The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-10-30

made the American bar famous all
over the world, but l doubt if there
will ever be such q run on them as
there was five or six years ago. In
those days Il party OF men would walk
in here, lean against the bar, and one
would order a brandy cocktail, another
Il sherry flip. the next u gin and worm
wood bracer, the fourth Il iizz. and the
other frozen absinthe with bitters. 1t
seemed to be a matter of pride with
hard drinking crowds-and hard
drinkers usually travel together, you
know-to change their drinks often.
They took a great interest in the mix
ing of the drinks, and usually watched
the operation closely. Most of them
could tell the instant the drink touched
their lips if there was Il single drop of
bitters too much.
"ln those days a bartender had to
work harder than he does now, and his
skill brought him great credit. He
was in constant practice. and a good
deal more skillful than now. had to
make cocktails every morning for at
least twenty men. They never thought
OF breakfasting before coming to see
me. 1t would have been a good deal bet
ter o them if They'd staid away. I'm IL
drinking mar myself, but l wouldn't
touch liquor before breakfast for big
money. Nothing knocks Il man so
soon as that, and do you know how
I've found it outp"
"By experience, | suppose"
"Not by my experience, but by
looking at the twenty-odd guests in
this house tor whom l have been max.
ing cocktails for years.
He was a typical modern barten-
der, quick, respectful, with close
clipped hair and graceful mustache,
dextcrous white hands, and ire.
proachably neat attire. All of the
men under him had the same charac.
teristics. He told the writer once
that he discharged the best bartender
that he had v e had because that
young man twirled his mustache while
at work. 1t was his theory that Gus
toners did not care to have drinks
mixed by aman who did that.
"What | started to say, continued
the head bartender, coming back to
the end of the bar after serving some
favorite customers, eva that whisky
is gradually becoming the staple
drink. Drinkers are quick to learn
the difference between good and bad
whisky, and they've got over the craze
Tor mixed drinks and settled down to
steady whisky-drinkcrs. I've noticed
it particularly this summer, when
many OF our patrons gave up the per-
Notwithstanding so-called summer
drinks and kept on with whisky. No
particular brand is now in demand,
ecause there are SO many good
brands. They have all improved, be-
cause drinkers will have none but the
best, and poor stuff is not profitable"
What about the popularity of
beer?"
The b~artender's face lighted up with
sudden interest, and he looked cau-
tiously around. Then he said in a
lower voice, as though revealing a
state secret of great Importance:
You know me, and you know that
| have an honest liking for my bust
ness. Well. what'll you say when 1
tell you that beer drinkers are having
it played on them in the lowest style
of the art? It's a fact that can be
proved without an effort. The bars
now have no such thing as au assert
ment or choice of beers. You must
take what they offer. And what do
they offer? They give you the beer
that pays them best. 1t isn't II matter
of excellence atall. The brewers all 90
to the saloon keepers and bid for their
custom. The brewer that pays the
most gets it. What's the result? In
half the bars of upper New York beer
is forced on men who do not like its
flavor or weight. More than that, it's
not good beer. You hear me? Well,
vcntilate the subject in the interests
of drinking men. Ventilate it,
NeW York Sun.