Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-26

Topples 81 Our Father,
ToDDY, GRoG, AND OTHER LIBArIoNs OF EARLY NEW
ENGLASpERs-So SIDE DOORS On sunRErrrrIous
MErHoDe IN THOSE DATA
From the Boston 0lobe
Those who enjoy the rum punch, gin On or
'1sec" OF to-day may be Interested 20 know the
manner in which our New England grand
fathers indulged in tho coup that cheers" seventy
or Or. eighty years ago: In those days the
Organizations were unknown, even the famous
Washingtonian movement being hardly dreamed
OF a. sea. tm qss least Of the
liquors whenever taste or inclination so suggested
The favorite alcoholic drink OF this part OF tue
favorte upple from very early period In our MS
tory. Perhaps the earliest record Is when GOV.
Endcott OF Massachusetts,, was charged five shil-
This rum was also the basis OF several other popu-
lar beverages. It's sale reacned q osnparatively
great MAGNITUDE, principally 10 the forty or fifty
years that followed the American Revolution. II
nearly ali distilled In this section OF the coun-
try and In towns IT close proximity TO Boston,
i hence the name OF New England Was afixed TO
hundred years ago there we've sixty distilleries
IN full working order In New England, the bulk or
the product being from Saiem Medford, and New
port, X. The sold Medford" OF to-day Orlginally
gained It's distinction from the town where it was
aR %hea MOT as good as that
quality. and that town turned out vast quantity
also, being at the head OF the list In regard TO
number and capacity OF distilleries.
Boston, 100, had a small share in the fame of
producing this liquid, but the Hub dealers, like
those OF to-day, were not distillers, but usually
those days IL was not necessary Tor a man to enter
any little side door," nor was he ashamed to tell
his wife that he was intoxicated and she must take
care Of lim. Neither did he have TO give awink
TO the seeker, nor did he ever call for Scneidam
Schnapps, brandy cocktail, plum Juice or even our
every day Lager, for those drinks were unheard OF
then.
The sight Of tin pals and jugs niied with LIQUOR
was not at all uncommon on our streets Cor
sold largely, often peddled about the streets Inc
same as lemonade-venders ply their trade nowa-
days on the Boston streets.
The doctors OF the old school were more
lib raj In prescribing liquor for persons In delicate
health than at the present time owing to the fact
that there was virtually no objection to It's use.
up at Medford, Salem, ana Lynn.
There was another decoctlon known as '6lack
strap" which was made Of New England rum and
molasses mixed In proportions to suit the taste OF
the buyer. This was, OF course considerably
cheaper than the article and conse0 ne
was The favorite drink OF those who could not al
fOrd anything better. Another drink was COM
posed OF rum and sugar, then known as ga horn, ~
aid rum dashed with hot water and called
on cold winter evenings along with the eating OF
apples, which was fAvOrite custom hereabouts.
drink composed OF rum and something else was
called 'gros." II originally meant rum diluted
with watrr, but was more often with q cordial or
s0methlng OF that nature. The name OF ..grog'
was derived IN q singular way. 1t Is said mat
once Admiral Vernon, In the British navy and who
was noted Tor his generous nature, was wont to
deal Out an allowance OF this drink to his sailors
He wore what was called "grogan" cloak In Sc
we're weather, and after a while the men jesringIy
designated him as ''oid grog," hence the name or
the mixture.
Every event of more than passing notice called
forth goody supply OF liquor. One important
occasion was on day that somebody's pig was to
be killed. Such An occasion required the services
or three or four men, who took an afternoon to do
the work, while the town took q half-holiday
such an important occasion as this would be an
utter nzzle were not large supply OF rum on
hand ready to use, and IL sometimes cost the
owner more than the pig was worth TO furnish the
drinks.
Another occasion Of note was election day, when
every man drank Tor the good luck OF his favorite
candidate, and after The event Was over again
drank on account Oh success or hoping Tor bel ter
luck next year. Cider did not come into general
USE much uefore the Harrison campaign, when all
or sudden 1t was In general favor, and a whig
who didn't keep a key OF hard cider In his house
Was not considered true patriot to his Cause.