The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-27
A VISIT To THE SALOONS.

The writer visited the waiter girl sa,
looms one evening early in the week. In
the Tivoli he first took n seat. Nc
sooner had he done 20 than lie was APP
preached by Il girl, certainly not more
than fifteen years old, possibly not so
aged, who, leaning over the table in an
inFinuating manner, wanted to know il
the writer would have beer. An order
having been given and filed, the girl sat
down at the same table to sip the very
mild drink that she had brought for her.
self. In the room we're six girls, some
young and healthy looking, with the
bloom OF youth and maidenly modesty
scarcely etlaced. Others were there with
the charm Of womauhood gone from
their faces, though the quick blood OF
youth still mantled their cheeks. And
still others there were on whose features
the march Of time and the chiseling OF
reckless abandonment were but too plain.
ly visible. There was not one with the
least pretension 10 beauty, although, il
we remember rightly, they were exten.
sively advertised as "pretty waiter girls"
In one end of the 'garden" was an CT.
ceedingly heightened piano on n small
platform, and bold.faced young woman
was idly passing her fingers over the keys
The pianist struck up a tune, which was
exCrutiatiDgly ground out amid the clash,
ing OF beer glasses and loud talk, inter.
spersed with oaths, aud the rushing hith.
er and thither Of the "lady walters" II
was that exquisite hymn, "Thereis a land
that is fairer than this" The melody OF
such u tune, in such place, and amid
such surroundings, in itself carried a
pain OF sacrilege. But when, upon its
conclusion, the pianist gave "The Old
Log Cabin in the Lane" and "Tommy,
Make Room for Your Uncle, Do" in
connection with the melody, the climax
OF RacrilCge was capped.
In addition 10 the female walters at
the "Spring Garden" there is also male
vocalist, whose resemblance in many
ways TO the Little Swills Of Bleak House
would DO appreciated by the readers Of
Dickens. There are three girls here, and
their personal appearance and general
behavior would characterize them as sew.
eral steps higher In the social scale than
their sisters at the Tivoli. They dress
neatly, with some taste, and wear white
muslin caps The crowd at the "Spring
Garden" Is kept under more restraint,
and are scarcely as noisy and disorderly
as at the Tivoli. In each OF these estab.
lishments the tables were surrounded by
beardIess youths, middle.aged workmen,
and even men whose hair aud beard were
tinged with gray.
THE MONEY MAKING NIGHTS.
It is toward the latter part Of the
week, and especially Saturday nights,
that the waiter girls are in their glory.
Then each saloon is crowded to its fullest
capacity, tho piano never ceases its IN.
harmonious and unmelodious noise, the
beer glasses clink increasingly, the
crowds sway back and forth, the
girls rush from table to table
with never firing energy; the confusion
OF language and bOlsterous laughter
pours out through the doors, with vile
smoke and viler perfumes OF reeking
humanity, and dripping bar and glass,
until the great bell in the Capitol clangs
forth the hour OF midnight, and the
crowds, boisterous with the hilarity Of
their debauch, cursing and swearing, are
hustled out to take their way noisily to
their homes. The receipts on these
nights are enormous, and almost
sufficient to run the establish.
ments during the rest of the week.
Thenit requires all the tact OF the pro-
prietora, the vigilance OF the Especial
policemen, and the lurking presence Of
the regular blue coats to preserve order.
A person who attempts 10 enter these es.
adjustments then, must have good
nerve and a strong arm to elbow his way
through the crowds who are full OF the
insolence and Independence that frequent
rotations give. Each "w0iter girl saloon
is then growing volcano, that may Mt
any moment break the bonds that control
it,and spread destruction on all aud every
thing about,