National Republican., 1878-01-25
YEHNY DINNERS.
Scenes About the Lunch Boom-A System Of
"Tfetet-scalping' Discovered-some Of
Those who Patronise the Establishment.

Those who Patroni.e the Establishment.
"Piessur, give me ticketr or, Please, mum,
I'm hungry are the words with which passengers
In the neishborhood ofths.Penny Lunch. Room, on
street, are generally accosted by little ragged ur.
chins, who are either honestly crying and rubbing
dirty knuckes iKtheir eyes, or arc most excellent
mmcs shivering ill.cad forms, dirty littlo faces,
puckercd up to 1.-The last turn of the screw, little
clean streaks down their cheeks where the dirt has
been washed away by real tears else by the moist
ened tips Of fingers, and voices, choked whining
and husky, form the makeup" Of the little beg.
gars and II Is difficult 10 believe that they are not
some Of these little emotional actors have already
slowed away two or three bowls OF smoking soup
The iadic connected with the eaiIng. house have
discovered dire conspiracy among The boys. The
urchins, teeug a rare chance for eculation, have
and then selling them 10 needy penGps at the rate
OF two for cen, or five fUi Sree cents. This
ssSIPd sssSIPding oPeSEaton in wn no SsPiiSSl Is
the hearts Of sofl hearted people, has been carried
on quite successfully. The business Is Of course
Is concerned, but the police are ygilGntly watch
ing the boys, and when they catch them begging
hs ssS syseed CD
siderable indignation among the ladies, whoimme
diately declared
WAR AGAINST THE scALPERs
Ifthe visitor escapes this skrmlsh line Of beggars,
frame OF mind that will enable him TO take an in
terest In the sight around him, be will notice many
for an artist and which, altogether, make a forci.
bic picture of hard times. ant,impudence, and In
fhe poor men who patronize the establishment
realize that their meals paid for, and they come
10 the door with the same Independence as a swell
would sy.gGer into high PRICED seG as much as
gets the idea that the establishment cannot afford
TO lose his patronage, he learns his error when
him take his position at the end OF long line Of
| other ticketholders, curving away from the door
toward Twelfth street In such way as not to block
up the sidewalk.
The Penny Lunch. Room has been located in
vacant store between two secondhand shops. The
stories above form tenement house, whose myste.
res never disclosed except by frowsy heads and
worn faces, which.are occasionally pushed out Of
Window so that I person with an educated imssi,
by his lodging and judge lodging by It's occu.
pant Applying this method, II Is not hard to see
that most OF the rooms have peculiar mixture Of
odors, as IL the same apartment was used for
cooking, dining, and sleeping
some Of The HpSSE as Il the odFSIs had
had long since given up in disgust, Cooking uten-
slls, broken chairs, cracked crockery bits Of oil
cloth and carpet cover the floor, and threadbare
garments. towels, aud well-smoked pictures adorn
/ the walls. Some of the dodgers are overworked
women, To whom these miserable quarters, being
/ home, are q paradise: Others are young women,
with bold, sancy faces and cheap gaudy attire.
! There are also men with their families. who have
!
earn enough to pay for the mean comforts of such
lodging
THE INTERIOR OF THE LUNCH-RooM.
In the mid lie store OH the first floor of this tenc
ment Mrs. Roberts has established her penny lodg
inS:hGusc. 4 little partition In the rear forms the
boundary between the kitchen smd the lunch-rOom.
A counter extends the length Of the lunch.roOm
and the cltables served across this. During the
hour Of business from seven to ten In the morning
and from three to seven in the evening. everybody
is busy about the place.
haZf4n M IN ta1 nj a
time out Of tho long line that never grows shorter
on the sidewalk outside There is strong smell of
soup and kitchen. aud Babel OF voices pitched In
every dcscribahle key. From the little urchins
who hive becu impressed into service as waters to
the big colorcd man In the back room, whose
white aprOncd figure can occasionally be distin-
glishcd through smoke and steam and kitchen
mists, as he bends over big soup-pot like CON
jurer pronouncing incantatiGns over his cauldron
everybody is busy. The waiter.boys disappear In
the cloud that surrounds the conjurer in the
kitchen and hurry ont again, bearing bowls Of
the other articles included In the bill Of fare. The
ladies connected with the management attend to
various duties behind the counter, In the kitchen
and everywhere. such as collecting tickets, reprov
ing disordery boys, tasting new lots of. soup, aud
receiving Nsitors. some OF the applicants come
with pals and baskc:s aud take away what they
get Most Of those who come To eat at the counter
would probably not be Oyer.parlicular as to the
quality Of their food even II what they get not
wholesome, clean, and well cooked as II is. Occa.
sOnally some ragged urchin presumcs to turn up
his nose at the soup but II he goes SO fur as as 70
advised to go somewhere else where he can get
something better for a cent
COSNoIssEUR.
Last evening an old whilehaired man, wearing
| shabby beaver in the hand OfwhCh was fastened
label bearing the words Il am blind" was led
ir;y the door by ltilC boy and stccred to u place
at the counter
How Is your soup lie asked In feeble voice.
Very good. viii you Try somc"' replied the
attendant.
man, exhibiting an unusual degree OF anxiety lor
his digestion.
ri let you ta,tc some" answered the attendant
and one of the dnsky, noisy sy.heclcd tianymcdcs
was dispatched to the kitchen for "a bowl "f coup,
soon he clattercd back and the bowl, with piece
spoon placed In his hands. Taking II spoonful OF
the soup he slipped it of, and then sniUckcd his
lips aS IL lac was trying some rare wine.
DO You like it, asle the attendant.
at will do was the non'cOmmittnl reply Of the
connOisseur: but he nticrwnrd aitestcd his Hpprc'
cisIion oi,he soup, or else his hunger by eating il
some men quite well dressed, come to the lunch,
room occasionally and get meals for their families
r which they carry home.
One man. who appeared u though he had at one
time known what II Is 10 live well. applied last
nigh! with a basket: lie said that he had two
nor pennic. but the ladies filled his basket with
enough To give his family good supper. The
went into the lunch.roOm, ordered and ate bowl
Of soup, and rendered iive'dqlar bill in payment
telling the lady In charge MOTTO mind the change
CONTRIBUTORS.
The merchants, business men, and others In The
city are responding very liberally with donations
+ Besides thosC already noted, tho lunchroom Is in
, debed to the New York bakery and Hayeuner
bakery for supplies of bread, and to Others fol
promises of future supplies; TO BeTesfOrd, the
printer for 1000 tiCkets 10 George Savage. for AZ
ticlcs furnished; To j. e. ErgOOd and y. W
BurchCll, for groceries; 10 Mitchell 4 Martin whC
have promised anything in their line which may
be needed; 10 the market dealers, who are con
santy sending supplies, though not asked Il
SchReier Bros, for crorkery. Donations. o. ont
form oranOther, are being constantly received.
DR.. larrow, L. s. n, and Colonel Palmer, L. 8
A. have contributed much in the way OF persona
cXertiOn.
, Among the recent visitors were DR.. Cook, o
Balm Of Life" fame, and DR.. Dare, both oi whom
sOuped."
The bill Of fare yesterday included mush anj
molasSCs. soup, coffee, hOminy, beans, and hash
with each dish person Is given slice Of bread
To-day, being Friday, thebill will he varied little
and Codfsh and m0ckercl will be included for thO
. benefit Of applicants Of the Catholic faith.