The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-01-07

New York, Jan. 6.-You know, my
friends, with what a brave carouse
We made a second marriage in our
house; divorced old barren Nineteen
Naughty-Etght and took the New
Year 1909 to spouse.
So sang the modern Omar as he
caTromed joyfully down the White
Lane at a. 10. on yeStermorn. HIS
was the spirit of the crowd-of the
hundred thousand, more OF less, VINO
assembled in Broadway and welcomed
the New Year with a salute of pop
ping corks and clinking glasses.
Today-the grim, gray dawn of the
morning afteT-it is a sad and repent
ant New York that places its collect
i've hand fee1ingly over its f9bellious
stomach and solemnly VOWS, never
again"
And a modern Omar mig1t inquire,
Indeed, indeed, repentance oft before
we swore-but were We sober when
VIC swore?"
1t is conservatively estimated that
a million dollars would hardly cover
the cost of this gigantic orgy. AS a
pen-picture of GOtham's annual de-
bauch, nothing equals this by Roy Nc
Cardell:
Every cafe, every restaurant on
bright Broadway was thronged. Men
guarded the doors to permit no more
within. Tables had brought premium
prices, tho service, so far as food was
cOncered, was not even as good as
usual. But there was plenty 10 drink
Instantly forthcoming.
Nothing but wine.
Up and down the streets, even be-
low the deadline of the lower Flat
iron, a jostling thrOng from Harlem,
the Bronx, the East side, Brooklyn
and adjacent New Jersey and Connec-
ticut cities skylarked with scuffling
horseplay. Bells, clappers, sqIawkers,
Iattles and horns were sounded. Con-
It'll was thrown and feather tickleTs
brandished An endless parade of
automobiles, hansons, "Tubber-neck"
autos and turnouts of every descrip-
ton, save water wagons, laden with
celebrants passed up and down.
The thrOngs on the sidewalk thin
ned after midnight. The crowds,
h0aTse and tired, had gone nome, but
Inside the restaurants the we'll dress
cd men and women sat all aight and
gorged and guzzled-
Nothing but wine!
Roses were showered, souvenirs
were distributed, opera stars sang,
women smoked and drank
Nothing but wine,
The stranger within these gates
that knew not of the unwr;tten law,
unalterable for this night, stopped a
waiter and said, Bring US some
beeT!"
And the waiter said, smliingly, pity
iEgly, Nothing but wine is served
after TO-
"AII right" replied the stranger
zap, yokel, farmer, hoosier and cheap
skate, Bring me a glass of port"
The waiter went away a1d never
returned, but the assistant mead wait
err came over shortly aftesward and
said; I'm sorry, but this table is
engaged" And the stranger, the zap,
the yOkel, the farmer, The hoosier,
and the cheap skate and his friends
were firmly but kindly led TO the
guarded door.
Succeeding them were men and
women for whom obsequious boys in
uniform checked costly coats, shin
ing silk hats, fabulous priced bonnets
and furs. The newcomers ordered.
Nothing but wine!
Midnight. Just few women were
drunk here and there. Bot it was
genteel intoxication. Morning but
! wine. True, it's degrading effects
were the same as if the cause were
dive, but here were women IN costly
gowns, bejewelled with gems, of
price, who drank nothing but wine.
One o'clock. More drunken women
or nothing but wine Two O'Clock
and still more. Sentimentally maud
lir women singing songs, bitter
women in whom nothing but wine
aroused old hates, jealousies and ami
mosities.
Some were led off, some staggered
off to the retiring rooms d51thly sick
Oh nothing but wine
AS the New Year grew older all
shame or concealment died down in
| the dressing rooms Tae doors stood
open, maids and attendants, who also
! had had nothing but wine. worked
perfunctoTily with ice bags and re-
storatives over the retching and coma
| tose.
This was not alone in one place
| but in all the women's retiring rooms
in every great hotel and restaurant
on Broadway.
1t was the slaughter OF the sopais-
ticated at the Battle of the Bottle.
| Nothing but wine!