Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-05-09
WASHINGTON SQUARE.
A Curious Part OF the Metropolis
Graphically Described.

Graphically Described.
One bright day not long ago strolled
from Broadway down Waverly place
into Washington square. y solitary
policeman kept watch and ward. Hun
dreds of children were playing on the
grass plots, while nearly the same num-
Der were being perambulated round the
grass walks by nursemaids OF all races
and every variety of color and form.
The fountain had ceased TO play, but
crowds of small boys failed to profit by
the example, and, with shouts OF tri-
umph or disgust, competed for laurels
In the arduous struggles Of ''ieap frog"
one Of the crowds attracted my special
attention. The boy who was giving
his backn was not an ordinary youth
lie wore cap with a badge, blue
coat with brass buttons, and an accent
uated stripe upon abbreviated pants
Ia fact he was messenger boy.
Doubtless he carried telegram IN his
pocket, and, at the very moment his
exulting friends were using him rs a
vaultiug pole, in f;ncy'S ear / heard
the slender of the message mutter To
himself. ''I'm glad | gave that boy a
quarter and got his promise not to look
at a shop window OF stop for moment
ON the way - l was Interested in this
boys destiny, and was pleased TO find
that when he ceased to be yaulting
pole his higher nature-the messenger
portiou-gOt the better of him, and
with a wild war whoOp he went about
his business.
On the numerous benches, scattered
around the silent fountain, and among
the grateful shade Of many trees, were
children of a larger growth. They did
not form pleasant looking groups. For
the most part the men seemed TO be
loafers or something worse, and the
wOmeu-who in every class Of life man
age 10 appear more respectable than
men of the same class-were untidy. L
got down for a moment next to a big
Colored man who was reading a sensa-
tioual paper. On his right decent
Young man read German paper. On
my left a Freuchman smoked a cigar
cite. and at few removes a country
man Of Victor Emmanuel was thumb
ing an Italian sheet. 1t was polyglOt
crowd, but, however different the Ian
guagcs, all were united by common
bonds Of idIeness and her twin brother,
poverty.
/ spoke 10 the negro and the French
man AMI could get nothing but n grunt
from each. The Italian and the Ger
man did not seem communicative, so
rose and shook myself and went TO a
quiet corner where l had long bench
all TO myself
Washington square is an interesting
spot. | met the other day a gentle
man who has not yet reached the psal-
mist's limit of life, and lie remembered
when the square was the pOtter's field
of its district. ''If you dig four feet
beneath the surface at any part OF the
square, - he said, ''yOu will come upon
human remains" =" When built up the
square remained for some years one of
the most aristOcratic neighborhOOds in
the city. Henry James celebrates il in
"A novel, and we all know that this
authors strong point is his knowledge
Of high life, ",jukes'' and belted knights,
and all that. But fashion moved in
other directions and left the old square
desolate, with, literally, only one-tOurth
of its former reSpectability.
As | was about to leave my cOmfOr-
table seclusion an old lame man, with
gold trimmed spectacleS, tall silk hat
and coat of brUadcloth, sat down be-
side me. After a time We exchanged
papers and commented on the cable
news. Gradually the Old man was
brought upon 10 speak about the square
do you see that blockr' he said, |
pointing to the handsome red brick |
buildings on the north side. well, |
that is one of the tOniest row of houses
in the city. The churU .,ud university !
make the east eide p,tSsaUiy respectable. /
The west side is a whited sepulcher,
and tho south side is worse. Do you
sce that Illuminated gin mIllt That
belongs to q politician and is one of the
most disueputable places IN this vast
city. That Italian saloon is isfrequented
by poor but not vicious people. In that
particular house, - here he pointed
with his stick-''I believe firmly that
rObberies and assaults are arranged al
most every day in the year. Do the
police know about thisg l should
smile. You Just come here regularly
every afternoon for one week Mark
the same people sitting round every
day, mostly ON these benches. Watch
their movements after dark, If you are
not afraid and carry a pistol in your
pocket. Come round again ut , O'Clock
In the morning, and II you don't see
something tit To make the angels weep,
then / am not an American citizen
Yes, my friend, this square is a sadly
demoraliZed place, a haunt for black
legs and criminals, and il is n pity, be-
cause, rs YOU can see for yourself, the
gr:lSs and trees are beautiful