The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-08-03
A NIGHT IN A HELL.

tine things that may happen 70 man,
or the things ho may do when he is so
under the influence Of liquor as to be on
what is generally known rs tear. are SO
singular as 20 be almost beyond belief"
II was the old typographer who spoke.
He was sitting with n group OF friends
and was slipping from q cup OF hot bouil-
lon.
s'You know haven't drank ANYTHING
for years except temperance drinks, and L
am thoroughly cured of the desire for
liquor which was for so many years the
bane OF my existence. How ever man.
aged TO escape from being killed on some
OF my sprees Is a mystery 70 me. But Of
all the strange experiences / ever had,
none, ! think, equals one had in New
York when the Grand Duke Alexis WAS
here, in ISL"
He was a good story-teller, was tho old
typographer, and the party sitting about
him knew il, and therefore pressed him
TO recital OF what they knew must be
strange story.
The disciple OF Franklin didn't seem to
be in n hurry TO tell his yarn, and he
stroked his long gray beard and rumin-
ated. Finally, after continued urging, he
said:
"I'd tell It, only It's so like Il romance
that Pm afraid you wouldn't believe it."
Then, thoughtfully, But, by Heavens,
it's true, every word of it, though now,
nearly fifteen years since il happened, it
seems to me like fiction rather than fact"
Hesipped his bouillon in silence, seemed
lost g. thought for an instant, and then
raising himself and leaning back in his
chair. said:
well, boys, here goes; I'll spin you the
yarn.
II was on a night case then, and used
TO live at the old Merchants Hotel on
Cortlsndt street. l went OFF duty at
O'Clock in the morning, and from that on
used to 20 odown TO the hotel and play poker
with kindred spirits until or 10 o'clock
in the morning.
Il did this on the morning Of Noverl-
Der 20, 1871. This was Monday. The
Grand Duke Alexis had arrived in the
harbor on Sunday, and he was to have
been received on Monday. So we played
poker longer than usual in order TO be up
in the morning TO see the procession. But
there wasn't any procession TO see, for IL
raiued in torrents, and was ~ disagree
able n day as one could imagine.
I'D been drinking considerably while
/ was playing, and finally went TO bed
much the worse for liqgor. ! couldn't
get any rest, though I slept after fash
ion.
very rocky Twas cold, dismal, and the
weather was enough 10 give a man the
blues without the help Of the liquor l
had in me.
Il was reckless, and decided not TO 90
10 work. ! had a twenty-dollar bill and
twenty-five cent piece in my pocket.
Il put on helvy overcoat and went
up 20 the corner of Cortlaudt street aud
Broadway and started mp town. l paid
10 cents for stage fare and had - cents
left, besides the twrGty-dollar bill, for
which had special use. That was just
the price OF - cocktail. l wanted that
cocktail when got up TO Bond street. SO
got out and got IL. That warmed me
up a little and started TO walk up town.
Mike Murray was running n gam
bling saloon on Eighth street then. /
drii,cd over there with my twenty y-dollar
bill, and there's where my experience be-
gan.
''It wasn't ~ hard To set into a gam
bling house then as II is now, and had
no trouble in reaching the faro table.
Ny head was far from level, but in
spirit of recSleSsAess / threw down my
tweuty-dolIar bill and called for a stack
ot dollar chips. l got 'em, and / also got
the drink of whiskey ! called Tor.
Il drank frequently and played with
varying luck. Whiskey and seltzer was
my drink, which was served at the table
where sat. Finally ordered bumper,
drank il, and that Is the last l remem-
ber"
Nothing extraordinary in that,
should say" remarked one OF the listen
crs. "It was simply an ordinary case Of
drunk"
Hold on 4 bit, and see" resumed the
old ,yp1c1pher. "It viii be novel before
hlS cigar far a moment and then resumed
THE next thing ! knew was when
woke up aud found myself in 4 strange
room. II was little rooEn, and its fur
niture of such n character as 20 Indicate
chat was in hotel.
There was bell pull hanging on the
wall near the bed that proved that Ny
vest was on n chair near the bed /
reached for 10, for / was terribly thirsty
and I wanted to see If there was any
money there to buy drink with. You
can bet l was happy when I found SI-55.
So pulled the bell.
~ bell boy responded and began cate
chiSiag him, for / wanted, above all
things, 20 find out if my room Vas paid
for, and how much money had TO the
good.
What can do for you, sirs' asked
the Kid who came up in answer to my
ring
- Tell me where I am
"'You're in the Grand Central Hotel"
'''Good. What time is its'
"'Half-past 10 o'clock. sir
"'Au right Bring me n whiskey cock
tall He started fer il. Hold on" /
shouted; don't be in such deuce OF a
hurry; make il two
"He made it two, and I never saw two
-F-rfT hat ted n1 in
Well, / paid the kid, and gave him 10
cents for himself That used up half
dollar. That left me dollar and a quar-
ter.
Il got up, dressed, and went down
stairs TO tackle the clerk and see if I'd
paid my bill. There was an awful crowd
in the corridors, but what brought them
there / couldn't imagine Everything
that had happened in the past was a
blank There seemed but one thing TO be
done that was TO take drink. took il.
then had 10 cents besides my dollar.
Then l went out and braced the clerk
and found out my bill was paid. That
cheered me up. So l went and took an
other drink. But the crowd in the hotel
bothered me, and ] couldn't make out
what it meant. Finally 1 mustered up
courage to ask what was going on.
Why, they're receiving the Grand
Duke Alexis, answered the coCntryman
! had tackled.
He was astonished at my ignorance,
and I didn't blame him much, for then
remembered that the Grand Dukes fleet
had arrived and that he was due in the
city when / started on my little excur-
sion, but that the weather had prevented
the reception.
''I went out on the sidewalk after had