AN UNPOPULAR INNOVATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1789, 14 March 1888, Page 3

AN UNPOPULAR INNOVATION.

A Sydney hotelkeeper, who wai» losing trade because he had no special attraction m his bar like a picture gallery of rare paintings or a gaudy female server, hit upon a scheme that he thought would draw trade. He had a now counter put m his place, the top of which was plateglaHa. Underneath the counter he had nn aquarium of rare fish that swam about m the water, and wore plainly visible through the plate-glass top. The idea was to serve the drinks on the plate glass, so that while indulging m tho flowing bowl, the customer conld watch the gambols of goldfish, trout, frogs, turtles, etc. The new bar was opened with quite a flourish of trumpets, and the proprietor stood m the door smiling a welcome that was cordial, to cay tha least. Tho first customer to order a drink was an old hand, and as the barmnn placed his lwuor on the plate glass, the man picked it up and was about to drink, when he glanced through the plate-glass top of tho counter and saw a black and red goldfish standing on its tail looking at him He dropped the glass and fled towards the door, running over the proprietor and a visitor who was just coming into the bar The hotelkeeper picked himself out of the sawduat and r*. moved an indiarubber cupßidore from his head, and asked the barman if ho had struck him with a bottle. The barman related tho circumstance of tbe man having rushed out, leaving the liquor, and the pro prietor could not account for it. Several men were by this timo calling for drinks, and the proprietor was becoming happy again, when one a r ter another saw | the reptiles under the plate-glass, each looked at the otber with that frightened look men have when they rea'iso that they've f got 'era again,' and they went out of the hotel leaving their drinks on the bar Tho proprietor, who had got the sawdust brushed off his clothes by this time, felt that there was something wrong, but be was unable to account for it, and the barman couid not help him. A city official was the next customer and he ordered wlrsky. Whon he had poured out tho drink and wns about to pJnce it to hia lips, he looked through the plate-glass bar and Faw a turtle, as plain as ever he saw anything m his life, twim right up to the bottom of his glass of whisky. He turned pale and staitcd for tho door, but the proprietor managed to slop him and aßked for an ox plans; tion. The official knocked the proprietor down with his fißt, and jumping through a pinto glass window, 6Fojped to tho Btreet, nnd tore awny bleeding and thouting 'murder.' The police went into the hotel and arrested the proprietor (who was bleeding at tho nose) on a charge of disorderly conduct, and the hotel was closed. The proprietor paid his fine,and^disoovored that h'snew Echetne had made every customer believe he had the delirium tremens, so ho took an axe nncl smashed up his plateglaßs bar and aquarium, put m sonva beer tables, and has become rich.