Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21
DEAD BEATS AND PRoDIGALs.
They Are Both Objectionable From the
Bar Tenders Standpoint,

Dead beats don't trouble me very much"
said the saloon keeper. "0f course, the way
they work is to call for drink, usually, and
then say they have't any money. Such an
announcement rather stumps the bartender,
as rule; for what is he to do2 He finds very
little satisfaction In bouncing the offender,
since, at the close Of the performance, the
party fired is still undeniably one drink ahead
OF the establishment On the other hand, he
can hardly be expected to smile and look amia-
oie' as If he appreciated the little jest that has
been played Oh him. The only useful plan is to
stndy human nature az il is exhibited before
,he par ana learn to recognize the beat before
ne gets MS grip on the bottle. Many time
mas customer unknown to me come in here
and said, 'Whiskey, pleaser And have re-
phed; Let me see your money first Nor
nave once made a mistake in such a case.
mere Is something about the way in which
man whose pockets are empty shambles up
10 the bar that indicates his insolvency unmis-
takaoiy; he cannot, somehow, successfully imi-
tate the confident air of the person who has
the ~herewithal TO settle for what he orders.
A person without experience in this business
would fail to notice any such little symptoms as
speak OF; II Is all a matter of technical edu-
catoh. said just pew that had never mis-
taken paying customer for a beat: may sdd
thatl was never but once beaten in the ordin-
not badly dressed. who walked into tins saloon
and remarked that he wanted little rye-not
the common sort, but the best the house af-
loraed, no matter what il cost He filed his
glass up to the brim from the bottle, guessed
he d have another: theu loaded ND again as be-
lore, swallowed number two, and, as he put his
tumbler down on the bar, said: That went TO
the right spot and I'm awfully sorry that I
haven't copper to pay for it,
what did you do them" queried The STAR
reporter.
We'll, sir, it took me exactly one second and
a half to get over that bar ana grab the beat by
the back OF the neck. Three-quarters OF a
second later he was sitting in the gutter out
side, where | had landed him with one we'll
deiivered kick. As he scrambled to his feet he
said; 'fardner If 1t wasn't for the good liquor
IN me might feel hurt, but as il $50 tooral-
h-looral-h-lay" And ne walked down the street
singing as cheerfully as possible. No, a. SAID,
there Is never any satisfaction to be got out of
beat The only thing is to avoid being taken
IN After all. am quite as apt TO have trouble
as WIN men who have none at all 10 squander. !"
''And how is that"
Simply that men in their cups are almost
always reckless about money. Particularly on
saturday nights they will throw away cash that
Is really needed, maybe, by their families In
may seem strange to find saloon keeper with
any feelings, but don't care TO take in coin
tnat way. The customer who comes in here
with weeks hard-earned wages in his pocket
and wants TO buy out the house is not a well
come guest. | often refuse absolutely to sell to
such one. The funniest thing of all is the
way IN which men drinking at a bar will give
away their most private affairs in conversation,
though not at ali intoxicated. They never seem
to think, so long as there is no one within ear
shot IN front of the bar, of the presence of the
man who is waiting upon them behind it. A
bar tender is always loaded with other peoples
secrets. bnt TO keep them is matter profess
sional with him.