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Show FIRST TO MAKE CHAMPA&ffi French Monk Was the Originator of Sparkllnu Wine. "V11 havo another bottle," said tbo champagne salesman. "Tho house fools tbo bill. It's nothing out of tny pocket." He drank thirstily. "Good stutr, nin't it," ho said. "Do you know who invented champagne? cham-pagne? I tell about it jn tbo little adveitising pamphlet I'm getting out for the Easter trade. It was a monk." He filled all tbo glasses again. "Yes, sir. Tho inventor of champagne cham-pagne was a monk, Dom l'crignon, cellarer of tho French abbey of Hautvillers, near Kpernny. Dom l'crignon conceived tho idea that the carbonic acid gas generated in wine's second state of fermentation would tasle good if it could be kept in. Hut with the greased hemp corks they used in those days tho gas ecnp-jd. Clover Dom l'crignon hit on the idea of corking his wino with the hark of thu cheno liege, or cork tr"o, (bus also inventing, you see, the cork of cork. Well, I don't need to (ell you that his experiment succeeded. Most of his cork corked bottles broke, but tho surviving ones contained a crisp, bubbling, frothing wine that well, that nurlc Dom I'crignon's name immortal. immor-tal. "The French, by the way, the makers of champagne,- drink it cool, but not highly iced, as wo do. They say Hint highly iced it loses its delicate flavor, just as is tho caso with highly iced beer. "Waiter, one inoro bottle, please. We'll drink to l'crignon." |