Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-10
JOHN L. sULLIVAN,s SALOON.
An Unpretentious Boston Grog&ery.
with q Highly Arttstic bartender.

An UnpretentiOus Boston GROCERY,
with a Highly Artistic Bartender.
From the New DIRK Sun.
John l.. Sulvans saloon In Boston is not as
gorgeous as the western correspondents have
described it to be. 1t is just such another saloon
as Alderman Jerry Murphy's minus the plate
glass window, only with little more elbow
room for Mr.. Sullivan to move around in. 1t is
in the Odd Fellows hall block. on Washington
street. Just beyond Kneeland street. 1t is out
of place where it is In all the other store win
dows womens and childreD's undergarments,
mems hats and vaiises and trunks are displayed,
but Sullivan makes money there. and there he
Is likely to stay Above he door, stretched
along the whole front Of the saloon, is the
legend John L. Sullyan's' in gold letters a
foot high. The window glass is not plate and
1t Is so old-fashioned as to have four panes to
each window. The side panes are cut In two in
the middle. Two gas Jets of the cheap kind
light up each window. In the one nearest Knee.
land street is chair. such one sees In all the
fancy furniture stores with bull horns for legs
and back. and bit OF bulls hide for seat
Persons who have seen hundred others lust
like it stand and stare at this one because it Is
in Sullivan's window.
In the other window there is generally pic
ture OF Sullivan dressed up in the style of one
OF BOstOn's most responsible citizens. with q
high hat, dress kid gloves, and handsome
cane Sometimes this gives place to a picture
OF one tighter or another not connected with
the mouse. At other times there is an announce
ment Of sparring contest thrown over the
picture. The east side of the saloon. divided
OF, and extending back about thirty feet from
the door, forms the card room, wine room and q
private off1ce. In an apartment back of this
are number of striking pictures Of well-known
pugilsts, alternating with score of small
mirrors sunk In the wall. The bar is like many
an ordinary bar in this city, except that 1t Is
brighter and more cheerful looking than the
majority The bartender in white suit Is,
perhaps, the most picturesque object in the es-
tablishment.
He was sandy haired. but Is now turning
gray; his face is smooth shaven, and his nous
tache Is clipped square. He seldom speaks
He always looks his question: "What will it
be-"
The customer perhaps says: whisky; let's
have the best" The bartender starts of. as il
walking on glass. picks up the whisky bottle in
one hand and one OF those fragile glasses that
are now so common In barrooms and moves to-
ward his customer as if the glass under his feet
was thinner than when he walked over it be-
fore. With several beautiful preliminary mo-
tons he stands the bottle on the bar, and with
other yet more astonishing and artistic sweeps
OF the hand delivers the glass upon the bar.
putting 1t always upside down. Old patrons of
the place say he would not miss any OF this
ceremony even if his customer had only four
minutes to get to the depot
Drinks don't come high in Sullivan's. In COM
parison with the Hoffman house prices but a
man can't drink there three times without Gre
ating the impression that he is millionaire
from New York. New Yorker went there
once, had drink of whisky and laid ten cents
down on the counter. The picturesque barten-
der put on pair of pebble glasses, looked at the
coin for second, seemed not to recognize it,
and indicated by looking at it that more was
needed. He accepted an extra five cents and
put 1t In the cash box. He looked at the CHS
toner as If he were curiosity and then put I'D
the glasses. The New York gentleman recov-
cred his composure when outside in the open
air. The crowds come to see Sullivan but it Is
not oiten that sullivan exhibits himself, though
when he does he makes up for lost time. He
stands with his lett elbow on the bar. and
losses of glass after glass with the millionaires
1t seems to please them, and him also.