1931 Old Waldorf Bar Days by Albert Stevens Crockett

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.]