WALTER LORIMER;
AND OTHER TALES.
BY THE AUTHOR OF “AMY HERBERT,” “GERTRUDE,” ETC.
Embellished with six colored Plates. 1 vol. 12mo., cloth, 75 cts.
“There is much that is pure, sweet and touching in the book, * * * the stories are presented in a style of composition which makes the work one of high literary character.”
FOOTNOTES:
[1] This entirely new system of making coffee has never yet been introduced to the public, and was found out by the author of this work through the following circumstance: Whilst travelling by night in a railway train, and arriving in due time at the station, where positively no less than five minutes are allowed to restore exhausted nature, after a long and tedious journey, and then, by using a certain portion of manual strength, to push through the crowd to get at what is called the refreshment room, after waiting for nearly two minutes for my turn to be served with some of the boiling liquid which they called coffee, being as bad as any human being could possibly make it, having probably waited patiently by the side of a winter’s fire until the last train made its appearance, it tasted anything but palatable; but having a long journey before me, and requiring something to eat and drink, I was obliged to put up with it; but before I could even partake of half, or finish masticating some stale toast or over-buttered muffin, the unsociable bell violently rung to acquaint the passengers that their appetites were perfectly satisfied, though that incredulous organ would not let us believe it; and every one being perfectly aware that railway trains, like time, wait for no one, the hurry of which event, though unpleasant, made me escape the swallowing the thick part which was deposited at the bottom of the cup; rushing out of the refreshment room, I jumped into the wrong carriage, the fidgetty train having changed its place, and the time being too short to rectify the mistake, I was obliged to make fresh acquaintance with my new compagnons de voyage, who happened to be as much dissatisfied with the steaming-hot refreshment as myself, who had patronized the steaming Mocha. I was at last much pleased to find a wise man among my new travelling friends, who said, “I never travel at night without being provided with a spirited companion;” and pulling out of his carpet-bag a small bottle and gutta-percha goblet of new invention, we partook of a drop of the best eau de vie I had ever tasted, which produced on me the pleasant sensation of being relieved of a very annoying pain. Grateful for his kindness, and always desirous to improve the domestic comfort, I told him, in making myself known, that, as soon as I arrived at the Reform Club, I would try several experiments to simplify the present method of making coffee; and should I be successful in my researches, I would forward him the receipt on my arrival in London. I tried to find my first travelling friends, who, more unfortunate than myself, got in their proper place, and, consequently, did not meet with the “spirited” friend I did, vowing they would never take any more coffee at night, especially in a railway train. Having forwarded the receipt to my friend, he, after having tried it, wrote me the following note:
“MY DEAR SIR,—I have made an experiment of your new receipt for coffee, which you have kindly forwarded to me, and beg to acquaint you that I never recollect having lasted better. Yours, &c.
W. C.”
I do strongly advise my readers to give it a trial, and recommend all providers of refreshment at railway stations not to make the coffee boiling hot, but to keep the cafetière in a bain-marie, which would avoid all the above inconvenience, both as regards quality and heat.