The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-07
STRONG DRINK
IN OTHER LANDS
DE LuoIEN JuLIEN WALKER.

full moderation. This solitary exception
was a canon of Rome, who was called 1.-The
best man and the worst poaeher in the
County Cork" That was said by those
who loved the dear old canon Mac" and
that meant everybody.
Throughout England, Scotland and Ire
land there prevails the public house, sys-
tenn The public house is somewhat like
our saloons, and know one town of 1000
inhabitants which contains seventy-six
pubs" as the saloons are popularity called.
There is a great deal of drunkenness in
that town; but the police never interfere
except in cases where the queens peace
Z Is disturbed. Many and many a time I
have seen policemen conducting drunk
men home, and leaving them at their re-
spective doors.
In Scotch town of $4,000 inhabitants I
have seen at one time and in one crowd
five hundred drunk men, and in all that
crowd there was never the semblance of a
row. Everybody was good-natured, and
the presence Of two unarmed policemen
without clubs, kept perfect order. In a
similar crowd in America there would have
been probably a dozen murders and a
hundred fights, and fifty policemen could
not have kept order. In Scotland all
saloons are closed on Sundays, and one
must Gravel three miles before he can
get a drink. In England and Ireland, gen.
orally speaking saloons are open on Sum
days, except during church hours-11 a. m.
to p. M, and to p. M In London even
the underground trains cannot run during
those hours. since they might interfere
with
British isles the treating custom pre-
walls very much as 1t does in the United
States. And in those islands the majori-
ty of the people hold public house, liz
cense to be a 'vested right" Vast num-
bers of the pubs are really owned by
the great breweries like Allsop's, Bass,
and Guinness. These are called tiled"
houses.
On he continent of Europe different Gus
toms prevail. In all continental countries
the drinking In mild weather is done outside
of the cafes and the cheap drink-shops. In
Paris, on great streets like the Rue Richi-
lieu, the broad sidewalks are crowded with
little handicapped tables, and chairs are
Plentiful An awning is stretched over it
ALL You are tired or thirsty, or both, and
you take vacant chair. Instantly a white
aproned waiter attends you. There being
no whisky, you may desire brandy. The
waiter brings you litre of that stimulant
in a graduated Giraffe. When you have sat-
isfied yourself and desire to pay the reck-
oning the waiter holds up the Giraffe and
informs you by the marks on the glass as
to what you owe There is no such thing
as serving a fixed drink, except as to
beer. Munich beer Is served all over Eu-
rope, and is a delicious and harmless bever-
age. A friend OF mine drank in one day in
Paris fifty-two glasses of this beer without
evil effect Practically all the drinking in
Paris in fair weather is done on the side
walk in full view of the passers-by. The
same is partly true of all European cities.
In Germany and in most continental coun-
tries Treating Is unknown The Belgian,
the German, or the Austrian, for example,
says to you, Let us so drink" You and
he have what you like, and each pays for
whatever is personally ordered. In Ger
many in summer time much OF the drinking
is done in the public parks and to the sound
of music from military bands. Once in
Heidelberg l sat at a little Handicapped
table near workingman with his wife and
IOuI ClllQItIl. L VI lHISS CeHlS diS got d
huge mug OF beer, and the amber liquid
was passed around the family circle, every
member of it taking pull at the beer.
They formed a pretty picture, which 1 have
remembered for many years.
In Russia the common people drink vodka,
a spirit distilled, 1 believe, from potatoes.
In the fashionable cafes champagne is the
ordinary drink, and there it costs about
five dollars a bottle. st. Petersburg is the
dearest capital in which to reside in Flu
rope
Coming back to Germany, and this is
largely true OF Austria, the army officers
are a frightful nuisance in beer-halls and
cafes. Unlike British officers off duty,
German army officers must always wear
the uniform and insignia of their rank.
This fact is true of all the countries of the
world except the United States and Great
Britain. German officers may enter a drink
ing place, and seeing no vacant table
there being no bar drinking anywhere in
Europe-will direct civilians to vacate their
seats. In Leipsic l witnessed four officers
try that dodge on three Americans. There
was a desperate fight for two minutes. The
Americans won, and, leaving their antago1-
lists bleeding on the floor, fled before the
police could arrive and saved themselves
from three years hard labor in prison.
In all the more northern countries, like
Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and
Russia, men consume without harm vast
quantities of the strongest spirits. The
ordinary dinner hour in those lands is
o. clock. Even the imperial court of Ber-
lin dimes at 3 o'clock, whilst the fashionable
dinner hour in London is s. and at her maj
esty court is 9. At high noon your Swed-
ism host, to cite an example, takes you to
the sideboard In the dining-room and bids
you to feast on bits of raw fish, deer, pork,
OK, and SO on, the which is washed down
by spirituous liquors strong enough to lift
one out of ones boots; but one soon gets
used to it.
In all North Africa, from Algiers to
Egypt, coffee is the only beverage offered
you; the Koran forbidding wine and all
alcoholic stimulants to the followers Of the