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64
OLD WALDORF-ASTORIA BAR BOOK
tive listeners, sat Private John Allen. On the table was a
bottle of Old Green River whiskey. At Allen's right was a
stout man,
red-f~ced
and with a tremendous mustache of a
hue that matched. The other waved his hand and shouted,
"Come right over, Colonel Brown!" As the newcomer ap-
proached, Private John arose.
,
"Gentlemen," he said, "this is Colonel Brown, of At–
lanta, Georgia. Colonel Brown, suh, I wish you to meet
Majah Soandso. Majah Soandso is the representative, suh,
of that wonderful, that potent, that seductive beverage-
0-1-d Gre-e-n Rivah."
Colonel Brown sat and the bottle was passed around.
Another was ordered and then another. Finally, Private
John suggested: "Let's all go down to the Hoffman
House."
A few minutes later, the party lined up at the long bar
counter of that establishment.
"Gentlemen, will you indicate your preference?" Pri–
vate John's voice invited. Each named his choice in turn.
Finally the white-coated bartender reached the end of
the line.
"And yours, sir?" he said to Private John.
"You may give me, suh," came the answer in a full,
round voice that reverberated through the room, "some
of that great liquah that is considered a boon in every well–
Tegulated ·household-0-1-d Gr-e-en Rivah
!"
The bartender inclined his head to one side. "l beg your
pardon, sir," he said.
''I
didn't quite catch that."
"l said, suh," Private John returned, "some of that
beneficent, luscious, pervasive and persuasive liquah
who~e
eloquence has chahmed a continent-0-1-1-d Gr-r-e-e-en
Rivah!"