Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1887 — A New Use for Frozen Champagne. [ARTICLE]

A New Use for Frozen Champagne.

It wm nearly midnight in the qneen of American watering-places and nothing was going on! The millionaire kicked his heels peevishly against the table and motioned to one of the waiters. They all scrambled forward in such haste that the oldest one slipped and almost fell. The great man smiled, whereat a wave of joy passed over the dnsky group, and all but one retired with teeth in full review. Who is unhappy when a millionaire smiles? “Is the champagne well iced ?” asked the man of means good-naturedly. “It is, indeed, sah. De las’ bofle wuz froze dead hard.” “Bring me some.” When the waiter poured it out it was so cold that it dribbled slowly into the glass and sent up a milk-white mist almost as thick as the foam that raced to the top of the glass, while the dew gathered in beads on the bottle. The millionaire smiled gently as he gazed at the champagne, and then he glanced at the panting waiter. “Would you like to shiver, Thomas?” he asked solemnly. “Me, sah?” said the waiter with a chuckle. “Dere ain’t not’in in dis heah wuld ud make me shivah t’night, sah — no’n’deedy.” “O, yes, there is. ” “ ’Squse me, sah, but I’m roastin, I am, ’n I don’t b’lieve I’ll evah be col’ again.” “I’ll make you shiver in two minutes by the watch, or I’ll give you $30.” “Go ahead, sah!” Without more ado the millionaire took the champagne bottle from the other’s hand, turned it upside down, thrust it calmly down the back of the darky’s neck and left it there, while the champagne dripped gently down the waiter’s spine. Then, watch in hand, he waited, while the loungers sat up and the waiters moved in from the corridors with eyes fairly starting from their heads. “Don’ you shivah, yon fool niggah!” said the foremost of them in a hoarse whisper to Thomas. “F y’ do I’ll kick yo’ head offen y’ body, shuh. V got a chance f’ ter pay me dem seving dollyahs now, an’ if y’ miss it I’ll lam y’—l will fer a fac’.” Meanwhile the waiter stood there with pursed lips, staring eyes, and clinched lists. His head was bent forward and his legs spread apart, while his breath came in mighty snorts. The loungers were crowding around with watches in their hands making bets rapidly while the time wore slowly away. Presently the millionaire shouted. “One minute!” “0« Lordy!” moaned Thomas, in a voice like the soulful roar of a cavern by the sea, “I’m a-goin’, I’m a-goin’l” “Bemember dem seving dollyahs!” There was an awful huph, the sound of the grinding of African teeth, a wild “huh-wu-wu-whoooo!” followed by helpless chattering, and Thomas stood shaking like an aspen leaf, with one eye turned appealingly on the sevendollar man, while the other sought the face of the millionaire. One after another the waiters essayed the test, and for two hours the Casino was the liveliest spot in America. Then the famous millionaire climbed contentedly to the seat of his cart and murmured as he drove home in the moonlight: “It wasn’t so monstrously slow after all.” —New York World. "