Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1899 — “B. B.” [ARTICLE]

“B. B.”

The late George Augustus Sala used frequently to dine at the house of a man who was very wealthy, and very fond of good living, but also Inconceivably mean. The genial “G. A. S.” had often noticed that, when the ladles left, and the run on the wine became sharper, the butler came in and whispered to the host, upon which he generally replied in the most earnest and emphatic way, “Yes; and mind the *B. B.’ ’’ This so stirred Sala’s curiosity that on one occasion, being on a visit, and meeting the butler out of doors before breakfast, he got him into conversation and slipped a sovereign into his hand. “Davis,” he said, “I want you to tell me between ourselves—just as a matter of curiosity, you know—what year’s wine is that ‘B. B.’ your master so often asks for?” A smile flitted across the face of Davis as he looked round at the house, and then coughed twice. “Lor bless you, sir,” he replied, “ ‘B. B.’—that ain’t no special vintage, that ain’t! Don’t you take any of that stuff, sir, if you are wise. That's our bottoms of bottles.”