The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-12-26
TEMPERANCE.
ONE NIGHT in a DARKROOM.

characteristic Scenes Witnessed by Re-
porter in Respectable" New York
Dram-shop.
The New York Herald recently detailed a re-
porter TO spend one night in a wel-appointed,
so-calied respectable dram-shop. The one
| chosen was situated in a block of five houses.
ssree Of which We're occupied by saloons. It
wasin neighborhood of Atty houses. twenty
two of which were given up to the sale of in
toxicating drinks.
It was ten o'clock in the evening. The sa.
loon was in fun activity. All the billiard and
pool tables were in use; there were few va
cant seats at the side tables. AT the table
nearest TO the bar two young men were play
ing pool One of them, sallow, scorbutic
youth, bore the unmistakable stamp of the
| bartender: the other was apparently young
workingman imbued with an ambition to be.
come sporting character" They were
| playing for a small sum of money OF the game
and for the drinks. The bar. tender, an ex-
| pert with the cue, was JUS playing badly
| enough TO lose one game ont of four and TO
| encourage his companion 10 go on Watch
/ ing the game was an elderly man, with curly
| gray hair, "a reddish musfache and goatee,
| aud a withered skin. He wore dark suit of
clothes, old, threadbare and not very clean.
| ne was making comments on the game as it
| proceeded, his remarks having always a IA
| vora6le leaning toward the Young workman.
| q surveyed stranger who had saunteTed up
| TOOK chair close at hand.
BY Moses, but that was tough luck.
| wasn't it, Colonel" exclaimed the bar.keeper
| as he missed, with NAL ce prcpense, tolera-
/ bly, easy shot.
| The elderly man addressed winked at the
| speaker behind the other players back as he
retorted, with drawl:
/ : W-a-a-I A miss is as good as mile"
! The young workman drew back his cue and
| a6ned to put the twelve ball in the usper left
| band pocket. He failed miserably, but the
| Twelve ball struck with force, few around the
| table, and, carromIng off another ball lodged
| in the right hand side pocket
BrayoI was the exclamation with which
| the Colonel hailed this most palpable
scratch" That's one of the best shots /
have seen in a month. Don't tell me, my boy,
| that you did not try for it. ] saw you calcutta
ting on that carrom before you made the shot.
| Well done, j say"
| Luck now favored the young man. Before
| again missing he pocketed two more balls and
| was within few points of being out. The
bartender, seeing the changes were desper-
! ate, at last brought his skill to bear. In
| Aasterly fashion he pocketed every ball ex-
| cept one, which was left in difficult position.
| The other player aimed at it. sent it flying
! round the table, and left it almost in front of
| pocket. An instant later the bartender had
! disposed of it.
TOO bad too bad!" exclaimed the Colonel;
| next time"
Guess / shant play any more" remarked
| the young fellow, consulting his small change.
| I16 gOU 100 IHucn luck Tonight.
| as the bar-keeper of the saloon approached
| to serve the drinks due on the game, the Colo
| mel edged toward the young man, cycling him
with fIlrt1ye, anxious glance. To an obser-
| want eye the Colonies little game became very
| apparent The Colonel was angling for an in
| vitaton to drink.
mighty hot in here, seems to me-" he re-
marked. Il feel all played out. Don't know
what makes me feel so dry, either"
will you wet your bill, Colonel?" asked the
| young fellow, airily.
''Wa-al," responded the Colonel with an air
| of hesitation, 'I-ah don't care if do Bring
me the old dose, Mr.. Bartender, with a little
bitterS in it,
After the drinks had been consumed and
| the young wnrkingman had left, the Colonel
| and the other man turned toward each
other:
.'You came out pretty well on that racket.
much did You maker
.,.'0nly two and quarter" returned the
| other
you did not give him rope enough You
| played too strong. You ought to have let him
| win that last game"
81 guess he blew in about all he had"
| 'Wa-al, you've done, pretty well / guess
| you'd better set up the drinks, Tom -
! mot much. Go and play some other sucker
| for them. You've rung in pretty well on the
drinks already, seems to me. "
''BOSh, man. retorted the Colonel, with an
! air of injured dignity. ''What do care for the
| drinks? | just took them, sir, for-ah-the
| benefit of the house"
I W
| and made his exit by the Family Entrance
At this moment two young men advanced
| to the pool table and began making prepa-
rations for playing. One of them, a tall good
| looking young fellow, with abrown mustache
/ remarked to his companion:
Remember, Frank, Just one game for q
| quarter and the drinks. ] shan play any more.
/ The little one is pretty sick and promised Lii
| I'd be home early.
"All right. WILL answered the other, care
| lessly, as the game opened
ti,e,.1
| toners at the Family Entrance" Several of
| them came back at repeated intervals. No
| tceabe among them was q pretty, fair-haired
| little girl who presented herself with a large
| glazed waterptcher, which she carried to be
| filled with lager.
"Will you play game Of crbbage or cast
| nor asked the sad-eyed man of the Colonel,
/ who had drawn near
II never play cards, SIR answered the
/ Colonel, stiff1y.
/ "Will you have a drink with me?" added
| tbs sad-eyed man, abashed.
| The Colonel eyed the speaker slowly for an
| instant, but seeing the proposition was made
in the utmost good faith he rubbed his hands
softly ts4e over the other, assumed an unc-
| tuouS smile and answered:
| "WaaH, don't care if | do"
| The pool players concluded their second
game; They were both expert and played
amusement AT the conclusion of each game
/ they drank freely.
THAT makes game and game, remarked the
/
| claimed your revenge after beat you on the
! first game. Now we're quits / guess I'd
| better go home"
| 20, let's play a third game to decide the
| thing" answered the other
The young man addressed hesitated min
| ate then took up his cue and went on.
A few minutes later the door of the Family
| Entrance was softly opened and a pale young
| woman with somewhat careworn face put in
| her head and shoulders. She beckoned TO the
| pool-player with the brown mustache. The
| latter stepped toward her.
| "Oh, WILL said the woman, ''you promised
| you'd come before this. Do come, right away.
! The little one don't seem to be getting any
| better
| 'All right, ILL.," answered the husband. half
| impatiently and half good humoredly; "I'll be
| through here in a minute. I'll be right along
| just n few minutes--Iun away, dear"
| The woman reluctantly withdrew. Once
| more the little girl with the water pitcher APP
! peared.
''They seem to be having great times to-
| night over at Mrs. Cavanagh's . remarked the
| Colonel, nodding toward the child That's
| nhout the tenth time that young I'm has been
| here with the GROWER"
| Then, bending over toward the little girl; he
| asked:
whats going on up to the house tonight,
Kittie?"
"and some of the neighbors has dropped in"
'Ah!" remarked the Colonel i'll low tone
End casting side glance at the pitcher
drinks a terrible thing, isn't tI'
1T is, indeed" replied the sadeyed man.
"But, by the way, Colonel, won't you take
IomethingY
.Wa'll-ah-I don't care if ] do answered
Ehe Colonel, with an air of indeGision.
The pool players came at this moment to the
end of another game.
1.-THE drinks are on me!' cried the brown
mustached man to the bar-keeper, SIS he
knocked impatiently on the floor with his cue.
Lets have EN- qusck. Great CPsar!" turning
to his companion, you won that game by
frightful scratch. You've got to give me my
revenge. Bet you double this time ] beat
you"
'tAll right" answered the other.
They resumed their play. The luck ran
badly against the brown-mustached man. He
lost two games in SUCCESSION and began to
show signs of rising ill-temper. He kept ON,
however, with blind obstinacy, bent on re-
trieving his ill-fortune and winning back his
money When his friend banteringly advised
him to stop and try rs luck some other time
he angriy insisted upon continuing. The
drinks they had taken We're telling on both
men.
Again the pale young woman presented heT
self at the Family Entrance" Her husband
ordered her to 20 home
very tall, slim young man, in short
jacket and without a coat, entered the saloG.i,
and, stepping up to the bar, put down small
hi TIa