New-York tribune., 1920-08-07
New York Still tIarbors
Wen-Known King in Exile
Though His Palaces and Pretzels Are Gone,
followers of John Barleycorn May

The menu still advertiscs just below
chile con carne Real Jocl's Poly
generic Theory of Life IS cents" In
all the years we attended .Toel's we
never got around to reading that
book. but IN the old days thc chile
con curne was cheaper than .hc "Poly-
generic Theory of Life Now the
chilc cost more, while theories Of
life remain as cheap as ever. We
understand that the book confounds
the Darwinian theory, but in order
tc appreciate it fully we would have
had to go all through "The Origin of
Species.' Accordingly, we reached an
early determination to let Joel and
Darwin fight it out between them
selves.
The old familiar postcards which
used to be OH every table are game.
"Joeis," so the ancient caption ran.
is the home of artists, actors and
newspaper men-the most lovablc folk
IN the world Joel loved them, but
not enough to blind him to their
weaknesses. The left wall bore the
sign ITO avoid mistakes patrons will
kindly pay Tor refreshments after each
service" This still cndurcs, as does
'oel message to actors on the road
who are invited to Send your money
TO me and | will keep it for you"
With so much about the room which
was familiar we still found that an in
tangible something had gone. Some
thlng ranging, perhaps, from 275 per
cent upward. There were two OF us,
but we could not get up so much as
mid argument or even agree very vo-
lently about anything. 1t seemed to us
that he talked less keenly than he did
ten or twelve years ago in that very
room. And vet it would be unfair to
suppose that in the old days folk came
to JoePs prsnarily to drink There
was Harry Lang, for instance, which is
not his name, who would sit up until A
or every morning and order sarsapa-
rilla every time. He had reason to be
tlmorous about alcohol. His system of
temperance in everything but hours
end conversation failed him finally. but
1t was not his fault About 5 o'clock
one morning he said, as doggedly as
ever, Bring me another bottle of
sarsaparila." 1t would have been his
twenty-ffth, but the waiter answered
I'm sorry, Mr.. Lang, but you've Just
had the last bottle of sarsaparilla."
eve done my best" said Lang dole
fully. Bring me highball." And
after that evening nobody no. not
even his employer-saw him again for
week
Most of New York's drinking to-day
is not convival. Liquor goes to lonely
men in hotel rooms The proprietor
of one of New Yorl<'s best known
restaurants was informed the other
day that trusted employee was snug
Cling whisky throughout his estab-
ishment. The proprietor DISCHARGED
him but first he mentioned with regret
his lack of loyalty. II don't see how
| you could have forgotten that you were
with me seventeen years." he said
"That's true" replied the bootlegger,
"but in the last six months--] have
made more money than ] did in the
whole seventeen years"
Broadway is filled with gossip about
the fortunes which have been recently
acquired in the liquor traffic Whether
the rumors have any foundation in fact
or not we do not know but Broadway
believes that there are some revenue
officers who arc profiting prodigiouslv.
One man told us story of having
been sent to an Illicit dealer to get
brandy.
How much do you want?" asked
the dealer
1.-TWO cases" replied the man.
Il can't fill that just yet" explained
the dealer. "You see I'm a revenue
officer, and know place where there
Nsi9eS. men get orders
for the whole lot Ill go and confis-
cate it,"
Another revenue man, according to
the story, for which we do not vouch.
is said to take orders to deliver LIQUOR,
and upon collecting for it at the point
of destination confscate the lot and
drive away again
All this is rumor, tale and innuendo
but it seems fair to say that John
Barleycorn is no exception to the Sal
walton Army's well known logan, "a
man may be down. but he's never out"