New-York tribune., 1869-01-04
NEV- YORK LIFE.
BROADWAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTER
NOON.


BROADWAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTER
NOON.
If you are a stranger i'm New Y YOrk, and have
an hour TO spare, you will find much TO and amuse
you II you take your stand at the OF Canast
and broadway about o'clock In the afternoon. You
w no doubt at first fancy that half OF the upper part
OF the city must he fire. that thero is great at
traction In the neighborhOOd OF Unonsquare or that
some terrible accident calamity has taken place some
where "up town." You will thousands upon thou
sands Of persons pushing pressing huryng all stream
ing In one direction along that great horoughfarc MGR
chant banker, lawyer tho smart clerk the threadbare
clerk who has look OF extreme responsibility, and
certain something about him that tells you he has a
wife and nine children TO provide for; young la
dies from the telegraph office and the sales
room, the plodder, the speeulator, the fortunate
ring" man, the who is always on the lookout
for something to up glide rapidly before you each
apparently having but object I'm view-o pass the
person Immediately in front OF him. Little Danns
ters, d0dgng boiling, and duckng through the crowd as
they noy ply their busy trade in the evening papers,
hastarved niseraby little girls shivernsy ask
whnnsy mpore yon to rS G. an yory ooek
for five cents "a pooketcomb,""a pair Of Braces
condsy TS y0T yoa to S invest ~ ' sod p
and holder for 90 cents, genementhree for half dot
lar" perfect genius In Initiating rdwhstlng puppy
whining, pgsqueang and horse-nelghing politely offers
To teach the trick He Is certainly clever. but de-
with one another Now, gentlcmen, we will give you
tainiy," and YOU srf thank you. Sir" stand back
boys" "Now, gentlemen, tell you honestly, these little
Quarter So Of cent T'" APIECE "AS that's '' right
Sir and. he turns with patronizng smile
self purple In the face and IN producing small squeak
from his encent purchase: but you see. gentlemen
charge You cents for this interesting little
three for quarter OF dollar. gentlemen" Boys lead
II men 1VOnr cha
drivers Of stages cOoly try to run you; hackmen
must have come ont without your brains But you will
get used to 1t In time LOOK az those TWO got
that intelligent barber who straps his razor In the base
ment OF the Brandreth Honse, and who 80 g, glDly
his customers They not for the crowds tney Know
the crowd is regarding them as they saunter along arm
IN arm, but they make point OF never looking AT the
crowd; aud as 10 buying anything the action Of putting
the hand in the pocket would dlsarrange that toH en-
on Broadway, which they have been Mt such end
less pains to achieve Bnt stay Just & s51dy hn e dSno
their egotisn. they really ne specimens OF human
ity Poor venus why wasn't she born In tue nineteenth
The baris tell bow. where Hema. cOsl'
IT,. hs ,.ss, ss.,s .D T, Yen. h,soH,S s sS gSs' .sn fool.
To follow Orphens' ssrebides
Bot could Miss Nature have foreseea
By Japieri Shea nesr have beea
Halt % compliant % Orpheus lays
But see, here comes OF a Different stamp; lie s
one OF the upper merchant aristocracy, and
carries the cares and anxetes Of million or two dollars
on his shoulders As he hurredly wcnds his way from
the absorbing occupation Of the counting house TO the
retirement Of his mansion Fiftiaye.. does he give
thought TO the crowd. tho noisy little beggars and
newsboys who place themselves one after another di-
rectly In his path mpOruning him 10 buy something or
everythngl think not. Mid the din aud noise OF the
passing vehicles he scarcely hears them he certainly
does not thein be simply passes round them and
walks Wearied with that daily routine OF mercantile
life. so unyarylng so mohotononS MS MENTAL iaenes
having vainly endeavored 70 take one GOnpiehensIe
retrospect OF the events Of the day, quickly aud uncon
scousy give mp effort As he pushes bis way along
he hnds that this macs OF human beings are all moving
In his direction, and this going with the stream ths
brain, 80 quIescont In It's operation as almost to
amount ~ inyolltion. He needs the reeupera-
cheerful apartments the comfortable dinner the inTgo
rating glass Of wine with oil their consequent repose OF
lead which every should take, in the social inter
course OF his family Rested refreshed and endued
he legitimate aud not merely speculative that he a.
store down town, and Is ready iof Tue opera ths
THIS happy impersonaon Of respeciablity and green
pardon gold interest bearing bonds ~
follow cd by young ladies, aryed IN the latest fashion
Of the grOtosque, curious conglomerauon or ehgnon
unconseons Of those two ragged young mischiefs nme
dately behind, who are taking ihein on IN childish
what's tho matter with you Why This sntehlng Of the
what f. 80 OH see. Dont be alarmed This weird,
gaunt-0okIng figure. which solcmuy approaches is
/ the ghost ~ the late eminent DR. Hahgrado On
dear. mol THIS Is much more important Peisohhgi
This Sir Is " Dr. MoBridew All had poor sangfado
thought OF sufcfHg hs Bpscopal Dllis' tue
{" Great Mcbride" ho would not have been so ignO-
miuiousy dismissed by the Bishop But why this sudden,
almost hushed pause IN that hurryhg' scurrying
thrsng mddoagod gentlemen pretend not 10 look but
uryerhcicsh do look younger men, more careless OF h
pearauces boldly round aud sihrei lades or thue
mont sterny look In the shop wndows there il rustic
of heavy six ~ gHpirc nutiers in the wud, ana
the wrctrhcd Pariah of society passes hurrcuy on
naneless and friendless. Amid these changing
scenes Of nfe" you begin 10 speculate and gradually
sluk into Tee, re from which yOu abruptly aroused
by being accOsed by gentlcmhuiy looking focigner'
with an anxious expression on his face. Idrtmc
Hdlinno SigH0rf" No. "hprcchcn sic Dcuichf' No.
IrGueais gf No. "Arha sen you ere luglishe, you
samedi passG from Europe, ave been ynt you can ROD
de tout argent et de mc- bagages at bOrdnc 0se
Ncr ave lugc will you ave 80 EoOdncSsc 10 ino dOhrr
,laue rhotr" You yourself stranger ~ strange
land your kindly sympathies are aroused your hanh COS,
INTO your pocket ana you are by two dollars poorer
man But have been grossly swlndlcdi never mhu,
ynur lesson has been cheap one. And now some
r,. intoxicated target company, Win bhuu Pa4ing,
,olnrs nyiug and rifles hanging very much behind
over the shoulder. appears on tho scene
etnrpipg passenger. omubres hack carriages. carts
and baggage wagons and creating perfect BAOcl ol
roufusion In the medley of oaihs ana sluntlg when
fninws one man atone preserves bis Chlmnchs ot ur'
nr.uot. 'ts that geucmanly officer who. stan ~ hah
fnk mo ladies' atns and politely assists ten ~ Isld
,ug their way through the labarynth OF vehicles You
watch his lmpertuTbiy with feelings ot envy hhu auh
rio. and thinking that you have seen enough lof one
d,y thnt you have had enough Of the nose the d ue
duet aud the bitter eOld northoasiery Nll you VS."
dftnne 10 follow the example or the rest o the world
and 20 home 10 your hoic Ia dihntr. l0u 90 SO hud
s you sit over Your quiet, solitary dinner on te Ehio
prau plan accent the q. you please (htouRh M to
Loels IN Europ. have table dhoel, you think 10 your
scIf " Well. his young America IS certainly goahead
nation" Aud you are right.
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