The Delta independent., 1893-09-27
WAYS OF A BIG TOWN.
Four Phases of Life in the Eastern
Metropolis
\ Queer Old Man Who Deals in Emblosns
of Luck-Mcals OF Trust-New York
"Gawpers"-Playing on Hu-
man Nature.

I was aboard of big sailing vessel
in this port of New York the other day,
and in rambling about for an hour how
many horscshoes do you think I found
nailed up to give Jack Tar good luck?
The number was eight, and three of
these were nbaft the mast. have
boarded square-riggcrs, barlss, brigs,
schooncrs, smaclss, scows, tugs,
canal boats, liners, coasters, drsdgers
and every other sort of craft
moved hy sail or steam, and always
find the horseshoe in sight. Sometimes
there is but one, but the average is
three. don't believe yol could get n
craft out of this harbor without She had
at least one horseshoe nailed up
in plain view of the crew. A
new shoe won't do-oh, nc! There may
be luck in new silver dollar but
there is none in IL new horseshoe. 1t
must be Il shoe which has seen service
tho more the better. If there are
three or four nails and 4 bit of hoof at
tachcd to it the price is way up. Down
in Pearl street the other day found
the queer old shop of the queer old man
who has dealt in horseshoe luck for the
last quarter of century. The news
boy who finds horseshoe on the street
makes Il bce-line for this old Junk shop
to sell it for Il nickel. When q craft is
fitted out her owner sends to the same
place for the necessary charms. The
superstition is not confined to sailors
alone, but truclimcn, cXpressmen. rail-
road men, lawyers, brokers, doctors and
others believe in the luck of the horse
shoe over the door. There is hardly
saloon in New York in which you can
not find the emblem, and even the Ital-
ian push-cart pcddlers want all the
luck there Is in it. "Unclc John" told
me that he had n sale of five thousand
old horseshoes every year, ranging in
price from ten cents to sevcnty-fvc
cents, and he certainly had three thou
sand in stock the day called. He is
the only man in New York who makes
Il specially of this superstition, and has
been in business so long that n relic
from his shop is supposed to possess
more power than any other. Queer
thing, isn't it, and yet we are all built
that way, after all. We laugh Mt tho
idea of ghosts and hug the dclusiou of
the horseshoe. We send the fortune
teller up for sixty days for reading the
Gurus oT CoHSuiliHS sClc hldTs. ilt l'icu
feel friendly toward the barber who uses
his new razor for the first time on our
chin.
Here's my meal check, but have no
money to-day"
every well, sir-some other day will
do"
You will hear these words repeated
thirty times day in certain down
town eating house here, and they mean
that Il total stranger has had hearty
meal, can't pay for the same, and the
proprietor is willing to accept his prom
iscs to settle the bill some future time.
l doubt if you can find n similar insti-
tuition in the world. In all other places
the man would be looked upon as n
dead-beat and either kicked out or
turned over to the police. Here he is
treated as Il gentleman ar:l put on his
honor. When friend told me about
the place went in, ate fifty cents
worth of wcli-coolsed food. took my
check to the cashier and said:
"I'm dead broke to-day" ..~>a
"What name, please3"
John Smith"
Very well; come in any time: glad
to see you. Good day."
lie recorded name, date and amount,
and 1 departed, Three days later ]
called to pay. He did not look ut all
surprised as he hunted out the slip and
made.chungc. Indeed, it was just what
he expected, for ten years experience
has taught him that nincty-fvc per
cent. OF 'dead. broles" return and
square up. If all the vagabonds OF
New York could get credit at an eat
iny-house business would 20 to the wall
in a fortnight, but that class are not
admitted. There 10 n man ut, the door
who ''spots" them and warns them of
when they appear. A decentrloolsing
man will pass muster every time, how
ever, and, though now and then one
fails to square up, the loss is mere
trific. The proprietor Of the place told
me he had more trouble with dishonest
Walters in his employ than with the
thousands who feed ut his place every
year. He loses o dollar through
waiter for every dime lost by trusting
an entire stranger.
''What't, tho Esnttcr2"