　landlord　and　his　guests　have　remained　as　unchanged　and　

primitive　as　the　island　itself；　I　found　on　inquiry　that　all　

articles　of　food　coming　from　the　first　table　were　thrown　into　the　

sea；　and　I　have　myself　seen　chickens　hardly　touched；　rounds　of　

beef；　trays　of　vegetables；　and　every　variety　of　cake　and　dessert　

tossed　to　the　fish。



While　we　were　having　soups　so　thin　and　tasteless　that　they　would　

have　made　a　French　house…wife　blush；　the　ingredients　essential　to　

an　excellent　〃stock〃　were　cast　aside。　　The　boarders　were　paying　

five　dollars　a　day　and　appeared　contented；　the　place　was　packed；　

the　landlord　coining　money；　so　it　was　foolish　to　expect　any　

improvement。



The　other　hotel；　a　vast　caravansary　in　the　South；　where　a　fortune　

had　been　lavished　in　providing　every　modern　convenience　and　luxury；　

was　the　〃fad〃　of　its　wealthy　owner。　　I　had　many　talks　with　the　

manager　during　my　stay；　and　came　to　realize　that　most　of　the　

wastefulness　I　saw　around　me　was　not　his　fault；　but　that　of　the　

public；　to　whose　taste　he　was　obliged　to　cater。　　At　dinner；　after　

receiving　your　order；　the　waiter　would　disappear　for　half　an　hour；　

and　then　bring　your　entire　meal　on　one　tray；　the　over…cooked　meats　

stranded　in　lakes　of　coagulated　gravy；　the　entrees　cold　and　the　

ices　warm。　　He　had　generally　forgotten　two　or　three　essentials；　but　

to　send　back　for　them　meant　to　wait　another　half…hour；　as　his　other　

clients　were　clamoring　to　be　served。　　So　you　ate　what　was　before　

you　in　sulky　disgust；　and　got　out　of　the　room　as　quickly　as　

possible。



After　one　of　these　gastronomic　races；　being　hungry；　flustered；　and　

suffering　from　indigestion；　I　asked　mine　host　if　it　had　never　

occurred　to　him　to　serve　a　TABLE　D'HOTE　dinner　（in　courses）　as　is　

done　abroad；　where　hundreds　of　people　dine　at　the　same　moment；　each　

dish　being　offered　them　in　turn　accompanied　by　its　accessories。



〃Of　course；　I　have　thought　of　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃It　would　be　the　

greatest　improvement　that　could　be　introduced　into　American　hotel…

keeping。　　No　one　knows　better　than　I　do　how　disastrous　the　present　

system　is　to　all　parties。　　Take　as　an　example　of　the　present　way；　

the　dinner　I　am　going　to　give　you　to…morrow；　in　honor　of　Christmas。　　

Glance　over　this　MENU。　　You　will　see　that　it　enumerates　every　

costly　and　delicate　article　of　food　possible　to　procure　and　a　long　

list　of　other　dishes；　the　greater　part　of　which　will　not　even　be　

called　for。　　As　no　number　of　CHEFS　could　possibly　oversee　the　

proper　preparation　of　such　a　variety　of　meats　and　sauces；　all　will　

be　carelessly　cooked；　and　as　you　know　by　experience；　poorly　served。



〃People　who　exact　useless　variety；〃　he　added；　〃are　sure　in　some　way　

to　be　the　sufferers；　in　their　anxiety　to　try　everything；　they　will　

get　nothing　worth　eating。　　Yet　that　meal　will　cost　me　considerably　

more　than　my　guests　pay　for　their　twenty…four　hours'　board　and　

lodging。〃



〃Why　do　it；　you　ask？　　Because　it　is　the　custom；　and　because　it　will　

be　an　advertisement。　　These　bills　of　fare　will　be　sown　broadcast　

over　the　country　in　letters　to　friends　and　kept　as　souvenirs。　　If；　

instead　of　all　this　senseless　superfluity；　I　were　allowed　to　give　a　

TABLE　D'HOTE　meal　to…morrow；　with　the　CHEF　I　have；　I　could　provide　

an　exquisite　dinner；　perfect　in　every　detail；　served　at　little　

tables　as　deftly　and　silently　as　in　a　private　house。　　I　could　also　

discharge　half　of　my　waiters；　and　charge　two　dollars　a　day　instead　

of　five　dollars；　and　the　hotel　would　become　（what　it　has　never　been　

yet）　a　paying　investment；　so　great　would　he　the　saving。〃



〃Only　this　morning；〃　he　continued；　warming　to　his　subject；　〃while　

standing　in　the　dining　room；　I　saw　a　young　man　order　and　then　send　

away　half　the　dishes　on　the　MENU。　　A　chicken　was　broiled　for　him　

and　rejected；　a　steak　and　an　omelette　fared　no　better。　　How　much　do　

you　suppose　a　hotel　gains　from　a　guest　like　that？〃



〃The　reason　Americans　put　up　with　such　poor　viands　in　hotels　is；　

that　home　cooking　in　this　country　is　so　rudimentary；　consisting　

principally　of　fried　dishes；　and　hot　breads。　　So　little　is　known　

about　the　proper　preparation　of　food　that　tomorrow's　dinner　will　

appear　to　many　as　the　NE　PLUS　ULTRA　of　delicate　living。　　One　of　the　

charms　of　a　hotel　for　people　who　live　poorly　at　home；　lies　in　this　

power　to　order　expensive　dishes　they　rarely　or　never　see　on　their　

own　tables。〃



〃To　be　served　with　a　quantity　of　food　that　he　has　but　little　desire　

to　eat　is　one　of　an　American　citizen's　dearest　privileges；　and　a　

right　he　will　most　unwillingly　relinquish。　　He　may　know　as　well　as　

you　and　I　do；　that　what　he　calls　for　will　not　be　worth　eating；　that　

is　of　secondary　importance；　he　has　it　before　him；　and　is　

contented。〃



〃The　hotel　that　attempted　limiting　the　liberty　of　its　guests　to　the　

extent　of　serving　them　a　TABLE　D'HOTE　dinner；　would　be　emptied　in　a　

week。〃



〃A　crowning　incongruity；　as　most　people　are　delighted　to　dine　with　

friends；　or　at　public　functions；　where　the　meal　is　invariably　

served　A　LA　RUSSE　（another　name　for　a　TABLE　D'HOTE）；　and　on　these　

occasions　are　only　too　glad　to　have　their　MENU　chosen　for　them。　　

The　present　way；　however；　is　a　remnant　of　'old　times'　and　the　

average　American；　with　all　his　love　of　change　and　novelty；　is　very　

conservative　when　it　comes　to　his　table。〃



What　this　manager　did　not　confide　to　me；　but　what　I　discovered　

later　for　myself；　was　that　to　facilitate　the　service；　and　avoid　

confusion　in　the　kitchens；　it　had　become　the　custom　at　all　the　

large　and　most　of　the　small　hotels　in　this　country；　to　carve　the　

joints；　cut　up　the　game；　and　portion　out　vegetables；　an　hour　or　two　

before　meal　time。　　The　food；　thus　arranged；　is　placed　in　vast　steam　

closets；　where　it　simmers　gayly　for　hours；　in　its　own；　and　fifty　

other　vapors。



Any　one　who　knows　the　rudiments　of　cookery；　will　recognize　that　

with　this　system　no　viand　can　have　any　particular　flavor；　the　

partridges　having　a　taste　of　their　neighbor　the　roast　beef；　which　

in　turn　suggests　the　plum　pudding　it　has　been　〃chumming〃　with。



It　is　not　alone　in　a　hotel　that　we　mi