Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-27

He smiled as he indicated his ignorance
and mutely asked instructions. I gave
them, and he departed harvard, still smil-
ing.
Waiting. found time to survey my sur
roundings, and right CHEEKY. tasteful sur
roundlngs they were. The wood work,
including the low raftered ceiling, was
stained in stimulation Of weathered oak;
the walls were tinted a pretty red and
the furnishings carpet Of dark red and
tables and chairs of dark wood combined
to complete an atmosphere of restfulness
and ease.
Then came my cocktail, served just to
my TASTE save that 1t might have been
a slight shade sweeter without destroying
it's flavor. Shrewdly the barman had
mixed a double portion, and sampled the
decoction himself that he might be pre-
pared for subsequent Implications of the
order.
Drinkers Not Challenged
''Right? he asksd, still with the smile
and smilingly he accepted my suggestion
that the added sweetness would improve
the formula. I rose to depart, and the
smile was still friendly as he bowed
adieu.
Notwithstanding the provisions Of the
ordinance allowing hotels the privilege Of
dispensing drinks ito guests only" 1
ton regarding the buffet, nor was asked
as to my hotel residence. I was served
that's all.
Following the clew furnished by this ex-
perience, I found that during "the sea-
son." that is from about the middle Of
December to the first of June, the other
large hotels are similarly provided with
buffets 'for the accommodation Of
guests" (And II you wear respectfully
DC, nf ha hal an ypd
as an outsider)
Not to play favorites, planned my visit
to the White House for noontime, and as
the clock was approaching the half after
one mark I made my way through the
lunch counter department in front to the
bar, also a lunch counter, in the rear.
The room was a small one, possibly
twelve by fourteen. half the space occu-
pied by the bar pine structure, bottle
rack, back bar and ice box, and the bal
ance filled by three tables with their COM
plement Of chairs.
Hours Are Easy
A row of high stools with we'll worn tops
and rungs suggested where most of the
habitues foregathered in frotn OF the
of them, thirstily calling for seidel OF
the amber beverage. l got 1t, ana Win
out delay started to find the bottom of IT.,
nv idea being to see how much Would
be able to order without being Obliged 10
order a meal. never did order at all,
nor was I asked to. did invent story
Implying a disinclination for food. saying
tnat 1t was "the morning after the night
before" but the story wasn't at all
necessary, as I found out later.
Comradeship is infectious, and it WASH {
long until I had been drawn into the con-
yersation between "Jim." one of the pat
rons who was eating and drinking next
me. and "Thompson," the bartender. A
third man and fourth entered, ordered
their drinks, and the conversation became
general.
At 1850 Thompson closed the back door,
and the one leading through the Kitchen
to the front room and the street. Still
we talked and drank. A half hour went
by and stories were the order OF the
meeting Gan occasional drink serving to
lubricate the throats of the conversation
alists) when, in the middle of a story,
came the first Of the "after hours pa
irons, and the interruption quoted at the
opening of my story.
There were three men in the party that
entered Greetings were passed, and they
filed along to vacant stools to order their
drinks.
Shortly thereafter single thirsty way
farer clamored for and secured admis-
sion, and at. ten minutes before Jim, ="
the other two members of our party and
I filed slowly to the street. The two
strangers announced their intention OF
going ''to the city, Oos Angeles) on busi-
ness and asked us to accompany them,
hut "Iin'' and / both declined