FISHY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3069, 28 April 1881, Page 4

FISHY.

Not only ore the French people fond of dining and connoisseurs in dining, but they'may be appealed to on their gastronomic side. For instance,. nothir ?, pleased them better in M. Theirs, than his well-known partiality for the good things of life. _ M. Thiers' great weakness "was a dish, strictly Proyencal and essentially vulgar called braridade, consisting of salt cod. and oil skilfully combined. Doctors in late years forbade M.'Thiers to eat cod in any shape or form, and, much as ho wished for it, Madame Theirs was inflexible. But M. Theirs had an-'ally, M. Mignet, and „■■..;n time to time this gentleman used to reach the hotel St.. Georges with a voluminous parcel under his arm." Hy'w'ould bow rapidly to the ladies, and pass into the great man's study. Then an urgent plea of important work was put ; forward, the doors were locked, and intru--1 ders sent away. Directly they were alone the two fr'ends undid tho parcel, which was simply a tin box wrapped in a newspaper, and containing an unctuous brandade, made by the bestf Provencal cook in Paris. With h'rfepring defeghf the friends consumed this forbidden delicacy ;' and when the box was entirely empty anct Wie-doors were unlocked Thiers would'be heard exclaiming, 'My dear Mignet, it is the masterpiece of human genius !' And everyone thought he referred to some great literary achievement. But Madame Theirs one day caught iLo two culprits at their work, and reproached M. Mignet so severely that after that he never dared enter the hotel with a parcel tuider his arm.