STEAK AND ONIONS.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 426, 8 July 1913, Page 7

STEAK AND ONIONS.

In a brightly written volume by King Edward Vll. 's chauffeur there are some excellent stories.

Once when the author was about to bring the car round to the hotel at Biarritz he received a private message from the sergeant footman advising him on no account to come too close to His Majesty's person. Greatly surprised, Mr Stamper inquired the reason, and was reminded that his lunch that day consisted largely of steak and onions. He was careful to take the advice, and afterwards heard what had happened : It appeared that after lunch His Majesty had wanted to see the postmaster and the courier. Calling the sergeant footman, the King was proceeding to tell him to summon them before him when he stopped short and looked at the man.

"Hawkins, you've been eating onions." "No, your Majesty." " Yes, you have. I'm sure you have. . . . Send Mr Hiley here at once. And Mr Fehr."

The sergeant footman withdrew, and presently the postmaster was announced. The King called him to his side, and was beginning to read him a telegram, he wanted him to despatch, when "Hiley, you've been eating onions," he cried.

"No, your Majesty," said the postmaster, instinctively recoiling. "Yes, you have. It's disgraceful." For the rest of the interview the unfortunate postmaster kept his distance, and when His Majesty had given his orders withdrew from the Royal presence with a haste that was almost precipitate. The courier entered the room. He approached very warily, but His Majesty's sense of smell was keen, and all Mr Fehr's efforts to suppress the facts of the case were unavailing. The King looked up sharply and sat back m his chair.

"I'm if you haven't been eating onions, too."

"I'm afraid perhaps the chef must have put some into the soup, your Majesty." "Tell the chef he's not to put onions into the soup. I won't have my servants eating onions. It's disgusting." Fortunately the fourth of the steak-and-onion party was able to conceal his delinquency, and thus escaped rebuke.