The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-13
JOHN L. sULLIvANs SALOON.
An Unpretentious Boston Groggery, with q
Highly Artistic Bartender.

Highly Artistic Bartender.
New York Sun
John L. Sullivan's saloon in Boston is not as
gorgeous as the Western correspondents have de-
scribed it to be. 1t is din the Oddfelows' Hall
Block, on Washington street, just beyond Knee
land street. Il is out of place where tits. In all
the other store windows women's and children's
undergarments, mems hats and valises and
trunks are displayed, but Sullivan makes money
there, and there he is likely to stay. Above the
door stretched along the whole front of the sa-
loon, is the legend: John L. Sulivans," in gold
letters a foot high. The window glass is not
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
Kneeland street is chair, such as 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 a hundred others just
like it stand and stare at this 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
Bostons most responsible citizens, with high
hat, dress kid gloves and handsome cane
Sometimes this gives place to picture OF one
tighter or another not connected with the house
AT other times there Is an announcement OF
sparring contest thrown over the picture. The
east side of the saloon, divided off, and extend
ing back about thirty feet from the doors, forms
the card room, wine room and private Office.
In an apartment back of this are number of
striking pictures of we'll known pugilists, alter
mating with score of small mirrors sunk in the
wall. The bar is like many an ordinary bar in
this city, except that it is brighter and more
cheerful looking than the majority. the bar
tender in white suit, is, perhaps, the most PIC
turesque object in the establishment.
He was sandy haired but is now turning gray
his face is smooth shaven, and his mustaehe is
clipped square He seldom speaks He always
looks his question, What will it be9"
The customer perhaps says: whisky; let's
have the best" The bartender starts off, as if
walking on glass, picks up the whisky bottle in
one hand and one of those fragile glasses that
are now common in barrooms, and moves
toward his customer as if the glass under his
feet was thinner than when he walked over it
before With several beautiful preliminary
motions he stands the bottle on the bar, and
with other vet more astonishing and artistic
sweeps of the hand delivers the glass upon the
bar, putting il always upside down. Old pat
rons 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 nigh in Sullivan's, in com
parison with tie Hoffman House prices, but
man can't drink there three times without
creating the impression that he is millionaire
from New York. A New Yorker went there
once, had drink of whisky and laid ten cents
down on the counter. The picturesque bar
tender put on pair of pebble glasses, looked at
the coin for second seemed not to recognize
it, and indicated by looking it that more was
needed. He accepted an extra five cents and
put it in the cash box. He looked at the custo-
mer as if he were curiosity, and then put up
the glasses. The New York gentleman recovered
his composure when outside in the open air.
The crowds come to see Sullivan, but it is not
often that Sullivan exhibits himself, though
when he does he makes up for lost time. He
stands with his left elbow on the bar and losses
off glass after glass with the milliouaires. 1t
seems to please them, and him also.