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Old Waldorf Bar Days
the uninitiate would set down as a banker or an indus–
trial magnate, but who was never known to pay for a
drink. Yet he probably. swallowed as much at the coun–
ter or in the Barroom as its best customer during a long
period of years. He was the original "yes man," for part
of his pursuit in life was finding those who would buy
him drinks and saying, "Same here!" One night a good–
sized crowd of his hosts-or victims-decided to make
him the butt of a bit of good-natured fun. One man after
another would order drinks without paying the check.
Finally, somebody commanded a round of ponies of
brandy. Except the victim of the joke, each man then
found excuse to slip out, until the other was left stand–
ing at the bar-side. Realizing suddenly that he stood
alone, he himself turned to go, but the barkeeper in–
tervened.
"Mr. Blank," he said, "how about paying the check?"
"What!" gasped the man, "didn't the others settle?"
"Not this time, sir," replied the barman. "I guess
it's up to you to pay."
The involuntary host sighed. Then he gasped, for the
checks proved to amount to more than eight dollars.
The barman, who was "in" on the.joke, kept him guess–
ing until the other was ready to weep from anguish and
mortification. Then he said in a whisper: "Mr. So-and–
So has arranged to take care of. the checks."
But a halt must be made somewhere. It used to be
said that, except for gentlemen of the cloth, anybody
who was anybody; or wanted to. be thought somebody,
or who wanted to find someone of financial or newspaper
note, could be seen in that room or at its doorway,
[ fo.]