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Old Waldorf Bar Day s
Stone of Scone. The Fin de Siecle came toward the end
of the century, when the expression became current in
magazines and newspapers, and when lots of Americans
were taking their first steps in French. What they said
when they meant to order such a cocktail is another
matter.
Why, you can date many American historical, society,
sporting, police and other events by those cocktails
when you know the names. There was the Third Degree,
invented when everybody in New York was interested
in the way tough cops were extracting information from
accused persons. Probably it left its imbiber in a state
similar to that of the victim of a police inquisition.
Added to one-eighth French Vermu th, it consisted of
seven-eighths Plymouth Gin, with several dashes of Ab–
sinthe. The Good Times cocktail was reminiscent of the
socially important coach that once ran from the Wal–
dorf doorway to the Woodmansten Inn. The Jitney com–
plimented an invention of a Detroit gentleman which
was found adaptable to take the place of trolley cars
when drivers and conductors went on strike. It may be
particularly interesting to that inventor to learn that it
was composed of one-half Gin, one-fourth Lemon, one–
fourth Orange Juice-and a little Sugar. Then there was
the Marconi Wireless; which first sprang across the Bar
of the Waldorf when the ancestor of the radio began to
raise its ghostly voice; and the Prince Henry, concocted
to celebrate the arrival of the once-distinguished Kai–
ser's apostolic brother, who was dined and wined pro–
digiously in the hotel's grand ballroom just above the
Barroom.
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