Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-12-06
TREATINGTO DRINKS, CIGARS, sc.

The habit of treating" is custom
that pertains alone in the western hem
isphere. In some localities in America
n man is almost frowned down by So
ciety (male) who would go to bar or
saloon and take drink without hunt
ing up some one to go and drink with
him, and when the drinks are taken
the man who did the inviting, as a
matter of course, has to pay for the
drinks. If he does not pay for both
drinks, the party who has taken the
drink with him will be very apt to cut
his acquaintance and consider him a
dead boat. In England and in Europe
the reverse is the case The habit
there is for every man TO pay for his
own drinks, cigars, oysters, etc. If a
party of gentlemen enter a cafe and
order drinks, cigars, oysters, or any,
thing else, although the party all sit at
the same table, each one pays for what
he orders, and if any one offers to pay
the bill of the party each of them will
take his offer as an intended insult.
Everybody pays his own way in every
thing. 1t is a heavy custom on
what is known in America as spon-
gers.
In almost every city and town in
this country there is a class of men
who banker after drinks at the ex-
pense Of others. and in order to cap
ture them, they stand on the street at
a convenient distance from some fash
iOnable saloon, Just far enough from
the front door on the pavements, so as
to appear there accidentally, aud when
they see a pers6n or party approaching
the saloon with whom they are ac-
quainted, (and who is it they don't
know p they meet them just at the en-
trance Of the saloon and shake hands
most cordially with those of the party
with whom they are acquainted, and
receive introductiOns to the others,
and of course for politeness sake, the
hunter after drinks is invited to ''ioin
the party" and still more of course,
he is easily persuaded to be social.
These gentry are during the several
years of their career, street corner
loungers and ringers in for drinks and
cigars, we'll dressed, and possess man
ners that would almost rival the world
renowned Lord Chesterfield. But
drinks too often INDUCED in, will tell
on the constitution of even dead beat,
and he soon looks seedy in dress, red
of nose and rough in manner, and not
always able to keep out of the station
house.
The European custom is by far the
best, and is calculated to manufacture
fewer drunkards, and give encourage
ment to fewer men to become loafers
and vagabOnds. In Europe, if a gen
tleman invites friend or a party to
his house or rooms to drink, he furn-
ishes the refreshments at his own ex-
pense. The European custom forces
the dead-beat to either work for
money to buy drinks with, or become
a street inendicant, which is the true
classification for the drink hunter in
America. If poor little girl meets
you ON the street and asks for a dime
to buy some bread with, she is called
mendicant or beegar, and too often
she il refused any assistance, while
drink snatehers will get whisky at your
expense to the amount of twenty five
cents, by financeering a little and not
coming square out and asking for what
he wants. Yet he is not classed as a
beggar, not repulsed as such. And it
is too often the ease that the reason
for not repulsing him, is the fact that
he can vote, which the poor little child
cannot.