American Drinks.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XII, 20 September 1902, Page 716

American Drinks.

At first sight they are a queer tumble and jumble of poetry and paradox. The ordinary Saxon knows the sherry cobbler, the shandy-gaff, the gin ricksey, the corpse reviver, nnd the cocktails. But what are the stone fence, the golden fizz and the knickebein? And who were the Collins Brothers—John and Tom—or Mammie Taylor? The barman made all this clear. “The fizzes,” he said, “are first favourites this year, and they are about the best drinks going. There is the silver fizz, for instance. This is made of lemon juice, sugar, soda and the white of an egg. “The golden fizz is the same, except that the yolk of the egg takes the place of the white. The best of the lot is the royal fizz, which has both the white and the yolk. Other members of the family are the cider fizz and the cream fizz, which explain 1 hemselves. “The Collinses are long lemon squashes, with gin in them. For the John Collins Holland's gin is used, nnd for flic Tom Collins Old Tom gin. Tom is more popular than John. “If you feel poetical you can try the morning g]ory—the white of an egg, lemon juice, sugar, dash of absinthe, and soda. Or there is the maiden's dream. This consists of Benedictine. creme de nienthe, file white of an egg. and a little brandy.

“The Mammie Taylor is made of Scotch whisky, lemon juice and a bottle of ginger ale.” “What is a corpse reviver?” was asked. "That is best left to the bartender. He will diagnose your ease, and prescribe accordingly.” This long list solves the question from the point of view of the man who doesn’t like to run the risk of infected water. But what about the teetotaller? Can a teetotaller quench his thirst? “Certainly,” replied one. “He has water and tea to fall back on. What more do you want?” A Scotsman expressed the view that tea was “a fairly decent drink, and not bad so far as it goes,” but that there was no really perfect teetotal beverage. A member of the opposite camp was inelined to dismiss the whole question with the assertion that teetotallers have no need to quench their thirst, because they never have one. “If they had,” he continued, “they would not be teetotallers.” 4, 4. 4 Head-Work. An elderly bicycle-rider went to the establishment of a cycle dealer ong day, and said to the proprietor, “I have tried all sorts of'saddles, and never found one that I could ride on comfortably. If you can make one that, will fit me 1 will give you 25 dollars for it.” “Come again in about an hour,” said the dealer, after a moment’s thought. At, the expiration of that time the customer came again. “Sit down,” said the dealer, pointing to a chair,

“and tell me what kind of saddle you think von would like.”

“That’s for you to devise,” replied the other. “I have no suggestions to make.”

"Well, I'll do the best I can for you, and take the risk,” rejoined the dealer, and after a few moments of desultory conversation the caller took his leave.

A day or two passed, and a new saddle was sent to his address. About a week later he came again. “Here’s your money,” he said. “The saddle fits me perfectly. Would you mind telling me how you managed it?” “Simplest thing in the world,” replied the dealer. “Do you remember my asking you to sit down in that chair when you were here last?” "Yes.”

“Well, on that chair seat were two sheets of paper, with a sheet of car-bon-paper between them. When you sat down you left the impression of your ‘ischiatic tuberosities,’ as they are called, or lower hip-bones, on the white paper. It was easy to make a saddle to conform to the location of those bones, and ” “I see,” interrupted the customer. “You have earned your money.” 4. 4- -fr