The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-12
THINGS SEEN AND HEARD IN
THE ALL-NIGHT DRUG STORE

mis- at the Bay today and she'll be any
old price you want So get down.
How much does this hiccup dope set
me back?" and the big man pulled out
roll OF yellow money the size OF prize
cucumber
"Ten cents said the night clerk.
Don't be a piker." said the fat man
and stripping OF a two dollar bill. he
tossed It on the counter and stroIled out
whistling "Hlawatha."
Men OF that type are always crate
full" remarked the clerk. lone OF them
wanted to give me his diamond sleeve
bottoms last night.
Am I going to follow that tip on
Florham Queen2 say. II the night
clerk of an all-night drugstore were to
put 81 each on all OF the crabs that
are passed over to him in the course
OF month by the hOp-eaters and
squirt-gunners and rurn-fghters who
hate the sight of a bed. he'd make
Rockefeller's roll look like a year
before-last's hummingbird's nest"
A tall. lean man entered shortly aft
erward. His pallor was CHASTITY and he
eyes OF the kind to haunt your dreams
for nights after he had looked at you.
He caught the night clerks eye and
said:
Gimme glass o. calisaya."
The clerk poured out powerful dose
OF calisaya and half filled the glass
with water from the fountain. and the
shaky man drank It or eagerly and
went out.
''That'l hold him until the early
joints begin TO take down the shutters
said the clerk. Soothing substitute
for the real suds. calisaya-some people
that think they're being crafty and
keeping their drinking under cover tank
up on It regularly"
Plenty OF confirmed eallsaya DRINKS
in little old New York ItII just about
chew up the nerves OF a rhinOceros II
it's stuck 10 for a year or so.
That man with the chaIlzy map. by
the way, has been in here about the
same time every morning for two weeks
past, begging me to sell him booze.
And he always looks as II he'd elapped
his buds on in just eight seconds.
He always takes callsaya when I
give him the frost on the rum problem.
and then kicks his heels in front Of
that O'Clock opening place down the
block until he can line himself I'D for
the real red suds.
How do they get away with II ara
stand it? You can pass me. But seven
eighths Of the people who fit in and out
Of here. or any other an-night drug
plant, for that matter. are sitting on
the lids Of their own caskets But they
don't see it-dOn't see anything but the
minute just IN front OF them"
young woman was the next customer.
She wore a slOvenly dress, a bedraggled
sailor hat. and walked in a sIip-shod
fashion, She sat down in a chair at the
back Of the store and passed her hand
over her forehead as if she were tired
She looked at her fingers. stained BY e.
garette smoking, and said to the clerk:
Il want it sure this morning. Tommy
oh no 1 guess not You Just 70
home and take a sleep. and you won't
know things in the morning You join
the Don't Worry Club. I'm a member
But. Tommy. I'm so tired OF it all.
want the long sleep. Won't you let ne
have it?'
Not much" said the night clerk, AMI
the wouldbe suicide shufled out.
shes been in here begging me 10 give
her carbolic acid every morning for the
last two weeks. She was a pretty girl
a year ago. Used 70 come in he-< am
get perfumes and such like whe1 was
on the day shift"
The city began to stretch and yawn in
a few moments; finally 1t brushed the
fog out OF its eyes and was almost vide
awake.
Dull night" commented the night
clerk, beginning TO make ready for the
arrival Of his relief The dopes and
bright-lighters keep pretty much under
cover when the moon suIks as it's been
sulking lately. The early bracer'H begin
to dive in presently to take a hack NJ
the spirits OF ammonia bottle, but
they're only amateur pikers at the game
why, some OF them turn in as early as
O'Clock in the morning."
ON~OON~~N~No~O~-N~DO