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FANCY DRINKS
got its Start in this way: There was a country buyer down
from New England somewhere, and a party of dry goods
men were trying to make it pleasant for him. So they took
him into a swell barroom down town,and were going to open
sour wine. Same old story, you know; get him full as a
balloon and then work him for a big order. It turned out
that this countryman was not such a flat as they thought
him. Though he had been swigging barrels of hard cider
and smuggled Canada whiskey for the last twenty years,
he pleaded the temperance business on them; said he never
drank,and he guessed he'd just take a glass of water if they'd
get him one,as he was kinder thirsty walkin'round so much.
Well, that was a set back for the boys. They knew he had
lots of money to spend,and he was one of those unapproach
able ducks that have got to be warmed up before you can
do anything with them.
"'Oh,take something,'they said;' take some milk.'
"' Well,I guess a glass of milk would go sorter good,'
said he.
"Some one suggested kumyss and told him what it was.
As they did not have any kumyss in the place they gave him
some milk and seltzer. That's about the same thing. One of
the boys gave the bartender a wink and he put a dash of
whiskey in it. The old man did not get on to it all.Hethought
it was the seltzer that flavored it. The next round the seltzer
was left out altogether and more whiskey put in. They kept
on giving it to him until he got pretty well set
up.It's a very
insidious and seductive drink. Pretty soon the countryman
got funny and tipped his glass over on the table. As it spread
around he said:
"'Gosh,it looks like white plush, don't it?'
"' So it does,' said the boys.'Give the gentleman an
other yard of white plush, here;'and the name has stuck
to it ever since."
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