Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-05
SOME BEER LOVERS HAD HARD
j SLEDDIN' EVEN BEFORE THE WAR
Retired Drummer" Reminiscensing, Re-
; lates Amusing Incidents of His Pursuit of
Gold Bottle in Hot, Dry" Towns.

TIA, Ha. Ha! Yes. Sir, 1 have to
laugh every time think of 1t. Those
folks who think they are going 10
have tough times now that the bars
are closed to real beer ought to have
been around with a salesman who
travelled the country over when the
vararies Of communities made the
tin-capped bottles hard to get
A retired commercial traveller OF
this city was reminiscensing. He re-
called an occasion when. being obliged
to Sunday" near Portland, Me-. he
decided to take the trolley down 10
Old Orchard Beach. the home OF the
schatchens Of the North Atlantic re-
sorts.
Now I knew I could buy all the
beer / wanted at the old Preble House
at Portland. All I had to do in that
dry town was to slip the newsboy at
the stand in the lobby a quarter and
he would produce a bottle OF scent
(by the case) Boston beer. So de-
cided that I would take a few bot
ties down to the beach. l packed SIX
in my cravenette coat pockets and
grip and lugsed them on an Intense
ly hot afternoon down to the Old
Orchard Beach House. Up in my
room I told the bell hop to pack my
basin full Of ice. Then I placed the six
Bell Hops Good News.
"where'd you get that?' asked
the boy. Run along. SON. l said.
what you don't know won't hurt you.
get all you want downstairs.
And blessed if he wasn't telling
the truth. In q room on the main
floor just OF where the swell dow
ayers were playing bridge there was
the only whste-coated public bar
vas to be had for Is cents a bottle.
When returned to my room late that
night I stacked the Boston brewing
on the floor and Monday morning
presume the girl took charge of it
when she was making her rounds"
The old-timer had many other in
learned that in Bangor there were a
half dozen clubs. Each club had a
lot Of lockers, on which appeared
many names. On the floor in the
center OF the reading rooms" were
always to Be found tubs Of ice-packed
beer and hard stun. Every SO often
the members got q tip that a raid
was nearing. and they dispensed with
all the stun but few bottles. When
the police swooped down on the place
and seixed the stock they took it
out to the gutter and smashed the
bottles. thus appeasing the offended
"drys" Of the city.
Hoistsd Stairs for Sunday Trade.
In Newark. N. j.. there was a west
ernsr who found that he couldn't do
Sunday business At his place. on Mar
ket street near the busiest corner
in the United States" because he had
no side door. He was formerly in
the theatrical business and he knew
90 he called in a carpenter, sawed the
stairs that led to the second moor
of his building and UP which law
yers and realty men climbed six days
Of the week to get to their Offices.
Then with tackle he hauled the stairs
inG. cut q door into the side of his
barroom and-this 10 the honest to-
goodness truth. the speaker declared
ne did business on Sundays regular
ly-at least. he did on the day this
commercial traveller was a customer.
Of the Arm who knew the ropes. A
lookout" kept a Newspaper photogra-
pher from getting q picture Of the stair
way As raised each Sunday.
Belonged to Druggists Wife.
Il had funny experience at Wood
bury. r. L." he continued. TT was
another one Of those hot days when
you Just had to have cool bottle
Of the amber. A fellow traveller told
me II ! would go to that drug. store
over there'-pointinG-w right in
behind the prescription counter to
the room In the back and raise the
lid Of . big ice bog would ind there
! would also fnd beer, Just help
lay Is cents on the counter for each
bottle you empty 1 followed his
instructions ana had just lifted a
bottle out Of the box when the pro-
prietor appeared and clutched my
Say he said. that's my wife's
beer, ordered by the Doctor
Il apologised, but nothing availed.
He followed me to the front Of the
store. where I stopped to buy a cigar.
and We chattsd. I gave him my card.
that perhaps his wife wouldn't miss
q couple Of bottles"
Once while in Athol, Mass. the de-
Pot bagSagemaster told the traveller
he could get . bottle Of malt" in
town He winksd when he said it
and that conveyed news. But the
purchase proved to be real thick:
black malt and the druggist had
ss:";: 'es TO TAX. to the
restaurant and see what he could
do With II. And there on the wall ex-
tending the whole length Of the
room was . sign which said: Posi-
loved to be drunk in this place"
In New York this old scout recalled
Fvrthmann's place near the bridge.
which had . pull with some one and
c.:s much :. 1 ::,s on n.. sp1d'S :x.
his pockets full Of hard boiled eggs
and when he perceived that a custom
or had bought literally he would
toss him an egg.
Recalls Bryan's Town.
Yes" he continued. ct remember
Bryen's town. They used TO lock
the bar: Up AZ o'clock pm. and open
tion out during business hours only.
40 II were. l never had q drink in
Lineoin. Neb.. for II was my pride to
be able to truthfully say that never
drank during working hours
II missed q bottle Of beer in the
best hotel in Chattanooga because l
thought would write to my wife be-
fore I went to the bar. II was $50
Pm. finished the letter at 1901.
This bar closed AZ 10.
For, Pitt Hotel. Every Saturday
around the bar reading. Order your
drinks tonight
"Fitchburg. Haverhill and Lawrence,
Mass.. used to take turns voting
towns went dry for q year or two.
then switch about. bought a couple
of drinks OF whisky in pareRoric
bottle in Fitchburg one time when 1t