1903 The Flowing Bowl by Edward Spencer

"THE BOY"

12.7

interpretation of the last-named title. At a shooting party, a stout urchin of some fifteen summers was specially told off to carry the liquid refreshment for the shooters, which took the form of Perrier Jouet in magnums. And so frequent were the calls of " Boy ! " that morning, that the youth threw up his situation before noon. D'you believe it ? Not a word of it? Same here. At least I never attended a "shoot" at which the gunners steadied their nerves by the aid of choice vintages—before luncheon, at all events ; and I don't mean to begin now. Cham pagne was probably called " the Boy " because of its free, happy,joyous,loose-and-careless character istics. The sparkle represents youth, and the froth irresponsibility ; whilst the whole but never mind about the whole, just now. The Champagne district, as some people know, lies on the chalk hills which surround the valley of the Marne. The townlets of Epernay, Ay, and Chateau Thierry owe their prosperity to these seductive wines, and Rheims has attained world-wide celebrity, as much from being the centre of the champagne industry as from being the seat of the premier ecclesiastic of France, the Archbishop of Paris. So far, guide-book. The champagne-vines are short and stunted, the grapes being small, but most prolific of juice. A third, and even a fourth, crushing will yield a very delicious wine, to an unedncated palate ; and this is the inferior liquor which is sold to tourists in Rheims at the equivalent of one shilling and fivepence per large bottle. It is a sweet—what