Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-01-18

Peculiar New Vert DrInkisg Saloons
Whsre Swell Ladies' TippIs.
PaIing the Wool Over the Eyes Of cOnfd-
ing Husbands---"Papa Drinks So
Much Himself that He Cart
Discover Anything ca
Ny Breath"
6sp H~E Ss&

BsW HEk Sss.
Passing through the storm doors Of the
side entrance of q Sixth Avenue drinking
saloon one enters . short passage or vest
buIe. with a small door at the side bearing
the legend, Gentlemen unaccompanied oy
ladies not admitted" This reversal of the
customary warning to ladies unaccompanied
by gentlemen is explained by q glance into
the coEily furnished apartment into which
the email door opens, especially during
shopping hours. The interior is connected
with the adjoining saloon, and is often
crowded at such times with ladies enjoying
clandestine refreshments. Singlyr in pairs
and in groupes of three or four, they occupy
little mahogany tables with their glasses be-
fore them, while some are INDUCING in
cigarettes. The glasses mostly contain beer,
but there is a sufficient mingling Of stronger
beverages to indicate a trained habit on the
part of
The Fair Drinkers.
In rare instances q male escort is observable
at one or another of the littletables, but they
are for the most part solely occupied by
fashiopably dressed women, some with pack
AGES of recent purchases, and others with no
such indication that their presence in the
drinking den is incidental rather thar pre-
meditated. ,
As n reporter recently entered one OF
these retreats, duly chaperoned, there was q
subdued.hum of conversation, like the soft
murmur of a summer hive at noon. A
white-aproned waiter Of obsequious demesn:
or, who had entered bys ground glass pan,
eled door from the adjoining saloon, was
taking the orders Of a group of three ladies
who had Just appropriated one ofthe tables.
OF a dozen or more others who were dis
cussing beverages around them, one was en-
loving a plate a Swiss cheese and another q
sardine sandwich, and three young ladies In
EXPENSIVE sealskips and towering hat plum
age were lazily smoking cigarettes over deli-
cate looking compounds that were alrlly
suggestive ola vinous or alcoholic base. 1t
was late in the afternoon. =,
81 must really be going now, dears, said
one ola party Of three, reluctantly rising
after
Finishing Her Beer,
and gathering up her packages. II have
been here two hours already, and will barely
have time to see to the dinner before my
husband comes home from his business"
Stay for one more" urged one of her
companions. "You have now the holiday
displays and the consequent crush in the
stores as an excuse for late shopping, you
know:
mo, thanks; I've tried that on twice
already, and my husband is too wide-awake
to put up with it again. Goodbye and re-
member you both owe me q visit"
There was a little ripple of regrets and
sdieux as she tore herself away.
Then the solitary occupant Of q table 10
the remotest corner, whom the reporter had
not Heretofore noticed-s very pretty young
woman in mourning, but with feyerishly
| flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes-signalled
| the attendant to her side and ordered "a lit
tie more whisky and seltzer' in a low
musical vsice.
I'D hate to be married and have to hurry
home at q regulation hour, like a slave" OBJ
served one of the cigarettesmokers, in com
ment upon the lady who had taken her de
parture in response to duty'S still small
voice.
$50 would l." said the younger Of bel
companions. Papa rarely asks me where
| have been when / get home late. If he
does, I've always a purchase or two as an ex
4 PLANTATION, and he
Drinks So Much Himself
when down town that he can't discover any
thing in my breath when l kiss him"
"You should both rather wish to be mar
ried, as am, to a man who is not over in
oaisitive," said the third, with q complacent
smile. Harry is the very soul Of considera
ton, and spends the most Of the time at hi
club when not at his Office or playing billiardl
down town. Waiter, you may repeat these
ifyou please"
Every few minutes ladies were q%uittinE
the place and their seats were occupied b!
new corners. There was q constant rustic o
skirts, mingled with everyday smalltall
and comments upon the refreshments pro
duced. During one ofthe most b~ustling o
these changes the pretty young m IL
mourning furtively repeated her order, ant
shrank yet deeper into her corner, with he
lace handkerchief half hiding the glass tina
was presently raised to her lips BY the dain
test Of gloved hands.
81 have been here Q number of times
though never to remain more than q few
minutes" said the reporters companion
The majority of the ladies you have seel
coming and going are
Perfectly Innocent
in seeking refreshment here. Theyare reall
tired out with shopping or mskings wear
some round of visits, and merely drop in TO-
a glass Of beer or bite of something psla
table as a simple restorative. But many o
those you have seen / should say are habitues
have never been here without seeing thoS
cigarette-smokers, who probably visit tn
place every afternoon, weather permitting
The ~aristocratic looking elderly lady yondeE
with the little girl fondGng q new doll at he
side, must come here quite as often. III
little girl invariably accompanies her, an
NAV be her grandchild. The two attractiv
women, with their heads together while IN
bibing something or other through straw'
are likewise nearly always together, and
think the plumpest and more stylish 9th
two is the young wife ofan old and very nc
broker, who doubtless imagines her who'll
engrossed with an everyday shopping manis
without suspecting the real nature of the O.
traction which keeps her from her home an
children. As for the pretty little widow owe
there in the corner, she is Mrs. -, and
think she must be the Oldest and steadieI
freuuenter of this retreat. / take it she
now a widow by reason of the weeds Sd
wears so becomingly, although a year {
more ago. when l first remarked her her
she was invariably accompanied BY her hu
band. something of q swell, and q vel
known man about town. And then 81
drank nothing but champagne, which !
paid for carelessly enough, though partial
ing sparingly himself. Nov her forum
eaor,a IN have undergone