Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-03-23
Tricks on an Amateur Bar.
a tender. " ~ 9''

The Hon. Hugh Carlin Of Lyon
county WASH Virginia City last week.
He is naturally good-natured and un-
suspecting but don't presume too far,
or he will be sure to drop on your
little game. Some time ago Hugh
was in Eureka. Not having anything
to do when he first arrived in the
town he wore away . good deal of
time at a saloon kept by an old &C.
quaintance, whom he happened to
find there. One morning this friend
had some business out Of town and
got Hugh to take charge Of the bar
during his absence. Hugh laid aside
his hat and took up his position.
Some person who was in the saloon
when Hugh thus took command went
out among the boss jokers of the town.
In pursuance of plan agreed upon
the first customer that arrived said
as he marched up to the bar: "Got
any real frst-rate whiskeyf" a1..
"Have I got any good whiskey 4?
Haven't II You don't find anything
else passed over this bar. Never was
a finer package Of whiskey luggsd in
to Eureka than what is on tap back
in the store room r. g..
The man poured out = big horn,
took a light swallow of it and began
coughing so hard that he was obliged
to set down his glass. He then clap
ped both hands upon his stomach and
coughed himself all about the room
-coughed his hat off and-cough-
ed till he was almost black in
the face-:oughed till the tears
streamed down his cheeks-till he
seemed not to have breath to cough
more, or to utter syllable, when
he took his handkerchief from his
eyes, shook his fist at the astonished
deputy bar-keeper and rushed out the
saloon withaut a word, leaving his
glass of liquor standing on the coun-
ter. ..'..
Hugh was frightened and bewilder-
|, cd He took the whisky bottle hold
it up TO the light, ard arefully exam
ined it, fearing III rod made some mis-
take. Finally t. n xe sure, he tast-
ed it, and foua' 1t . be whisky, and
pretty fair whisky, too. ~ 80
He had but little more than reeov-
cred his usual serenity of mind when
gentleman came in and said: "Have
you got any good brandy-real, gen.
uine brandy no manufactured
stuff" sick. +
"What do you take us for ?" cried
Hugh. "There's not drop Of doc
tored liquor of any kind about this
establishment. No such brandy as
this was ever before brought to Eu-
reka. 1t cost $22 a gallon in San
Francisco. It's like oilr'
The customer poured cut a liberal
allowance but had no sooner attempt
ed to swallow it than he began cough
ing and spat out what he had taken
into his mouth. He held both hands
to his cheeks and whirled round on
one heel like dancing Dervise, then
ran for the water pitcher, and finally
began coughing as though he would
cough his lungs out.
"Oughl boob hool' coughed he.
"Call that brandy?" and doubled up
like half open Jack-knife, he cough
ed himself out of the saloon.
Again was Hugh astounded, and
again he critically inspected the
liquor he had dealt out. He was
finally convinced that it was all right
but that the fault was in the people
something wrong with them.
About the time that he had arrived
at this conclusion man came in and
spreading himself out before the bar
to good advantage, said: "Have you
got good, pure article Of gin-real
good, pure gin?"
"Of course we have-never keep
anything else. What do you take us
for?" and Hugh reached down the
gin bottle from shelf behind him
with his left hand, while with
his right he brought up from under
the bar a cooked revolver, which he
pointed at the head of his customer as
he placed the bottle before him, say
ing. "Now, you cough, d-n your
The customer didn't cough.-Neva-
da Enterprise.