The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-05-18
THE BUG IN HIS COCKTAIL.

It Scared Him Once, But Worried the
 Bar-Tender Several Times After, I ward
 It wouldn't have happened if 1t hadn't
 been for the freshness and frivolity of I the bar-tender," said young cottor
 man who has well earned reputation
 as a practical joker. "One morning, 1 two or three weeks ago, dropped into
 the place where he works. and ordered
 a cocktail. He made 1t. and, as was
 about to pick 1t up from the counter l chanced to look into the glass, and was 1 mortified to see a huge, l1ideous bug, of species unknown to me. It had a purple head, yellow body and gray legs, and less attractive monster I never clapped eyes on. 'Here!' said I, push ing the glass toward the bartender do you put these things in your cocktails now, instead of ci1erries?" What things?' eaid he. Why, things like this chromatic kissing bug in my glass; said I. I can't see anything he replied, smiling significantly, and by jove when I looked the second time couldn't see anything myself! The creature had
 
 hardly find my tongue, and the bar tender continued to grin in meaning fashion. I'd take an oath said I, that saw horrible purple and yellow bug in that glass not ten seconds ago!' Yes, I've seen 'em myself said the fresh bartender; I've even had 'em come up out of the glass and make faces at me. It's a sign you ought to change your brand of whiskey' I ig- nored his unkind innuendo and was about to leave the place, with badly jared nerves, when the solution of the mystery suddenly appeared before my eyes. You see, the bar counter is made of that spotted, variegated marble in which you can find all kinds of queer patterns, and right there, before where I stood, was my bug in natural mosaic. My cocktail happened to be directly above it when I noticed the thing, and 1t was, of course, somewhat magnified tom of the glass.
 T said nothing about my discovery at the time,' continued the cotton man. "but next day I dropped in again and ordered drink. "Seen any purple bugs this morning?" asked the fresh bartender sarcastically. Not yet said I. At that he gave me the cocktail, and I quietly shifted it to the right spot. 'Merciful ileavens!' I yelled what does this mean, anyhow! Is it a joke or put up job to murder he?' The bar tender looked into the glass and turned ashy. Great snakes!' he gasped. how did that get in there?' T don't know said I, but it's brother of the bug I saw yesterday, and I believe you keep 'em in stock He grabbed the glass and dashed its contents In the slop bucket. Then he made me new cock tail, which I drank and walked out. I let several days elapse," the story teller went on, chuckling, and then saun- tered in again, at a time when the bar was crowded. When the fresh bar-ten- der mixed my drink he watched me mar rowly, but by curious chance he de- posted the glass directly over the mo- saic bug. That's nice confection to serve in cocktail said to the man at my elbow. Good Lord!' he exclaimed, getting green about the jaws; what kind of brute is that" I don't | know said |; some brand of candied | I guess; they serve it to me | here regular now, although I've never | asked for it in my life Everybody at [ the counter crowded up to take look, | and everybody was horror-struck 1 The bar tender was distracted, ani as | soon as possible he seized the cocktail | md threw 1t away; but his reputation i IS a careful mixer was gone with that l ,rowd. We'll don't want to bore you with unnecessary details, so sufticeiit to ,ay that I have done my great bug | speciality four times since. and have de- ,ided to call it quits Between you and ne have commenced to notice wild ook in the eye of my victim when I