The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-30
THE PERIPATETIC FISH TENDER.
Sights That Orc May SEQ OF n Friday Up
and Down the East Side. ri


Not a few OF the many thousand New York;
ers that eat fish on Friday never go to the fish
market. but depend for their supply upon
vendors that go about tho streets. Now. fish
vending in parts OF this town Is literally and
metaphorically an unsavory trade. In which
the rule Of cdrent eDptor Is tacitly accepted
by all parties to the bargain. Tho flshmon-
gers OF the far east-side down town are the
least reputable OF the trade. They handy con-
temptuous enithets with their customers. and
resent the inuuisitive fingers OF old women
who examine the Rills with critica! skepti-
cism. The downtown fshmonger commonly
carries his wares in q push-cart. and gets rid
OF them as rapidly rs possible. since the
value OF the stock i'm pairs with every advano.
ing minute. His customers are largely Hes
brews-small buyers. shrewd bargainers, and
fish eaters. not from religious scruples but
from motives OF economy.
The peripatetc fishmonger Of the east side
above Fourteenth street often travels with
BILE local fish dealer with an established SuRi-
ness. The region contains large Irish popu-
The ishmonCer Is known and trusted. and
from tho m oment his wagon pauses at the curb
o and tonnr aoe b dscsst
garments. grizzled old heads OF families and
children despatched on their GRAND with eau
Tho relations between merchant and pat
rons are entirely amicable. and for the
hand. The progress OF the sale is as different
as possible from similar scene mile fur-
churchgoing folk. to- whom the act Of buying
fish for the FRIDAYS dinner has Is, almost the
an an" old familiar acauaintance. His wagon
nFoelaims IN conspicuous letters the name a5 and
of s then me
into the fathomless sea Of east-side humanity.
:, Tho vender sits facing his merchapdise tn,
boy Tor change at his right hand and in front
chopped up. The body Of the wagon Is iille!
tie At At Sef on eez sn
Nth a knife na Ss' s a iGs asd ns
sac 8, eyes q 'ns Ess11 ant ss
terchange Of comments between himsol and
his customers There is no chaflering. but
eGfst TS enas
o sh his aaa
Here's , h an s yer Fer Shsns
chucking a large. fish from the scales pan to
the boy, "A small sea bassp The two on ,em
weighs three an q quarter: better take EN-
reckon. Right. / cents
heads. tails and fms. and wrapping whole ish
in brown paper for old women who step away
StApdlng near the tail OF the wagon. and as
pafenty not buying anything are three or four
From time to time one OF them puts out q
hand, receives from the boy the head OF biz
fish. drops 1t into her basket, and makes OIL.
80 long as there is fish left In the wagon there
Is a constant crowd Of buyers. Here and there
a customer buys a whole large fish weighing
each takes one or two small fish or four or FIVE
pounds OF a large one. Many buy thin slices
The whole transaction Is carried on without
noise. The vender seldom raises his voice
above q hearty conversational tone. and the
purchasers especially those whose orders are z
small. speak almost in whispers The whole
scene is an interesting revelation OF life
among the decent poor.