Omaha daily bee., 1885-01-01
JOHN l.. sULLIvAN's SALOON.
An Unpretentious Boston Groggerl
With n Highly Artistic
Bartender.
New York Sun.

John l.. Sullivan's saloon in Boston is
not rs gorgeous rs the western correspond
ents have described it to be. 1t is Just
such another saloon as Alderman Jerry
Murphy's, minus the plate-glass window,
only n little more elbow room for MIR.
Sullivan to move around in. 1t is in the
street Just beyond Kneeland. 1t is out
of place where it is. In all the other
store windows 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 saloon, is the legend, "John
l.. Sullivan's," in gold letters a foot high.
The window glass is not plate, and SO old
fashioned as to have four panes to each
window. The side panes are cut in two
in the middle. Gas jets of the cheap
est kind light up each window. In the
one nearest Kneeland street is q chair,
such as one sees in all the fancy furniture
stores, with bull horns for legs and back,
and a bit of bulls hide for a seat. Per
sons who have seen a hundred others just
like it, stand and stare at this one because
it is in Sullivan's window.
In the other window there is generally
a picture of Sullivan dressed up in the
style of one of Boston's most respectable
citizens, with a high hat, dress kid gloves,
and a handsome cane. Sometimes this
gives way to a picture of one fighter or
another not connected with the house.
At other times there is III announcement
Of a sparring contest thrown over the pic
ture. The east side of the saloon, divided
off and extending back about thirty feet
faom the door, forms the card room, wine
room and a private office. In an apart
ment back of this are a number of striking
pictures of well-known pugilists, alternat
ing with n score of small mirrors sunk in
wall. The bar is like many an ordinary
bar in this city, except that it is brighter
and more cheerful looking than the ma
iority. The bartender in a white suit is
perhaps the most picturesque object i'll the
establishment.
He was sandy haired, but is now tu,n.
ing gray; his face is smooth shaven, and
his moustache is clipped square. He sci.
dom speaks. He always looks his ques.
ton: "What will it bel'
The customer perhaps says: "Whis
key; let's have the best" The bartender
starts off, as if walking on glass, picks uI
the whiskey bottle i'll one hand and on,
of those fragile glasses that are now 81
common in barrooms, and moves TOWARD
his customer as if the glass under his fee
was thinner than when he walked over i
before. With several beautiful prelim
mary motions he stands the bottle on thu
bar, and with other yet more aston's hins
and artistic sweeps of the hand deliver
the glass upon the bar, putting it always
upside down. Old patrons of the plac,
say he would not miss any Of this cere
mony even if his customer had only fou
minutes to get to the depot.
Drinks don't come high in Sullivan's il
comparison with the hoffman house prices
but a man can't drink there three t me
without creating the impression that he i
a millionaire ftom New Yotk. A New
Yo, ker went there once, had a drink O
whiskey, and laid ten cents down on tn,
counter. The picturesque bartender pu
on a pair of pebble glasses, looked at tn
coin for n second, seemed not to ~recogniz,
it, and indicated by looking mt it tina
more was needed. He accepted an extri
five cents, and put it in the cash box. I'll,
looked at the customer as if he were
curiosity, and then put up the glasses
The New York gentleman recovered hi
composure when outside in the open air
The crowds come to see Sullivan, but it
not often that Sullivan exhibits himself
though when he does he makes up fo
lost time. He stands with his left elbo'
on the bar, and losses off glass after glas
with the m~illionaires. 1t seems to pleas
i them. and him also