Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18

swallowed down a glass of scent whisky
in a slum saloon and declared that it
s'warmed him better than one o them as
trykan OvercoatS.
Victims of Drink.
Drink, of course, has made most bums
what they are, and it is remarkable
fact that they can always manage to "tank
up even when they have no money for
food or clothing. When a bum is found
dead in the streets, as so many are every
bad winter, the verdict of the doctor is al
most invariably exposure and alcoholism"
How do we manage to get the booZeE
said the bum already alluded to. why,
lots of men who wouldn't dream of giving
us a quarter for square meal will pony up
quick enough to buy drink. That's not SO
bad, either, for can smte the free
lunch counter good and proper
Thousands of buns never dream of pay
ing for meal, even if they happen to nave
the price. Money-real money-must go for
"booze." In most of the saloons in the
poor quarters of the city the free lunch.
though coarse enough, is a substantial and
satisfying meal The open sesame to 1t
is simply nickel for glass of beer. one
saloon In a city where buns are most
plentiful offers a lunch at midnight COM
posed of frankfurters. Irish stew, clam
chowder, sandwiches, bread and cheese and
several other dishes. And the bum Is not
restricted The man behind the counter
hands him out heaping platefuls of what
ever he wants. He can go through the whole
bill of fare If he likes, and he does so
night after night. This particular saloon Is
filled about midnight by at least hum
dred buns; their trade is all the proprie-
tor gets at that time.
But surely it can't pay you?" the saloon
keeper was asked.
"Of course it doesn't" he replied; eat
least, not in itself. But if a saloon isn't
decent to the buns around this part of
town it gets precious little trade. It's up
to RI 1n l,,p% +txa fncr MOI
whose trade is worth having, wouldn't come
around"
Paradise of Buns.
There is at least one city in this coun-
try where the bum is not expected to put
up nickel for drink as the price of
hitting the free lunch" That city is San
Francisco. Frisco is the paradise of buns
the mecca to which they all hope to
make a pilgrimage some day.
A bum marches into saloon on the
"Barbary coast and says to the bartender:
say, boss, amt got the price! Hand 1t
out; there's a little mani"
No questions are asked. The bartender
pours out a 'three-fnger nip of whisky
the real "hoatswain's mates drink"-and
waves his arm toward the free lunch
counter. There are no free lunch counters
like those of Frisco. The bum who has
been there speaks of them as q reincarnated
Roman patrician might speak of the ban
But the buns who get to Frisco are the
best Of their class. They are necessarily
men of some energy, for they have beaten
their way" across the contihent-or a good
part of it. Many of them, go there with
the idea of getting on a ship, and they drift
into the sailors boarding houses, where
they are lodged and fed for nothing while
waiting for berth. 1t is then a contest
of wits between the bum and the boarding
house keeper. If the former can steer clear
of getting drunk or ''shanghaied' he can
usually contrive to get ship. and sail
away, leaving the latter whistling for his
money. d2i sis>--
Shipped Against Their Will.
At the time of the Klondike rush many
of the Frisco buns who had no love for
salt water were shipped aboard against
their will. Ship after ship came into port
and was deserted by her crew. All the men
wanted to try their fortune in the gold
fields. and sailors could not be got for love
or money. But lots of the Frisco buns
have habit of sleeping along the water
front. 1t was easy work to kidnap them,
knocking them on the head II necessary,
and to take them aboard When they
come to the ship was out beyond the Heads,
and protest was useless. This was done In
scores of cases.
But the average bum cannot get to
Frisco, and has to spend the winter in
colder-hearted, colder-weathered cities like
New York, Chicago, Boston. Philadelphia,
st. Louis and Buffalo Even in those places,
however, he can manage to drag through
the winter somehow IL he has an average
of from is to % cents day.
Even II the bum lacks the nickel for the
saloon he can still get good hot 'luncha
q fStaj0h Tha f~oa dni0