Page:The Female-Impersonators 1922 book scan.djvu/200

172 a saloon, and I never had tasted any intoxicant. In my diffidence and ignorance of the proper course to pursue, I subsided into the first vacant fauteuil. For, on one side, against the wall, were rude, wooden fauteuils, almost all occupied by middle-aged cherry-nosed individuals. Extending the full length of the other side was a bar crowded with fast-looking younger men, each with a glass before him. Doubtless because of my verdancy, several commenced eyeing me, making remarks, and laughing. The nearest bar-tender immediately inquired: "Doll-baby, what'll yer have ter drink?"

"Nothing."

"Jackass! Every bloke dat comes inter dis here joint has ter take somethink!"

"Then give me a glass of beer," I replied hardly above a whisper. In my embarrassment, I imbibed the beverage almost at a swallow. That gave all the witnesses hysterics. They assured me: "We only sip it!" They addressed me as "Siss!" "Pet!"

"Fairie!" I did not immediately perceive the significance of the last appellation. I was encircled. Particularly two sailors ingratiated themselves. They requested me to purchase "schnapps" for them because impecunious. I provided glass after glass, for they were bewitchingly gallant. All the other individuals were kidding me: "The doll-baby likes the blue-jackets, sure Mike!" "Sailor-boy, take off your suit and make it a present to her!" "How I wish I was one of Uncle Sam's boys and I'd git steeped in schnapps too!" I was mortified by such observations, and as soon as the sailor-boys invited me, departed under their escort.

I hired a chamber at a third-class hotel nearby.