Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-25
The enforcement Sf the Liquor Law
I'm New Bedford.

Most ludicrous are the stories told of the man
ner OF obtaining "nip." No liquor Is stored
in large Quantities, consequently ale and lager
cannot be had except in bottles, which are
labeled soda. Some of the dealers keep their
front doors locked and admit customers through
a back entrance, sometimes from an alley, some
times from the back yard. Others have some
thing else TO sell in the front room, and serve
the drinkables in an adjoining apartment, or
may be upstairs or down cellar The haoitue
passes quietly through the yard gate or alley
way, knocks at the back door, and in answer TO
the question, Z" who's there ?'' utters the coun-
tersign soto roce, the door Is partly opened, he
slips through, and the door is again securely
fastened. There is no smile from wax-mus-
tached or diamond-pinned barkeeper; no cheer
full ''what'n you have no glancing at ones
phiz in the polished mirror while smash,
cocktail or sling is in process of mixture.
Such delicate touches of the artist are not al
lowed. Without asking questions the host pulls
and places il beside lumber before the visitor.
Sugar and lemons are not to be thought of. The
visitor pours out his "three fingers" losses it OFF
at guip, and with wry face proceeds to settle.
In other places the style is more pretentious. A
demijohn Is hauled up out of the cellar by a rope
through a trap-door in the closet. In such cases
IL Is not Hooson's choice as to name, but the
quality is as vilainous the genius of adultera-
ters-can make it. At the druggists the thirsty
soul VINO knows the ropes tips the proprietor q
wink AID walks straight into the'back room,
where, pressing one hand tightly upon his waist
band, and putting on a woe-begone countenance,
ne asks, "What is good for pain, DOCTOR" or,
MY system Is very much out of order, Can you
do anything for me?" And the doctor takes
down decanter, or draws a tumberful of liquid
from suspicious-looking barrel labeled 'Kero-
sene, and hands it to the visitor, whose ailments
are all speedily cured, If the smile that plays
upon his features Is an indication. In some of
the drug stores, during the early part of the sre.
form" movement, an extra clerk was necessary
to put up the kerosene" prescriptions for head,
back and other aches, and disordered systems
generally. OF late the officials have been so
watchful of the druggists that more precautions
are needed The visitor never passes out by the
door through which he enters, and only those
known to be U. X. are allowed to pass the bar
rier. When parties of two, three or four wish a
sooia! glass, they 60 one at a time, and having
run the gauntlet. ten to one they will SO improve
the opportunity to get tipsy before they leave.
The initiated resident can procure all the liquor
he wants, and the kind he wants, and can intro
duce his friends from out of town, but without
such an introduction strangers must wait until
their visit is ended. Old residents of New Bed
ford, who have watched the movement, say there
Is no difference in regard to the amount sold,
only it Is done privately. Perhaps a few who
cannot resist temptation when it is placed before
them, are better off for the taking down of the
signs; but there is certainly a large class who
would take a drink only once in while if it were
open to them, but when they enter a place now
gets drunk before leaving that the police have
to carry them home. So say some of the best
temperance men in New BedfOrd.-Leher TO the
Boston Pest,