The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-03
DRINKS N DRINKERS.
A Bar-Tenders Talk About People Who Pat
ronize Him-DemaRds for Fancy Drinks.

He had a rather rustic appearance, indicated
by a superiority of coat-tails and ~high-heeled
boots. He entered the bar and approached the
counter, and leaning against the rail. twirled his
thumbs and repeated:
"Uh! Give me a sherry cobbler," said he.
The erudite cocktail architect, who had been
conversing with a Journal reporter. who had
entered the saloon in quest of ginger, proceeded
to fill the glasses with ice, and to build the
beverage. The vendee seized the glass by a
rotary hook on the larboard side and proceeded
to quaff the iced drink.
us that not really forcing the s~eason9' asked
the reporter of the barkeeper after the man who
had swallowed the drink had left.
The gorgeous creature threw his dazzling dia-
mond full in the face of the reporter, and a
small, still voice glided down the prismatic path
way of light, and echoed:
sYes.D
"Are there many calls for fancy drinks nowr
queried the Journal man.
"Oh, yes. Do you know that you can gener.
ally tell a man by his drinksl Now that fellow
is from some small town, and he came to the
city on pleasure and business, and tends to
knock the gang out by his extravaganza and
taste. Drinks, like sherry-cobblers golden-fz-
yes and fancy punches attract the novice in
drinking. The man with no hair on his face, or
the man with hair on his legs, generally buys
those drinks"
II would understand by your last sentence
from way backq'
"Zactly."
Il presume that the old-time drinker doesn't
wait for sugar and bitters. and shakings9"
"You bet he don't The steady drinker takes
his stuff staight. He don't care for the punches
and other fancy drinks that we make. lie either
cares for whisky, gin or beer, and proceeds to
down it in elegant shape. There isn't so much
whisky drunk, however, as there used to be. The
majority Of people nowadays drink beer. We
drink as much beer as the Dutch; and you know
them.
1--WE don't keep beer on draught by the keg,
but sell it from the bottle, and we sell Milwaukee
Budweiser. Koenigs, all from the indianapolis
breweries."
You say there is not a demand for fancy
drinks in this town."
Eyes. There are some fancy drinks that are
always staple, the cocktail, for instance, and the
milk punch and lemonade in summer time. Old
drinkers always brace up on cocktails In the
morning. Sometimes a bar will get a reputation
for a certain drink, and will become as famous
for the mixes as a restaurant is for rare bits
and chops"
'"Then it takes some experience to keep barP'
"Bet your life, especially a high-class bar. A
man has to be able to make all sorts of drinks,
and to do it quickly. Men who drink like an
elegant barkeeper, as we'll as they do a tasty
and clean cook, and the man who can draw a
cocktail in good style is q dandy-and makes a
pleasing figure to this background Of glass and
kill IA at,- NJ 1AA- LAAc 49, .-I L..
miss in this bar, and various kinds of mineral
water. People get an idea that they are health
ful, and swill such stnff by the pint"
What salaries do barkeepers receiver
about $15 a week."
"How about the take OFF,
'"There is very little chance for that. In
the old time, a bar tender was like the con-
ductor, and he would make a snug thing
for himself; but nowadays the proprietor meas
ures all the stock, and generally every day-at
drinks are in a jug of whisky, and how many
are in the dozen bottles of beer we use, and you
have to return so much stuff to him.
Besides, he has spoilers, and a cash till that
indicates to the customer the price of his bever-
age, and that prevents q bartender from getting
mand so much return per month from their bust
ness, and a fellow has to hustle to keep even.
Some months. you know, people drink more
than during Others"
Il presume you meet many queer customers"
"Oh, yes; we get done up quite frequently.
When a man gets the drink down you can't do
much. There are a gang of beats in this town
that would knock you out, and some
you wouldn't think of either. Men have light
when it comes to paying their bar
bills. l have seen men beef terribly hard on
account of a bill-they couldn't realize how
much they had consumed and thought we had
tried to rob them. Speaking about bar beats,
there is one who doesn't hurt the bar except by
his presence and that is the ringer in He is
generally we'll acquainted and rings in Oh a
party. Its a cold day when he gets left.
You can also safely wager that the average
don't get rich by knocking down these
The genial architect changed the glare
of his diamond and proceeded to take the order
OF a portly individual who called for a little
of the old stuff"