The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-01
BOOZE UNDER DIFFICULTIES
"REMINISCENCES OF DRY TIMES
IN VARIOUS PLACES.

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ExDedlcnts OS the Thirsty In Prohibition
Communities and some Unexpected
SOurces az RELIEF Mrs. Jones and Two
stately Gentlemen OF the OId school
Asmall group of old fellows were gathered
in the back of the papered partition
In a corner drug store. SarsapRrillR, root
beer, ginger ale and other lotions were
flowing like bilge water. Tn night vas
waning; IL was nearing tho witching hour
OF half-past nine.
The ak was about old times. Some Of
\ the takers allowed that IL they stuck to
washes for the remaining remnants OF their
lives their average for fire water would
still be fairly good. The conversation
drifted in the direction Of obtaining booze
under difficulties. and while the cup hat
neither cheers nor inebriates was satisfying
the cravings Of those present each man had
his story to tell of times of stress Of thirst
and Of how it was quenched. unexpectedly
or expectedly.
One Of the jewellers told how he had
connected with a bottle Of red liquor down
at Quogue. on Long Island. when the lid
was screwed down.
Il was spending a short vacation at a
boarding house a few miles TO the eastward
VI QuOkuts Ht HdNus LII OhC Ahy 4 ONhhA
myself out Of booze" and every one present
knew what that meant.
We'll. l found out that IL 1 tramped TO
Quogue and went at it in the right way
he continued, Il might get il. So 1 walke
three or four miles up there and saw a big
boarding house.
Il remembered my instructions about
going at it in the right way. went around
into the back yard in my fishing clothes
and made my way upstairs. In wandering
about the halls I met a man who seemed
20 belong there and said to him:
-'Mr. Er-r-T've forgotten his name-a
man with a m-ustache-sent me up for a
bottle of whiskey.'
MAN with a mustache7' said the other
fellow; thick set mani 1t must have been
Mr.. FellOwes.'
ayes, | think that's the name I said;
'he gave me two dollars and told me to bring
the change back
~'All right said the man, who seemed
20 be tho landlord; come in here lentering
| a ROOM and excuse me a moment
~ThereupOn he crawled under a bed
and presently he emerged covered with
feathers and lint and with a bottle Of
whiskey in his hand.
Tell Mr.. FelIowes.' he said. that I'm
sorry I'm out of his brand. but / think
he'll find this just as good
HE handed me rs cents change, and
descended the bach stairs and liked down
the road. The bottle lasted me for two
days till / got back to town
Il was coming in on a White Star steamer"
said another Of the group. after signalling
the druggists boy to h-isg the same all
around. W nae taken our pi.1t on board
in the forenoon some distance on shore,
and down by the lghtships we were caught
I'm a thick fog. .
"A few Of the men stayed up late in the
smoke room, perhaps out of impotence
TO get ashore. In those days you could get
nothing to drink on the ships after IL o'clock
at night.
"A group Of us were sitting together. and
with the chill OF the fog in our bones were
saying how We would like a good stir drink
when a solemn looking chap who had been
sitting apart and reading a newspaper
tossed the paper aside and started toward
our table. He had had little to say during
the voyage, and those OF us who noticed him
at all thought from his severely black and
plain attire on all occasions that he was
either a preacher or a gambler.
Gentlemen, he said, as he came up TO
the table, while finishing up my paper,
which ! got from my friend the pilot-and
which, by the way, il of one days later date
than any other paper he brought aboard-I
couldn't help overhearing a part OF your
conversation. and if you will all accompany
me TO my cabin l shall be de
That's enough said the others in uni
son, and we hocked TO his cabin.
while he WAS FUN bling in his grip he
smiled and asked:
"'Is there any gentleman from Carthage
In the party?'
Each one told where he was from; but
none had touched Carthage in the course
OF his pilgrimage.
az mean Carthage. N. Y said the man.
IN northern New York, where l come from,
when a man on a railway train wishes to
get the cork out of a bottle he inquiries in
n loud voice il there is any gentleman from
Carthage in tho car, and when some man
pops up and says Il am. he is requested to
kindly loan me your pocket corkscrew
BY this time our solemn looking ship
mate had found his cOrkscrew and u%ncorked
a bottle of very. good Scotch. which he put
at our disposal"
smother of the drug store group, was in
rounding Cape Cod on a Portland boat. 1t
was a Saturday night, and knowing. that
Maine was a prohibition State l had in my
grip a couple of bottles of stuff.
after dinner on the boat | Unexpectedly
fell in with some acquaintance on the upper
deck. Up along in the Vineyard Sound
we saw a whale. We had then made a trip
or two to my staterOom, and after several
more trips we kept seeing whales; in fact.
the water seemed alive with EN-.
But I had taken the precaution to fill a
half pint flask. and when We went out on
deck to get "A last look at the whales l had
the flask in my hip pocket. After we had
aeen these whales l couldn't find my state
room and a waiter put me to bed on a
mattress in the mems cabin.
"In the night | woke up with a powerful
thirst. l felt for my hip pocket and the
flask was gone. l made the rounds OF the
water coolers. and every single one OF them
was empty.
81 descended into the bowels OF the ship.
INC searched for a water faucet. In a room
which l think must a v been the dish
washing plant I found a pump. | tried II,
and the result smelled like bilRe water. but it
was wet. just then a fellow came along
and said:
-'What are you doing here?'
~Looking for n drink. | answered.
Then I'm your man. he said. and he
put a half pint flask in my mar
Il unscrewed the top, took a smell OF IL.
and 6shed ont two silver half dOllara for