Rum and Gum

Cocktail Boothby's American Bar-Tender by Wm. T. Boothby (1891, p.46)

1. Pour the gum syrup into a small bar glass and place a toddy spoon in the glass.
2. Hand the customer a bottle of Jamaica rum so he can help himself and serve ice water on the side.

This keeps another customer-finished spirit-and-syrup service visible inside the bar manual record.

The spoon and self-pour setup are part of the intended service structure.

Modern American Drinks by George J. Kappeler (1895, p.100) — George J. Kappeler 1895

1. Place before the customer a whiskey glass containing the gum syrup and a small bar spoon.
2. Hand out the desired kind of rum and allow the customer to help himself.

Nose

The aroma depends on the rum chosen, but the service is defined by its simplicity rather than ornament.

Palate

This is important as service evidence: the drink is only half-mixed by the bartender, preserving a transactional plain-service grammar that later books often omit.

Finish

The finish depends on the chosen rum and the small amount of syrup used.

Summary

A plain-service rum preparation where the act of self-pouring is part of the drink's identity.

Bartenders' Guide: How to Mix Drinks by Wehman Bros. (1912, p.60)

1. Combine the gum syrup, ice, and Jamaica rum, stir well, and serve; or prepare the glass with syrup and ice, leave in a spoon, and set the bottle before the customer to help himself.

Ice: Ice