The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-29
The SKEAR-OFP HOUR IS NEAR
AN ILLUSION THAT ONE SALOON
NAN DOES NOT LIKE.
II Depriycs Him OF Ills Customers for One
Month In the Year Regularly. Tie SAYS
Conduct Of Men With New Years
Resolutions Tho Fatal Hour Eyaded.

on Amsterdam avenue the other night ~
a hi arious party Of men passed crt through
the swinging doors. chatting volubly aid
~vinously. I'm be losing 'em all for alcrt
a month after New Year's, and they're
good customers" and the saloon man
slcshed the glasses around in the invisible
sink and locked paired.
"How's that" asked the man leaning IN
the cigar case,
Didn't you hear ON all swearing they
were going TO swear off for 1902 on New
Years." growled the saloon nan.
-Uh-uh-sure; then you lose 'cm for
the whole year. don you?"
Yes, like | lose tho mortgage on this out
fit for the whcl' year replied tho saloon
man, sarcastically, Those fell,ws1l al
he in hero UP to midnigl: on Nav Years
eve, and. VIXEN they're tanked up to where
their hairs parted. they'll all sy'l' ~
according 20 schedule. when the cuckoo N
tho dock up there pops out and Eets OF hs
littls that at the strike Of II.
Then they'll wnirl out, and | wont SOS
any OF 'om again for about a month, The
duck around the ccrnerN & their trails
in the meantime.
Then. along about tine ~ Of fcbru-
ary. they'll begin TO drop in, one by ono.
looking shecpish. and give mo their custom
again FOR u" year. Most of EN- u I'll ls
tna, ,hcir doctors roasted EN- wheI tlav
found on; that they'd s~orn off and TIA,
the medical sharps advised EN- 70 begin
again and take a it'll stinplIn right along
for their stomach sake"
That's the way it's been with nat gang
Of boys for years. ! wish th2v'd d. '''r
swearing of at the fellDw's plI"e around
the corner. Then | wouldn't l)se en- 'pr
the whole OF January.
After their Il ,buratc swear-offs in here.
YOU zee, they're ashamed II drop around
until the recc llcctioa - tho svear-ofs l. a
sort O. back number. They make 'hair
swear-ofs 50 rummily solemn and Lad
pipcy that they feel guilty and II axes
EN- about n month 20 muster up enough
nerve To drop in on their old stl"iplHg
ground"
Why ion YOU hang up a sign, Swear
offs don't 60 here. DO it sornewi c. q el~e|'
"That'd make EN- sore and they'd prob
ably cu, me out fc Keeps" replied the saloon
man, discontentedly This swearing-of
game is a kind Of a religious rite with a lot
Of fellows. and they begin 70 figure on ,hs
Isl OF JdIlldIN ~ dbpu' N'tt'' ''
before that date swings around.
When New Years finally does limp
around most Of 'em are in shape for about
thirty days rest and quiet In some wooded
retreat up in Westchester county. and on
top o. this they daily with the yen-hok
enough 10 dream that they'll be able 70
chop of the old thing a sudden As the fall
Of n t~rip-hammer when the bells begin 10
clang out the old year.
Then. when they cone to on New Years
Dav. they're palsiei maniSins. that's
all palsied manikins. There's only ons
man in forty that ever seems To UNDER
stand. or wants to understand. that rsa
case OF going into training 10 come on right
in the swear-of game, rs got to Ire gradu-
ally led up TO with a carefully worked out
taper.
Two minutes after midnight on last
New Years a customer of nine who lives
in a IA, a couple OF blocks down the street
carne painting in here as II the cops were
after him. His raglan was button"i IN
around his neck h. hadn't had time 70 PVT
on any coat underneath and his shoes
were united.
Pass me NV brand. quick" he veied
A. me as he came IN the door. holding his
.open-faced watch In one hand ! Tell
asleep on the lounge, and the whistles woke
me ny, but II isn't any Ne" Years bl NV
watch rs three minutes shy OF " ""
Toe New Years mat ms Walch -'ars
A-going Is good enoug . t'r ne. aha L"'ni-~
In one after another inohlhg az w.
AZ his watcl. a. n he was & Ding agdl'st
picnic ssr-epsrlla instead ~ "h P''''e
stock with = cilt'h
"Thon be- -hopb hafds WIN me WIN R'ra,
~cprdlaIllN Hlh '''u IN ~ '.I'I
and went ou' 'i"pIahg ne 'fslIlh
lie vac uA'h w, ~ a,"n' ~
later. fhllig ma, ne i.nIh'u VI
had . weak mar ana "a '''"''' '
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