Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-03-11
ASKING FRIENDS TO DRINK.

A writer in the New York Leader thus
c1n1nates upon the folly and evil of the
ridiculous American practice Of asking
yonr friends to take drinks with you
! The absurd American custom of "ask-
ing" is responsible for seven-eights-
mind, we say seventh -eights, and mean
1t, too-of all the liquor consumed in this
country. Abolish that custom to-day.
and where there are eight barrels OF IL
qnor drank now. there would b. only one
We believe this, and believe it can't be
galnsayed We appeal to any number
Of h-st-class drinkers for their opinions in
the matter. We think they will agree
with and corroborate our statement in the
matter To this custom we owe our
drinking between drinks" which some
wag, with more truth than poetry in his
sui, said was the only thing that hurt,
or words to that effect What ridicu
lous piece of folly it is to 60 into place,
II in mood for liquor. to ak five or six
acquaintances up to drink with you ; yet
it is done all the time, and by parties who
perhaps want the money for stockings !;
but not to do it when your acquaintances
are about, is to be looked upon as ''small
potatoes" and few in hill Take the
following rs an illustration of ghtfal
fix, liable to arise from this absurd Gus
tom
You feel in the mood for glass
You g for it. You have, perhaps, a
dollar about you Meet a friend just as
you are about to enter a gin-miIl, and
you TASK him" Enter, and he comes
upon group of friends who have just
entered, and are convcrsing for moment
You are introduced all around by your
friend
Where are you now? With dollar
in your pocket, and FIVE or six fellows on
your hands, only one of whom you saw
before, and morally bound by custom and
impelled by falls, pride to ask them to
in you in 4 social glass. You can't get
out OF it they know you came IN for
some liquor. and as your friend intro
I duced you, and didn't rr1ite, why you
must do the honors, and say you are glad
to see them, and ask them up. Ii you
/ are known at the bar, all right, if not.
you have to borrow Of your friend. Per-
haps some of the party might ask you
some other time, but the chances arc,
| they wouldns know you the next day
/ A most absurd fraud this ''asking" in
connection with liquor. Do we ask, coax,
prevail on aoquaintances to go IN and
have neekties, gloves or boots with US
Come in aud take bottle OF wine with
me" men will say, and take you by the
arm, and in you 60. D. they ever say,
Come in and have a hat with me-" Are
YOU continually urged to eat things? Do
they ask you to take pocket-knlves, lead
pencils, hair-dye. tooth-powder. paper
collars or umbrellas witE them No.
this asking business Is conhned to liquor,
4 1t is liquor iibyrality, or custom, rath-
er. ihat extends Itself TO 10 other article,
il We except oysters and cigars, bu. IL
these It is limited.
Ike party OF six Germans who G.
in for their lager. They sit down anu
each cue drinks what be wants, aud paw.
for what he drinks He isn't forced aud
bantcred because be don't drink more
The same with Englshmen, Frenchmen
and all other people on the face OF the
rlobe. but Americans. You know how
IL would be with SIX oil the latter did The y
go in for lsger There would be thirty
SIX glasses drank, or paid for. if not al
drank, because each one must ask" th,
others.
:. Imagine \ case ike this, did the s'ask
Jog" business extend be-cDd the ccnfac