The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-07
AN OLD ENoLIsH ALEHousE.
1t Stands Near Coop Union-strsngeiy
LA Contrast with the Modern Barroom.

1t Stauus Near toop tnton-StfAuEcAy
LA Contrast with the Modern Barroom-
From the New York Tribune
Within a short distance OF Cooper
union there has stood for 10 years an
ale house which has scarcely a single
char &C ter1stIc In common with the
New York bar noom. So far as APP
pearances goes, II might have been
transported direct from England and
put down in Its present situation. II
is I'm every respect an average English
inn. and Its ustomers are principally
composed of Englishmen. passerby
might easily miss the "Old House at
Home" as b. Is called. for there u moth
ing to indicate Its nature but the above
title over the door. and almost oblit-
Grated by age.
When the door Is opened the visitor
seems to step at once into England.
The floor Is literally besprinkled with
sawdust. not the scanty quansity
which IL used In saloons. but thick
covering which makes ooLfalls almost
inaudlble. Nothing but ale Is sold.
lager beer being unknown in the "Old
House at Home" and II Is invariably
served in pewter mugs. Some OF the
mugs are so years old. having been
In constant service all the time. Back
OF the bar room Is a large sitting room.
which is crowded during the evening
with customers.
People who come In are expected to
SIT down and quar- leisurely their ale.
A man who walks in. and after rapidly
swallowing his beer rushes out again.
is looked upon with undisgulsed con-
tempt by the bartender. With every
drink a clay pipe may be taken by the
customer and filled from a box OF to-
bacco lying on the counter.
The pewter mugs are extremely capa-
cious and very deceptive In the guam
tity they apparently hold. They grow
wider toward the bottom. and 10 empty
two or three filled with ale Is a heavy
tax on the capabilities Of the average
New Yorker. The Englishmen who
frequent the place Will drink mug
after mug OF "arf and arr without any
apparent difficulty. and trouble OF any
kind Is rarely experienced in the old
fashioned bar room. Nearly all the
patrons OF the place 40 there for a
qulet smoke and chat for two or three
hogirs and disorder Is almost unknown.
There Is no restraint In the "Old House
at Home" When a man has ordered
his beer and filled his pipe. the usual
rule Is TO enter into conversation with
the man who Is nearest to him.
All around the wall hang pictures
whose colors are dingy and obscured
by age. A curious feature which I'M
medlateiy strikes the observer Is the
number OF clocks In the room. There
are four large. old-fasnioned time
pieces. all going and every one indi-
eating exactly the same time. The
place IL kept bv an Irishman named
McSorley. and indeed the place Is
known TO the majority OF Its fire.
quenters as "McSorleys." The old
man Is strongly opposed to innova-
tons OF any kind. and his contempt
for the modern gorgeously htted-up
saloon Is something remarkable. The
old man derives .-:@-sa ere 1.~c.tion
from the various expressions OF aston
inshment which are uttered by newly
landed Englishmen entering his place
for the FIRST time.
While the reporter was there a fire.
man from one OF the English liners
came rolling In As soon as he got
fairly inside the door he looked around
with his mouth wide open. and then.
rubbing his eyes 10 make sure he was
awake. said: ''WOt' must be In hold
Hengland. or helse Were ham - Ow-
ing 10 its dingy appearance and abb
sence OF signs. the place Is not widely
known. and the same faces are gem
orally seen there every evening.