Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-07-17
4 QUAINT REsoRr.

Represents . Ship on Shore and Manned
by . Crew In Uniform.
There's saloon located in the down
town district where you can splice the
main brace in the most correct nautical
language. Here the thirsty are served
by ships officer dressed in full naval
uniform. The bartender and his crew of
assistants appear in naval dress, which
includes swords and other side arms
and any amount of gold lace. The novel
crew comes on duty every evening. The
daylight crew are CARRIED like the ordi-
nary "beer singers" Of that part of
town. Inside this quaint saloon SO close
~ resembles an old time packet ships
cabin that one can stretch his imagina-
ton to the verge of seasickness andOnot
half try. The entrance is from one of
tie city's busiest arteries, near Vesey
and Greenwich streets. Old brass nau-
teal lamps, that have seen lots of serv-
ice in all sorts Of weather, hang from
the ceiling by chains. Several ancient
and dilapidated fgureheads, which have
faced the storms of many years at sea,
stare at the scenes Of revelry from COR
ners.
The walls are hung with relics of
many voyages. Pieces Of rope, old ma
rine prints, portraits of famous skip
pers Of the long ago, models carved by
sailor men, old flags, many of which
foated from historic battleships, and
other bric-a-brac Of the brine, decorate
this nautical taproom, whose proprietor
is attired in the full uniform Of COM
modore Of the United States navy. Her
''crew" consists Of representative off,
GERS usually found aboard a man-of war,
properly uniformed, as we'll as an occa-
sional sailor who appears in the triple
blue ''togs'' of Uncle Sans men who
swing their hammocks in the forecastle.
These are no imitation sailors, for every
man Jack of them is a veteran of the
ocean and rolls about as if on ship
board. The marine delusion extends to
the old ships clock which hangs over
the bar. It reels off bells instead Of
hours, for here the time is passed in
the choicest sea gibberish.. If you should
ever steer your craft through the low
doorway of this nautical saloon, the
chances are that you'll clutch at some
thing before you are anyway near half
seas over.
Of course the old salts ashore here are
the chief patrons of this old refreshment
room. The custom of using only nau-
tical terms in carrying on the ordinary
business of the place fascinates Jack.
and he'll walk long way for the sake
of being served in his own language.
The commodore stands at one end OF the
bar and shouts his orders to his crew,
as if he were stationed OH the bridge Of
some man of-war. One hears such orders
as ''Avast there p "Stand by to let go!"
"Hard lee!'' keep her off half a
pointl'' and similar expressions that the
sailor knows SO we'll. Drinks are ordered
In names which are absolutely unintel-
ligible to landlubbers. The evening is
never a success unless great many Of
these orders are first given and obeyed.
The favorite nautical term is, "Stand by
to let go' This is given when the
glasses have all been filled and are being
held in the hands of a crowd of sailors.
After Jack feels mellow, then the yarn
spinning begins. York Letter in
Pittsburg Dispatch.