The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-09-30

a letter i'll the Cincinnati CONNER
cial written by some one who has beer
travelling through Vermont, has attrac
ted some attention. lie calls our pro.
hibilory law ferocious, saying ''it aims
to break up the business of any one ell
gagged in the liquor traffic, 10 ruin his
family, set the brand of Cain upon
him." &c. lie says ii is sort of infer
nal machine so dangerous that no one
dares to use it. "Meanwhile," he says,
"liquoris sold just as freely in Vermont
as ever" and he proceeds to inform
western people how it is done.
The miserable subtcrlugcs to which
Vermontcrs are obliged TO descend to
to obtain liquor the lying labels, the
false faucets, the wink of the eye which
contradicts the words of the tongue,
all go to prove what? that liquor is
sold freely? No.
In Burlington the landlord at the
hotel where 1 stopped told me in an
swer to questions, that just as much
whisky was sold IN that place as ever.
lie took me 10 saloon and said:
"1Iere, will show you how il is
done here" lie said, go up to the
bar and put on knowing look and ask
for some Langley's Bitters or beef tea."
did so. l saw no bottles except of
bitters and mineral water and "pop,"
&c.
i asked for drop of Hop Bitters.
The bar-kccpcr took me all in with Il
glance, and dropping few drops OF
something into tumbler placed it on
the counter. Then he set up an empty
tumbler and motioning TO the usual
water pitcher, said:
"Pour your own water"
1t was an innocent looking "crock-
cry" pitcher on little rubber mat in
the center of the counter, but when
tipped ii up l found ii half full of whis.
Ky. The last place in the room any
body would think of looking for it.
In st. Adams / was told saloon
keeper sells whisky in two, four and
six drink TASKS, labeled as though sold
in Plattsburg, just across the lake in
New York State, with day and month
written on the labels. For instance,
every flask sold by him to-day is label
ed, "SOld by j. &. Crumley, Platts-
burg, N. Y, on the 25lh day of July,
1881"
But it was in large town south of
there that / was shown the sharpest
practice in ways that are dark and
tricks that are for the benefit of the
bibulous.
a gentleman whom | questioned
about the working of tho liquor law,
told Inc jnst as | was told in all other
parts of the state, that there was no
trouble in procuring whisky. lie
said: 81 am in funny secret, which Is
shared by most of our citizens who like
little stlmulant occasionally. Come
with me-"
lie took me into little cross street,
and we entered a room which appear.
cd to be cigar store with confection-
cry, &c. We took seats at the roar,
and my friend told me TO keep my eyes
open.
Within twenty minutes | saw ten or
twelve gentlemen como in, some in
pairs, some singly, some in little par
ties, go TO the water cooler, take a
drink, buy cigars and go out.
My friend finally asked me if | had
seon any liquor sold, and | said ono"
Nevertheless" said he, "every gentle
man who came in here took q good
square drink of whisky and paid for
it,"
"Wcll," said /, "lhe drink must have
been in the cooler or the cigars.
know il was not in the cigars, for nest
of them were lighted before the pur-
chaser left. IL must be in the cooler.v
swell, 90 and draw somc," said he.
went TO the cooler, held the glass
under the nozzle, and pressed down
the button. | was rewarded for my
exeriions by a flow of clear, cold water
that soon filled the tumbler. | was
puzzled, and my friend and the propri-
etor greatly enjoyed 1t.