The old merchants of New York City / by Walter Barrett.

OF NEW YORK CITY.

73

to be at Marvin's United States Hotel, as the season
came round, and probably no person was ever more
identified with the gayeties of a fashionable resort -
like this, - than our friend Frank. He was the Beau
Brummel of the place.
On no account could he miss being at Marvin'sand to no one was the host, now the Hon. James M.
Marvin, M. C., - more entitled for the fashionable, recherche character of the House than he was to our interesting friend; and Frank utterly ignored all other
houses for the " United States."
" The Lake," the favorite point of tile elite at Saratoga, with its famous game suppers, and its celebrated
fried potatoes, cooked to the consistency of the dryest
wafers, so that they were the unrivalled boast of mine
host of the Lake; its frapp6 champ)agne were nothing
without Frank. Frank was a bon vivant of tle first
order. He was the most remarkable man for wit and
humor at the table that we ever saw, and could place
in accord, the most incongruous materials, and make
the whole affair pass off under all circumstances with
the greatest eclat One little instance came under our
observation. A few years since Saratoga was honored
with a visit from Sir Charles E. Gray, Governor General of the British West India Islands, on his return
from Jamaica upon his resigning that trust.
Sir Charles was a gentleman of mature years, accustomed to the very best society, and made himself very
agreeable. Frank determined to give him a dinner at
the United States in conjunction with his friends Alston
Beekman, Finlay, and others. Of course Frank was
the presiding genius. Tie company consisted of about
a dozen gentlemen and three or four ladies. Pursu.ng
4