San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-03
SIGNS ONTHE BOWERY
WHAT ONE MAY SEE ON NEW Works.
FAMOUS THOROUGHFARE.

To those students OF human natdre
who are quick to see the weak side Of
every character save their own, trip
up the Bowery and Park row is always
fruitful of good results. There are so
many sights. sounds and scenes novel
and interesting in the stirring comedy
drama, Struggle for Bread" that the
student cannot help feeling amused and
interested. Then, too, the fact that
nearly every one he meets is poorer than
himself imparts the Zest of complacency
to his pilgrimage, and he steps among
the hungry and wretched and the happy
and careless, keeps his hand on his pock-
etbook and his eyes on the shifting piano.
rama of life and makes notes. :.
The signs are the first things that take
the W 'ndcrer's eye,
: He notes "a Regular Dinner for thir-
teen Cents" and Two Genuine Import
ed Havanas for Five Cents" with inter-
est. He feels that his barber charges
him too much when he sees that he can
receive tOnSOrial attention here for five
cents, with the added luxury of bay rum
for ten cents, and that a clean towel is
guaranteed with every shave.
A large and gaudy cartoon extOlling
the merits of the Flor de Maggie Cline
Cigar" attracts his attention. A small
footnote says that it is changed every
dav, and that while the merits of the
cigar will be dwelt lovingly upon, yet
the cartoons will also deal with timely
topics.
A clothing store near by has a big
black signboard stating that this is the
Headquarters of the Society for En-
couraging the Wearing of Clean Shirts
whereof the proprietor is president. He
cannot but feel that the society is at
once beneficial, salutary and situated in
its proper field, Park row.
The notice over a dingy doorway that
black eyes will be made to look natural
for ten cents" causes him some vague
apprehension, as it is a silent witness
that he is in the land of tisticuffs and as
sault and battery.
But contemplation of the chalk writ
ten words that "a DelmOnicO lunch goes
with every glass of beer gives rise to
more kindly feelings, and he soon for
gets his fears.
A red nosed man rapping with rat
tan at a large and startling representa-
ION of The Wonderful Monstrosity,
Jumbeto, the Elephant Boy, Half Ele-
phant, Half Human. Now to Be Seen
Alive Inside holds him awhile. But
he feels sure it is fake and drifts on
10 the Auction Sale"
A sharp eyed person in his shirt
sleeves is extolling the merits of solid
gold. full jeweled, stem winding, Amer
lean movement watch. Cased, chased,
turned and beveled, going at the ridicu-
lousy low price of four dollars. Cap
pers are urging victims to buy, pullers
in are bawling the auction to all who
pass and the hurdy gurdy behind the
dime museum screen tries vainly to
drown their cries by its jerky render
ing of Comrades, comrades, ever since
we were boys while the man at the
door still raps the counterfeit visage OF
the elephant boy and cries that the ad
mission is but dime.
The crowd thickens; evening comes on
The ''Oysters and clans one cent MAJ
lights his torch, Cinnamon, bloused anC
pigtaled, heading for Chinatown; Ital
ians with pushcarts turning toward the
bend, Greeks bound for James street
negroes for South Fifth avenue, Ger
mans for Avenue A. Hebrews for Ell
bridge street. all hOmeward bound, worl
worn and weary, hurry past. Beef
steak Johns" is crowded. The fifteel
cent lodging houses have each thei
score of lOungers at their dingy portals
1t is night. Now the shooting gal
leres light up and the ping" ping!
of the 22-caliber bullets ring dow
against the sheet iron targets. Men lurl
in alleyways and stink out to deman,
aims. A crowd of roisterers come dow
arm in arm. They are college boys
down on the Bowery for fun.
A one eyed man has song sheets 70
sale. He cries his wares and sell
several copies to the youths.
The variety theaters open their door
and the BOwery amusement seeke
surges in to see the Irish-American Fou
and McGiffin and McGufin, the kin
pins of song and dance.
The German and Hebrew theaters al
open, too, and have their crowds ais
The Elite Lady orchestra has tuned u
in the concert halls. and the Bowery
at its best.
The bell at the family resort is clan
ing for the first performance, and Il
ticket seller opens his little window al
gets his change ready.
The clothing store "barkers" redoub
sheir efforts to catch trade by manu-
. force, and the Bowery roars with SCUM
of life and trade. Saloons are doing