Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-04
PFAFF'S ROUND TABLE
A Little Cellar Alcove Where Liter.
ary Genius Once Thrived.
BOHEMIA'S CENTER In NEW YosK.
Brilliant Men Who Gathered Inspiration
Over Beer and Cigars.
ADA CLARE WAS A LEADING SPIRIT
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE p1srArcH.1

anecdote of the Bohemia OF New York
that underlined and undef nable land which
nowadays has disappeared beneath the
turbulent seas of the modern, practical,
commercial methods which has brought
even literature, and especially newspaper
literature, under the staid regulations OF
methodical ways. For years Pfaf's place
was an institution of New York City, and
to this day many eyes which glisten in gray
capped heads twinkle more brightly when
the name is mentioned. What delightful
memories cluster about it! At its sound
what thoughts arise OF sparkling stories, OF
merry jests, of biting quip, of tuneful lays,
of bright faces, of curling smoke that
wreathed itself as smoke never does nova
days, and OF foaming beer, which tasted as
beer never tasted before and never will taste
again.
Pfafss place was in a cellar on the west
side of Broadway, above Bleecker street.
Sswdust covered It's floor 1t made no pre-
tensions to style, but that fact did not lessen
the smoothness of its Welsh rarebits, or the
succulence of its famous liver and bacon.
Through the center OF the main room long
table extended around which on equal plane
the patrons OF the place were seated. But
shrine, was under the pavement where in an
slcove stood large, round table which
gathered at various times the brightest men
known to literature and art. The bonds of
conviviality fastened these into sort Of
clique whose fame under the title OF
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
spread throughout the city. Goodfellow-
ship was the only test of admission to this
unorganized body. In time it was fashioned
into a semi-forInal condition under the name
of the Bohemian Club, Of which Ada Glare
was by acclamation made the presiding
genius. While occasionally other women
known upon the stage or in literary circles
found sufficient courage to drop in upon the
witty revelers at Ptaff's, Ada Glare was the
only one who possessed all the qualities con-
tanned in the term goodiellowship and whose
presence was found to enhance the con.
viviality OF every occasion in which she
took part, She was the embodiment OF
female Bohemianism. Seated at the table
with her big blue eyes fairly smiling, her
mass OF yellow hair shining above her head,
her face flushed with excitement. she parried
thrusts of wit as de tly as a swordsman
would foil, and her laugh rang the clearest
when an unfortunate one was unhorsed in
the shock OF intellects.
She had ran through almost the entire
social range, contributing much to the cur
rent literature OF the day, facing the foot
lights as an actress and making occasional
marital experiments. From 1859 until |
about 1862 she reigned as Queen OF Bohemia,
and during that time the circle at Pfaf's was |
brightest and best. Beer was the favorite |
beverage of this coterie. 1t was only short |
time prior to this period that this drink was |
first manufactured in this country, and the |
Bohemian Club became quite an important |
factor in making it the popular beverage, a |
revolution which forever drove away the |
daily brandy tippling which was the practice |
of men of those times.
AROSE WITH THE SUN.
With Pfaff's beer and PfafF's pipes and |
tobacco and Ptaff's rarebits and wit and |
humor and poetry and prose time passed so |
quickly at the Round Table in the cellar
alcove that all too frequently the sun rose
upon the close of the session. Pfaff himself
was the most genial and kindest of men, and
with most benevolent intentions frequently,
though mildly, endeavored to enforce his
nightly violated rule that his house was to
be closed at l o'clock in the morning. Upon
these occasions, which became rarer and |
rarer, it generally occurred that it required |
about one hour to get the proprietor into a
proper frame of mind to humDly apologize
Ior having dared to suggest that he wished
10 close his doors upon the Princes of Bo-
hemia, and when this amend had been made
It was Pfaf himself who was most reluctant
10 end the proceedings.
o. the men who were among the Knights of
.he Round Table many have passed away dy-
ing generally in happy poverty. and of those
who still remain upon life's scene some
nave reached afluence and others are still
busy, but more prosperous workers with. the
nf Gkofa |
Henry CIapp. He was one of the brightest
newspaper men of the day and his con-
ributions 10 various New York journals
invariably attracted attention. But he
Unfortunately went beyond the bounds
which confined the conviviality at Pfaf's
Ind gradually drifted away until he was
ost sight of entirely. His closest friends
lid not know what had become of him until
~ an accident it was discovered that he had
lied under the saddest circumstances and
hat his unidentified remains had been
buried in Potter's Field.
HoNoRED AFTER DEATH.
Joe Howard, Pfaff and one or two others
inspired by Howard formed a fund with
which a burial lot was bought in com
handing and delightful location in Green
wood Cemetery and there poor Clapp's body,
liter having been disinterred, was taken
md placed beneath tenderly inscribed
ponument.
A favorite figure about the alcove table
vas that of young George Arnold. He aud
Willie Winters were almost inseparable |
They were not of the rollick-
ng spirits who gathered about the board,
,ut they rarely tailed to contribute some
hing, generally poem, to enliven the occa-
ion or enhance the value of the flying
Winters who was even then
IN the Tribune staff was a spirituelle,
ar away young fellow in whose
,ars the bells and distant minarets were al
Tays softly Ginning. His first toyings
With the muse did not invariably meet
With financial response from hardhearted
publishers, and when he did succeed in get
ing his name upon the page of a magazine
here was rare rejoicing at PlafPs which
Winters always subsequently complained
ost him more than he had received for the
,oem. Arnold was at times buoyantly
heerful and at others moodily sad. AL
hough his literary career only extended
ver period OF IL years.. he dying when he
vas but 81 years of age, the quantity of |
written material which he produced during
hat time was surprisingly large. AS Win
ers has said of him: He wrote with equal
luency and versatility stories, sketches, es-
ays, poems, comic and satirical verses,
criticisms of books and of pictures, editorial
rticles, jokes and pointed paragraphs. His
oems, which were collected and published
y Mr.. Winters few years ago, display a
nan of rare genius.
ONE OF ARNoLD's soNNETs
1t was on the round table at Pfaff's and in
of the delights of the alcove
hat Arnold wrote these lines:
Here,
With my beer
|