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Show EATING TO MUSIC. One of tho customs which have rap-Idly rap-Idly spread In this country is that of eating to music the custom of having hav-ing public music with public meals. It is a custom that has spread with such speed and persistency that even persons with culture and wisdom and good sense enough to understand what a disagreeable custom it Is are nearly powerless against it. Restaurant music mu-sic in the sense in which one has it now is an invasion. It probably came down from New York, a city fruitful in atrocities. But in every cit3', and of course in Washington, there is an element which likes to talte its cue from New York, and this element often lacks tho discrimination to nc-cept nc-cept from New York that which is good and reject what is bad. In tho long ago there were some summer gardens in Washington where one could soothe the palate and the soul There were not many ot these places, and if you went to them It was through choice. You knew what was coming to you. Then if tho refreshments refresh-ments wero effective the music did not disturb you. However, now It is difficult to escape. You will get rag-tlmo rag-tlmo with every bite you take, or perhaps per-haps you may sip your soup to solemn strains and drink your coffee to tearful tear-ful measures. Reflection is difficult, and conversation cannot be Indulged unless you talk louder than the orchestra. or-chestra. The mixing of a concert with clams and fried oysters or the combination of symphony and soup do not satisfy both the ear and the appctito. Sometimes Some-times one thinks that perhaps it is a plan to hide poor food under poor music. When you fail to feel that full and genial glow neceBsary to happiness hap-piness at the table you do not know whether to blame tho cooks of tho musicians. A man who knows anything any-thing of tho art of eating does not chew in two-step time or eat with a waltz movement Washington Star. |