The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-01-08
RAR-ROOM AND CAFE.
The Change that Has Come Over Drinking
Habits In New Fork.

The Change thai Has Come Over Dr'HtsBk
Habits In New Fork.
''It must have been deuced slow
work in those days. said the Young
man. He was sitting with his elderly
companion in Delmonico's cafe, which
affords its occupants view OF the talf
passerS-bv on Broadway. Evening was
Just closing in and rosy light from the
setting sun filled the thoro,,gtfare. 1t
was just before the elections, and pen-
pie then could talk of something etse
than districts precincts" and
..puralities,' and the two nfeu were
lazily discussing one matter and anoth-
er until the conversation had iurned
through the natural channel suggested
ny the dainty carafes and liqueur glass
e> before them to the subject OF drink.
ing in general, and the habits Of by
gone dav in particular, They were 4
strangely assorted pair. but they seem
ed TO get along together. The elder
man had probably seen the shady side
OF 60. but was dressed like, and at first
glance appeared to be. much younger
man. His white mustachs was care
fully trimmed. while his ruddy color.
deepening until it almost suggested
purple in his nose. be:o&eued man
fond of the good things of life. while
the good -humored gleam of his gray
matched eyes showed that he was wont
10 follow Peacock sdyies. and
When he had dined. wish all mankind
Might dine as well as he,
The boy sitting opposite was bright
Young fellow of about %, dressed in
the extremity of the fashion, who dan
died huge silyer-tipped cane in anSaS-
factionate manner as he talked.
SLOW work. repeated the ancient.
No. sir. it was mighty quick work.
can lell you. We drank in those days,
l can assure you. We dip not sipsF
and he glanced tribe disdainfully 81
the tiny glass of green Chartreuse
which faced his own staggering -four
fingers" of tawny rye. ave ldidn't
waste any time about it, either. Just
stood up to the bar and drank our iq-
nor down like men. SOMETIMES we
downcd it. and sometimes it downed
US" And the old fellows eyes seemed
to look backward to the treasured
| memories of the past.
You young fellows" he continued
reflectively, ''hare changed all that
and I'll tell you frankly that l think
| the change is for the better. We old
| fellows sneer and sniff about it. may be,
but the change that has come over the
drinking habits OF New York has left
us not so thoroughly American per-
haps. but at any rate healthier and
more respectable "'-
s'Twenty years ago." continued the
veterans. setting himself more COM
Portable in his armchair, ''such place
as this was unknown. Now they are
springing up on every side. Go over
the road to the Hoffman where yeu
have gorgeousness unparalleled, and
where, by the way, the new dispense
tion and the old are united. where you
can drink / Americaine or Ia Fran
caise in the same room. Over at the
Brunswick we find the same thing,
while at all new hotels. which are
springing up so quickly, the cafe is the
center of the mems part of the house.
Now, this change in the manners and
customs of our young men is due to
several causes. In the first place YOU
boys have more time at Your disposal
than we had. We used To work, while
YOU lounge: not that ! blame you fol
lounging, bear in mind, for hold Al
accomplished lounger to be one of the
nob!eSt works of the nineteenth cen.
tury. Then Il more general knowledge
of the laws of health has been another
factor in the evolution of the cafe.
How do You make that out?'
VERY easily, nv boy. Go into any
small lager-beer shop in the city, anu
you will find on the counter bowl oil
cheese and some unwholesome-lookin
! Eh.f 4,
means that even the tramp has found
out that his liquor does him less harm
if he takes it with even mOuthful OF
solid food. So the aristocratic tramp,
if we may call him so, have discoveries
on his part thai few oysters, y Bit o
pate de JOie gras, or some toothsomt
nforsel of that sort allows him TO drins
with more friends than he otherwise
could without the disagreeable conse
quence of flushed face and thickeheC
utterance. Besides. The average Amer
Jean has now discovered that there ar,
other drinks in the world beside
straight whisky, A small bottle o
champagne or light wine is pleasanteI
10 the palate and almost as eShilarat
ing TO the spirits as gnlp OF bourbon
or rye. | see that you look askance a
my glass. hut You must remember tina
! am an old fogy and can not shake of
my old habits
The more abundant leisure of the
richer classes. however. has chief,
fo>tered The cafe system, To man,
Young men this room serves as elpl
and restaurant in one. Young mel
who for many hours in the day have M
occupation want meeting place, .
lonnging-p place. and a dripking-plaee
and in the cafe they find the. thre,
| united.
Don't You think. though. tina
Messrs. Delmonico. Kinzler, and Stoke
have had not little to do with intro
dncing the cafe9'
Certainly; but they only supplied
what their customers insisted upol
having. Don't think that the old bal
did not pay a great deal better than th'
new cafe-it did by large plurality
Besides the immense amount of capita
invested. they have weekly sum Il
pay for help which must he enormous
However, the public have gained in ev
cry way. and you and ! among them
That being the case, let us have on,
little old-fashioned cocktail. and thel
asked Louis TO bring us the bill O
fare. -NetO; FORK: Tribune.
Wasn't Impressed.