A MISSING DISH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVIII, Issue XVII, 24 April 1897, Page 526

A MISSING DISH.

The story is told that a certain speculator, exceedingly unlearned, took a fancy to the entertainment of literary people, when he had made his fortune and set up a house ; and of course he wished to have and to do all the fine things that other rich men had and did. After dinner one day one of his ‘ literary ’ guests to remark : * I dined at X.’s, the poet’s, the other night, and he gave us a capital epigram at dessert.’ The speculator was humiliated. He had no epigrams ! After his guests were gone he called his cook. ‘Didn’t I give you carty blanehy for this dinner?’ he demanded. ‘Yes, sir ; you did, sir,’ said the cook. ‘ And didn't I tell you to have everything that anybody had ?’ ‘Yes, sir ; you did, sir.’ • Yes ! Well, now, it seems that at X.’s they have epigrams for dessert, and good ones, too, and folks miss 'em when they come here. Now I want to know if yon don’t know how to cook epigrams.’ The unfortunate cook was compelled to acknowledge that he could not cook epigrams, and was discharged on the spot.