Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-01-29
Experiences OF n Traveller,

~ EyENISG N A LONDON GIN PALAcE-rHE
SCENES AND INCIDENTS THERE rREsENTED- AN
INNER VIEW OF DRAM SHOP EXPERIENCES.
Contributed to the Commercial by oliphant.l
The tayerns in London, or "gin palaces as
they are sometimes called, are widely different
places from what they in this country. Some
Of them may well be termed palaces" being
often huge buildings with highly ornamental
Lars, which for the purposes of attraction are
most elaborately fitted up at enormous expense.
and are invariably in perfect blaze of light af-
ter nightfall. 10 pass a few hours III one Of
these houses. and watch the many changing
scenes enacted there by the busy crowds who
frequented them. had long been cherished idea
or mine and with this intention | set out one
evening 10 visit a snowy gin palace, not great
distance away from where lived. known by the
name OF the - Golden Gate " and which had u-
scribed Oh stone tablet against the wall the
words
"Refreshmeni here for all that passes
Horses, dogs men and asses
This name and this tablet always were riddles
20 me. Whether it was intended to IMPLY by
the name that the place was golden gate to
the customers, the landlord or brewers, | will
Lot pretend TO ssy, nor why earth the men
aud asses were coupled together on the tablet
However that may be II was at the bar of the
Golden Gate that TOOK up my quarters at
about seven o'clock one chilly Saturday night in
autumn. The place tolerably well filled
when entered, some fifty or sixty people of all
compartments il front Of the bar. Some were
evidently on good terms with themselves and
were laughing loudly, some we're talking serious
", and some u mysterious whispers, while the
more y9lt4fu4 InAle customers, those Of about
seventeen or eighteen yesis, were Invariably
the no-siest 0f all, and were hobuobing
WITH KIND Q, al - man would" air about them
Which TAs exceedingly amusing. l noticed that
tAese young fellows s.way- addressed the land
-5E- Wien requiring ther glasses repleushed, IL
.ou3 yolce as ''Mr Public-house4 and that they
were evidently bent on showing the public what
quantity 9. liquor man could drink and
EAEt enormous clouds of -ruoke.a man could
t!JE IL 4 short space Of time. | stood quietly
p-f-ng ny cigs-, and surveying the picture be-
t9Ts ne Ettl ny attention was attracted by
dry Attle fodder Of certainly not mOle thai!
tu!e= years Old, who came staggering IL under
t-s s15-n91= weight II great Juar. POT
{" IA! DO you Sknt nv !l.te m2u Z" ssid l.
ss=-us Tie cA-l1z aek3 did hot reach hA.t way
- y tAs e51Lte:. HAli p4u; a. Ea.f Of
.h-t-al La! a. E fArieL cut, peace llsyei the
t4ry Ialr-e-, AL psiug served he mAalgei, 70
uT great --EFl-l-s, % drag the immense ioal
A-tE sGlek VIII LIE z-ngulAgty and crleliy, =.
=! sp[-A'91 y ne, u sending 80 sE-A4 child
Il : akfge Jug - : tavern =! bssE | asked
lie -E1-J;5 i -1ct- :t-1gs were Common il.
L-1oyL . CJ-2-a-. L! lear -if. =4-i be. -J;.-
fl-.-95 * tie 3u=-t,tl, II we -;Ey here o1
s-qzg- ye1 IT. s5c- .zA-L hoE o5u1son II is,-
VIZ We tLys twenty 0, ialYTy Gtsle zAays-- lEe
i-Ei eTe9y n! WIG oyrrs here sf,s. sly drol.
:og tAs1 1runke1 laotAers. aad are .fa!E !EeatlF
N.@- @'-hi-9s ---.+ ~ftAlS- a-- 4s-
. .a9rId fang! L yQ- rstuss1 u ssyvs item.
:--zi r4g1t stoF Ia sv-- sd l. There you
.te TEo1s ~. s.sWey51 tts lA1dl313 i" Tor Il
-. ssrrs tis.-. 9tt-s, n91ess sGtil No %.
i1s yftci4os l- "a ~ c5rr1ou Z. os checked ~
sLTuEg q t1E; Eod. tud ii u. .1oc-
tare as W. Gale AWAY v t-e4-J u. bsr1aA.
gnsLpg aghI tAEt Lad s-i.su
y - 9py9-4t+ s.6s u tbe 1a.. I; evident
y ras -1knrsy ne sef sbcu, Il taai he Ind se-ves
l1liE - Ey5re1-z9as3iF " s1ch work fo- he
Ah1 sI:- s.sc;ee i1s t7ft-isili Duas. ald c1-a-
DtDcsc kri%l9--g u - e1sgy-usrt tskin e. Il
DJttirg .kc occurred VI disturb tie harrnQry u
lie eTeL51g. Few lo5f= puts &! NY agar sad
esIus AT.ls gir- II you p4esse father
stv.. -sid ELs. htdres..-lg TIE laiidl0fd will
yon uzist hita with 20; Q beer LII rex, ss,ur-
day 4lght :. No. certainly lot he ,eplsa
=LarI!y, iel your tathe' taere NJ
trust here, and Away she heT hAf frightened A.