Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-15
warm for comfort, and utterly failed to
woke reciprocal "K. NJ. O."
PROVIDENCE AND PROHIBITION.

woke a reciprocal tx. NJ. O."
PROVIDENCE AND PROHIBITION.
The devious WAYS OF Providence in the
matter OF prohibition are past understand
ing. | am speaking of Providence, II.
l.. where the laws are so stringent as
absolutely TO prohibit sales of liquor ex-
cept on prescriptions. A friend OF mine
who il in the glass business recently VS.
tied the Rhode Island capital, and his
observations OF the way the law is evaded
are interesting. l give them exactly as
told me, aud know that there is no exag-
geration. ...
NV friend received an invitation to
dinner at the SWEETEST club house IN the
CITY. The best men belong to it. and IN
the party that psrtook Of this particular
dinner there were leading businessmen,
Judge, and several prominent lawyers.
The supposition was that il would be
"dry dinner, for the law will not allow
a sale of even bottle OF beer. To my
friends great surprise ais neighbor on
the left called for bottle of champagne,
end it was duly punished, in quick time
few minutes later waiter brought q
piece Of paper, which looked Ike an or
binary order check, end laid it before
the man who bad ordered the cham
payne. He signed 1t and passed 1t to
my friend. 1t read:
Received from (waitcrs name) one
package marked Mumm's Extra Dry,
which agree to return in good condition.
(Name Of club man.
Ny friend read this extraordinary
document and passed it to the Judge,
wbo sat upon his right.
eyes" said that ornament OF the
bench, "this IS q loan, and not sale.
The person signing this receipt is bound
TO return the package or another ike It,
These receipts are filed away, and when
dozen have accumulated against a
member he orders a basket OF the wine
aud returns it TO the waiter or steward.
There Is no law in the State that can In
terfere in any way with the transaction.
IL appears that when the club found
itself face TO face with the new iron-clad
law of Rhode Island its legal members
set thenSelve to work to find gap III
the wall They decided upon the plan OF
loaning the liquid refreshments instead
OF selling it. In the hrst place the mem
bers stocked mp the place on assessment,
and afterwards it is kept gong by the
replacing OF the net goods used by the
members who used them. There ere q
number OF total abstinence men III the
club, but having upheld the club they
can only grin and bear it when the law
proves inadequate.
The amount of decrease in the liquor
business as a whole may be learned
from the following incident. My friend
called upon a grocer to whom he had
been accustomed to sell few gross OF
TASKS once in awhile. He said to the
grocer "Isuppose It's 20 use trying to
cell YOU anything under the present
law?'
"No, said the grocer, with an ex.
pressive wink, cit isn't; but wouldn
you like to take smile yourself ?
The glass man didn't care, and they
went TO the rear OF the store. The grocer
took hold of All apparently solid parti
ton and pulled it easily to one side, re-
vealng nice, cosy room well furnished
with conveniences for Spirituous comfort
They took their smile, and before part
ing the grocer gave his order for car
toad Of TASKS. There are over 200 gross
in carload and IA in gross. Prohi-
bltion has not killed the glass business
in Providence.
The bar of one Of the leading hotels il
fitted up to resemble one Of the temper
anco cafes which have become 80 numer
GUS throughout the country. Dainty
urns bear in silver letters the legends
"Cold Tea" "Hot Coffee" "Pure
Milk" etc. The cold tea can bt
particularly recommended to those
who like whiskey and the cof
fee to such as prefer brand. The
glass man was witness to rather
curious scene in this place. 1t WAS early
in the forenoon, and he had just taker
little "cold tea, for the weather wa
chilly. The presiding genius OF th'
place was standing OH tlp-toc looking
| over the shutters Of the window. Sud
denly he turned and said "Now YOU
will see some fun. The fellow who Il
coming in now's no good. I've go
done with him.
/ Presently the door opened and il
walked the ideal "crushed tragedlan.
/ He rubbed his hands together IN tina
cheerful way winch always indicates PIE
paration for the first drink of the day,
"Ah. good morning, said he, "Il
take some coffee this morning If yoy
don't mind, aud he snilingly put dow
fifteen cents on the counter" "Al
right, said the bsrkeeper, and he pro
ceeded to put out cup OF genuine cot
fee. The theatrical gentleman tossed /
off hurriedly; then he looked like Laer
ties stabbed with his own envenomeC
blade. ~
"By the Olympian Zeusl Sold
/ he exclaimed, and stalked to the doc
without another word.
81 saw him on the sidewalk bracing I
man for that fifteen cents" remarked
the barkeeper with grin. Z" We don
want any buns in here. "