Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-24
BEAR AND Beer
TO BOOST SPIRIT
OF UNDERWORLD
How One Element of City Enjoys
Itself Night a Week
On the River.
DANCE is THE BIG FEATURE
Participants Fall to Floor Exhausted
Trying for Prize, a Case
Of Grog.

Are, you imbued with the idea that
all the sorry things you hear OF the
darker side OF life come from impress
sions gained or conveyed from
the larger cities? Have you
permitted yourself to believe for
one brief moment that the gay de-
bauchery OF the underworld is con
fined 20 Chicago and New York?
Did you think that the bear" turkey
trot," Jelly wabble." mississippi
wiggle," 'angleworm crawl" bunny
hug" and other fond and endearing
dances we're but the distorted fancies
10 the river front some evening and
take a ride on one Of the weekly OK
cursions on the Francis A.
RECKLESS ABANDON.
An Argus representative veEtured
the trip this week and paid his two
bi5s admission TO one Of the IiiGest
Yet most distressing exhibitions of de-
hauchery that il has ever been his
lot to witness. Hardly had the boat
left the local shore when the con-
yivial bartender raised the blinds and
took his stand firmly on both feet TO
expect the rush. Men and women
alike made one grand dive for the
,pCn window and fitting back their
heads. let the sUds triCkle down their
palates, stopping only 10 smack their
lips and wink at each other or accept
an invitation 70 do the bear" Was
one bottle enough? Well. hardly They
soaked il until the wall was fringed
with dead soldiers" and faltering
footsteps and husky voices showed
that the evenings fun was starting
and things were beginning 70 liyen up.
HAVE NOu SEEN THE BEAR:
Possibly, you are not fully
couversant with the bear" as
she is done" on the Francis A. Well
II works something like this: The
gentleman" trips lightly up to the
lady" clasps her tightly to his man.
ly bosom with an ursine g.ip and
swings 10 and fro 20 the rhythm OF
the music. each oscillation being &C
C0~panied by an upward movement o.
the shoulders and q ioosening Of the
knees. looking much like these toy men
that dauEle on the end OF q string. Fur
Their than this, the postal laws do not
permit a detailed description.
Hey ther. Bill" the owner OF the
boat said TO the pianist when things
had warmed up. Haven't you got
some real bear music? Give us some
deep bear The strains from the
piano echoed the tim" worn hoochit
C10chiC and the dancers. answering
'h. call Of Bacchus and the terpsiChor
can goddess. swayed back and forth
swOopiuE 10 the floor. Wh.rling ant
t"irling In utter abandon. md S,
tH'y danced until their unstable leg
would support them no longer and thc.
tdpped and stumbled or fell TO tn,
floor.
FEED on BEER.
Hey, Kid" one joyous excursions
called, come on and take q drinl
out OF my bottle" and. catching
Wild bacchanal by the waist. settle
her comfortably on his lap and fe
her much as a mother would nurs
q babe O. a bottle. while she Cooe
and carressed MIN. and wondere
where the next bottle was comm
from
"lsh sha besht time ever Chic).
one sallow youth told The Argus ma
about IL o'clock and before the ever
ing was we'll started "Sha girls
all lovsh me an doan gives blanl
city blank blank (hic) fish never gets
home. Amt tibet right?" aud The Argu
reporter was forced to admit that hi
statements colncided with his gener,
demeanor and heavy breath.
FROM DRUNK TO DRUMMER
Beer was supplemented by "whi
kies TO mix EN- up and make us fe,