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HISTORICAL
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hall had been converted into a bus station, and there one
bought tickets for Montclair, the Oranges, and other points
in New Jersey, or else for New Haven and other way sta–
tions to Boston.
Some of the decorations of the temple remained. For
example, two great Egyptian-like bronze figures still stood
one on either side of the private entrance to the Jade Room,
which did not look like a door at all until you found the
handle-not easy for one who had lingered over his liquor.
Then there was still one picture, "The Ballet Dancer,"
which in that long-past age referred to probably inspired
more toasts than any
ot~er
single painting in the world;
which turned more men i11 the direction of art-connoisseur–
ing than any other example of high art known, and whose
legs and lingerie caused far more comment and centered
more scrutiny than all the cigarette pictures of stage fa–
vorites in tights that used to help sell "coffin nails,'' as
they were termed, during the days when "The Ballet
Dancer's" reign was being established. On the opposite
wall hung a big copy of Paolo Veronese's "Wedding at
Cana, in Galilee,'' for contemplation by those whom liquor
put or left in an attitude proper for the contemplation of re–
ligious subjects. High above, the paneling still hung some
of the elks' heads with which the late George C. Boldt,
long the old hotel's proprietor, had adorned the place.
But when that laboratory of Bacchic
end~avor
was in its
heyday, pilgrims came from far and wide-from all cor–
ners of the globe. They flocked about the rectangular Bar
counter and drank deeply of what was good stuff, if not
wisdom. As soon as the first bartender appeared in the
morning, before even arranging the multitude of glasses
of various sizes and shapes on the high stand that took up