USELESS ACQUISITION

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 351, 29 January 1903, Page 3

USELESS ACQUISITION

IrtMfc Qui Who Wis Oat rf Mfl* wtth Btrfblo BUL totta »im<il —mm Mag—s-re ***" ■wiimy ta *fe« Weweem Some fNM ago, when Col. Codff started on a tew of the Rooky mountains as the host of a number of foreign military officers, having been feted by them in their clubs and homes, he w«a axuriou« to oater to their every tents and comfort while in wnp life on this aide of the great pond, rela>tee the Detroit Free Press. Hie orders were to spare no expense, and among the "luxuries" taken along was a French ehef with a record and a price. He ws>e secured from the Brown Palace hotel Id Denver, Louis Pierre Gaacirguc was his name; bat for the long trail, and tha generous price paid to him, "60 plunks a week," a cowboy said the ehef consented to be called "Gas" for short He had the selection of the canned foods to be carried along, sod turtle soup, of the vvty beet, M. Gas ordered, and it took an extra wagon to hold them. The ekef was radiant in a snow-white auit and cap, and presented the appearance the first night In camp of a ghost, and wise regarded with superstitioue suspicion by the cowboys and others of that ilk. "Gas" set in to show the wild westerners a thing or two in the culinary art by his first eamp dinner. He had a patent cooking store, the wide world for a kitchen with heaven for a roof, while china, fine Mass and Vines 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 orer his dinner. Buffalo Bill, the host, looked serious, the guests more so. Such a dinner they could get in any club in a city, but they did not •ay so, if they did keep up a derU at a thinking. It was not what Col. Cody liked, but it was what ho thought he ought to hare for his distinguished guests. The latter stood it for two days and then want on a strike. "I say, Cody," ventured Air St. John Mi Id may, major of the Grenadier Guards, "do you call thie wild western camp fare and cooking? You aee, 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 a country, parson's horse. As for Col. Cody, ha beamed with delight, said that Rooky mountain trails and table d'hote dinners didn't mix well, and Gas was at once given leave to go along, as he couldn't be sent back, as an ornament, a useless acquisition, and two scouts were installed as cooks. And with the chef, the eanned goods, china, fine linen and the stove wera sealed up in the wagon, and tin plaice and cups were brought forth. And such cooking as these scouts did could not be improved upon, while Col. Cody showed that he was a firstclass cook himself. He could throw a flapjack from a frying pan into the air 15 feet, turn it over and have H come down on the other side, never once making a miss and falling into the fire. The guests tried to learn this trick, but it was found too expensive, as they never missed the fire, but always the frying pan- M. Louie Pierre Gascirgue could not be pre* vailed upon to taste any of the frontier cooking, but stuck to hie coups and plum puddings, while he looked ae though he had buried hie- best friend. He sought exoitement in rid*ing a broncho, and was thrown daily. He took to a wagon and was upset, after which he walked, dropped behind, and was scared nearly to death by the Indians. One day he stood looking up disconsolately at the sub and said in a funereal tone: "Dat sua do shine for all persun, but it do aot Just seem to shine for me." When the long trail ended at Salt Lake City the French chef was the only one of the party who had indigestion, and he drowned his sorrows by getting gloriously drunk, hence Wa« happy for the time being. But Col. Cody braced him up and returned him to Denver, having paid wall for a "luxury," not to be taken on a ttoeky mountain trail.

Invention to Bar Insrw£*M. Nervous travelers who dread sleeping in unknown bouses will welcome the so-called "vigilant dragon," which is not unlike a small brassshelled tortoise. It is, in fact, a dome-gong table bell, with spliced legs and with a spiked dragon's head. When a bedroom door is closed the apikes are placed in the floor and against the door, and then the dragon's tail just touches the floor. This tail is connected with the bell clapper, »o that if anyone endeavors to open the door from the outside an obstacle is met with, and the alarm is given. When the anxious watches of the night are over the "vigilant dragon" becomes a reposeful bell for the writing table. —London Express. Blast-Farnao* Gaa-Motora. In western Europe, and particularly ip Germany, the employment of motors utilizing gases from blast furnaces is increasing. It is said that the use of these gases, which is not so common in England or the United Statrs, effects a considerable saving in the cost of founding. The motors thus driven art employed principally for actuating air compressors and electric generators.—Science.