The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-05-29
SAD SCENE IN a SODA SHOP.
. - 49,.
A Reputation Nearly; Blasted by
"Sarsaparilla Singers Smartness.

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The Cleveland Leader says: We have
no hesitancy in stating tllat among the
able bodied male adults of this city the
very common summer beverage known
as f'soda water, and which is dealt OUT
so unsparingfy on every corner during
the heated term, is considered, to use
their own language, q thin drink" !"
But while the ingenious mixture of wint!
anu water is termed .'thin," stroug
liquors, such as whiskies, are altogether
too thick for steady warm weather
drink; and so the imbibcr who must
moisten his fides with some liquid re-
freshments seeks the pleasant combina-
ton of the two classes of drink, whicl,
forms q happy combination that exhil.
arates, yet is not Intoxicating. It is
customary among these biGulous go
betweens to enter drugstore, call for
soda water, name their syrup, at the
same time giving g wink to the dispen-
se., Of "'slush,"' who takes the goblet in
which he places the syrup, then stoops
down beneath the counter or retires TO a
back room, whereby some mysterious
chemical change, the contents are colored
.darkly and the soda water is then let in
upon the mixture, which is handed to
the customer with a wink from the clerk.
So much for the process, now for the
sequel: :: = ~ .
Saturday a venerable gentleman from
the country, who is o respected church
deacon, II justice of the peace, a member
Of the "Band of Hope, ~ and u Good
Templar in his native village; came to
the city to trade a little in dry goods,
and purchase such agricultural imple-
ments ashe'needed to plant andcultivate
his spring crops The deanon IS strictly
and. never looks upon the
wine when It is red any more than he
does when it is any other color. Unfor
our old friend had suffered
from opthalmia i'm his early days, which
left him with all optical peculiarity,
which caused his upper eyelid to drop
every few seconds, and which, to those
not familiar with his infirmity, gave
- 49, 80:
: The deacon" is passionately fond Of
soda water, and such light beverages;
He loves to feel the gaseous compound
coursing down his throat, and creating
internal commutions,,' and typhoons.
that, however endurable by old persons,
throw babes into agony, and require
prompt doses of peppermint, so Satur-
day, after he had bought a'few shovels,
pIows, hoes, rakes, and threshing ma
chimes, also Dolly Warden for his wife,
he thought he would fill up with soda
water and drive on towards home. He
entered drug store, inquired the price
of the desired refreshment, then depOs-
tied his scrip and awaited its mixture.
. ''What syrup do you want"' said the
urbane cler k as he mopped off the mar.
bic counter with the same towel'he GseG
q moment before to remove the honest
sweat from his brow. '''.'.'> .'...
."Oh give me sassaparilly; that is about
as healthy as anything, l guess" Here
the deacon's eyelid went back on him
and dropped quickly.) -
- !"All right, replied the fountain tender,
as lie disappeared below the counter,
and came up moment later with the
drinking glass containing about three
fingers of 'sassaparilly,' to which he
added the other ingredients and handed
it to the deacon. The latter drained the
contents TO the very dregs, then brushed
the froth from his mouth, smacked his
lips and said, that syrup is leetle
stronger than they generally make it.
but my blood is out of order, and I guess
I'll take another glass &; a: the same time
his eyelid huttered meaningly as before.
The dose was repeated, and the soda
water bibbler left the store. About half
ali hour later he entered another estab-
lishment where sign announced soda
and Mineral Waters OH draught." 1t
IL, a d,
had the spring halt as he entered the
door, and his spectacles were. upside
down on his nose. He called for "Con-
gress Water' at this place, saying he
:"didn't" feel quite right, and was afraid
he had used too much syrup in his soda
water at the other store, or else he was
bilious" His optical weakness exhibited
itself as he spoke, and returning the
wink, the clerk retired to dark closet,
then returning, filled. up glass with
plain Congress and gave it to our now
..'tightually slight' friend, who swal-
lowed 1t withoura murnur. =,
How many ''sodas" the deacon stored
away before he left the city we are un-
able to say, but he was found late in the
day asleep. in his wagon, with a plow
point for u pillow, and several yards of
Dolly Warden calico gracefully draped
about his person as a covering. He
revived sufficiently to inform stranger
that he had been "drugged, "caiu asub-
'seguent visit t0 the localities where he
had taken soda water developed the
fact that his Dnanate lhatit,of wink
ing "a defect over which he had no con-
Itrol-was the Ecausceof all iris trouble!
The soda water dispensers supposed him
S to Be svSS &S Sonn S The 0 ot snd fSs every every tms
Deacon escaped the lin, jams" but
blihder" over that eye when he pur-
chases summer drinks, or else write his
order on q slate. ~ 81 ,.