The sun., 1901-04-28
TIE BrG ~ THE COCKTAIL.
MIXED Drink Mystery Of Marble BAR in tn
Crescent City.

From the New Orleans Timss- Democrat.
1t wouldn't have happened II IL hadnt :
been for the freshness and frivolity Of tho
bartender" said a young cotton man who
has a well-earned reputation as a practical
Joker One morning two or three weeks
ago. dropped into the place where he works
and ordered a cocktail He made II, and,
az was about 10 pick II up from the counter,
I chanced 20 look into the glass and was
horrifed tn see huge. hideous bug, Of
species unknown to me II had purple
head. yellow body and gray legs, and less
active monster never clapped eyes on Here
said !. pushing the glass towsr d the bartender
do Won put these things in your cocktails
now instead Of cherries' What things"
said he Why. things like this chromatic
kissing bug in nv glass said 7 ! 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 vanished
u was 40 startled I could hardly ind my
ton que. and the bartender continued TO grin
IN meaning fashion I'd take an oath :
said l. that I saw horrible purple and yel-
low bug in that glass not ten seconds ago
Yes, I've seen 'en myself, said he fresh bar
tender. We even had EN- come mp Out OF the
glass and make faces az me It's sign you
ought TO change your brand Of whiskey. ]
ignored his unkind innuendo and was about
10 leave the place, with badly Jared nerves
when the solution of the mystery suddenly
appeared before my eyes Y on see, the bar
counter is made Of that spotted yariegatcd
marble in which you can find all kinds Of queer
patterns and right there, before whore ]
stood was my bug in natural mosaic My
cocktail happened to be directly above II
when noticed the thing. and it was, Of course
somewhat magnifed by being seen through
The convex bottom OF the glass
4 said nothing about my discovery at the
time" continued the cotton man. but next
day dropped in again and ordered drink
Seen any purple bugs this morning. asked
the fresh bartender, sarcastically, Not yet;
and and quietly shifted i 70 the rig HI spot
'Mercful heavens" | yelled. what does this
mean, anyhow.,. Is II ioltc or @ pg, up 10 IG6
aaer als ana HSs turned ashy Ug Great 9pHF% snake
he gasped. how did that get IN there j
don't know said !. but its brother oi the
'eni in stock He grabbed the glass and
d. -hJd its contents IN the Slop bucket Then
h. made me a new cocktail which drank and
4 let several days elapsc the storyteller
wen, on. Chucklng, and then ] sauntcred
in again, AZ a time when the bar was crowded
When the fresh bartender mixed my drink
he watched me narrowly, but by curious
chance he deposited the glass directly over
the mosaic bug That's a nice confection
TO serve in cocktail; said to the man at
getting green about the laws what kind of u
brute i that i don't know, said |, some
brand OF candied microbe ! guess they
serve II 10 me here regular now, although
I've never asked for II in my life Every
body AZ the counter crowded up To take
look and everybody was horror-struck
The bartender was distracted and as soon
ms possible he seized the cocktail and threw
il away. but his reputation as a careful mixer
was gone with that crowd
We'll. | don't want 10 bore Won with nm
nece -ary details, so surlc" II 30 say that |
have done my great bug SpcCialty four tmo-
since. and have decided to call lt quits. Re-
tween YOU and mo nave commenced to notice
a Wild look in the eve Of 10" NIrtlm when !
come into the place, and as Il Wa 10 part 4
ny plan 10 land him m padded cell. mink
II is about time to let up and whistle oN tho
bug | don't know what h".H do when
he finds out IN" truth II il was mo I'd E''
an axe and leave an aching void the size oi
bug in tho top OF TINT counter