National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-02
SCENES DOWN TOWN.

As the great clock at the United States
naval observatory licked off the first second
Of the new year, the pulsation throbbed out
over the wires aud told of tho birth of 1854.
The Metropolitan chimes rang out a saluta-
tion, and the whistles of few locomotives
took up the ppan, while the drivers of the
night line hacks descended stiilly from their
boxes, shook hands, and passed the compli-
ments of the season.
The morning was not inspiriting. A sharp
east wind had been singing all night the
dirge of the dying year, and a leaden fog
hung low down, bearing on its wings spite
ful, splitting showers Of rain, that soaked the
belated pedestrians, dripped from the rubber
coats Of the jehus, and made their saturated
steeds smoke and shiver.
In the "all-night" houses were gathered
the usual representatives of the lower life of
the city. These held high wassail and kept
watch night amid the greasy steam of the
lunch bars and the reek of cheap and deadly
rum. When the clock announced the hour of
midnight the coarse laughter and ribald jests
were hushed for moment, until the
minute hand on the dial had crawled
''ayont the hour of twal" and
then hands were gripped and happy New
Years wished (ungramatically, perhaps, but
with fully rs much sincerity as inspired
many greeting where soft palms were
clasped and the conventional salutation ex-
the compliments of the house, in the sh ape of
huge bowls of eggnog and smoking punch,
and as this disappeared down the throats of
his thirsty guests tho proprietor was
overwhelmed with wishes for year of
happiness and prosperity. The hackmen
came in later, and as they poured the scalding
liquor down their throats added their beni-
son for the good luck of the house, while the
water streamed from their drcadnoughts and
sOu'westers, and gavo them the ap-
pearance Of drenched surlmen who had
just pulled in from an oiishore wreck.
The day broke cold and gray, hut when the
doors Of the downtown bar-rooms opened the
early FOUNDERS found everything bright and
cheerful inside. The counters were well
supplied with the usual exhilarating fluids,
and the free lunch urns were piled high with
cheese cut into minute dice, fresh crackers,
and that phosphoric article Of diet, Vulgarly
known as red herrips" which was so
dessicated as to form homeopathic
doses of brain food for the regular
customers, The visitors waXod enthusiastic
at tho sight, and occasionally it was necessary
for the mead pusher" to restrain what he re-
garded as indecorous hilurity. This was ac-
1omplished by epgrammatic observations
like 'Say Skinney, liquor and lunch is free,
but yer can't expect new set or upper teeth
and nosegay to 10 wild 1t" or 1T seemstor
me, Jakoy, yer muster followed yerself out
from boots ter skull TO tackle New Years
trimmins.'
The guliaw with which such sallies were
received by the crowd usually sent the
abashed "boozor" into the back line, wherelle
made predatory excursions to the iree-lUnch
spread whenever the barkeoper's back Twas
turned, The traditions of the trade required
/ this hospitality to be maintained up to 10
o'clock II, m, but long before that hour
had arrived the regulars had en-
yeloped skinful Of liquor and a
fair breakfast, and when the moment came
for the resumption Of specie payment by all
patrons of the establishment they fell back
into their old places about the stoYe, ready Ia
respond promptly TO an invitation fromany
Of the paying passengers who took pity on
their thirsty looks and called them
over to take u New Years nip at his expense
At one of tho resorts the crowd gathered be-
foro tho lunch was spread, and, while the
viands were being placed in position, u dis
Cussion was sprung between two rather seedy
"toughs' as TO what class of customers would
be eligible to participate in the feed
One who parted his whiskers English fashion
on the chin winked at his chum, and saic
"YOu know it's understood that only Gus
toners who have invested in 10 cent drinks
during the year will tackle lunch"
yes that's what the boss expects" replied
his companion.