The sun., 1896-07-22
1IVE roPIcs ABour ToVN.


seers In this city and one that boasted not only
Of Its service as barroom, but OF the fact that
1t was used more frequently than any other
barroom In the country to illustrate temper
ance sermons on the "gilded dens of the liquor
TRAFFIC." As matter OF Fact, there was very lit
tie gliding about the Hoffman House caf6, and its
mahogany finish gave 1t n rather sombre aspect
that we'll beftted its incidental use as the shel.
ter for several notable pictures. During tho
fifteen years Of its existence IL was popular
resort for sportingf men. politicians, and. on
the occasions Of intercollegiate games of foot
ball aud field events, OF college men. II was
seldom scene of disorder, even In the hottest
days Of the hottest campaigns, when the room
was crowded with excited men who would rec
oEnizo only one argument, and that was
money. Many hesvy bets have been laid
around its tables. and the unassuming looking
TO keep order was usually the stake holder. On
election niRhts the cafe was always crowded:
national reputation. The paintings by Bou.
guereau. CorreGgio, and Falero which were
hung around Its walls were carefully guarded
and we'll lighted. They were well worth see
ing, despite he complaint of the prohibition
orators that they represented nude. women,
ly piloted through this celebrated cafe to see
them II wq. generally Gndsrstood o that lat, no no
should SS. visit o M II i
this &C cafe I outside S Of New York vas undoubted-
ways interesting to lis freouentcrs to watch
the Impression that they made on rural Wis;
not dare to be seen entering. a barro99m,
would. approach fho big painting OF Tho
Mymphs and the sstyr in sat hrsIta,ns
and after their curiosity had been eatishcd they
would hurry out of the place. 1t is said that
will not sell them, and that he intends to set
aside room for them in some other part OF
iaif a dozen other cafes that in costly appoint
ments have rivalled II not SURPASSED the Hon-
man House .cafs, but their regulations were We're
BILE paintings hung In bArrooms ana cares IN
New York now. and not long ago nm erratio to
San Francisco artist with good renutat,SSn Ia ION
abroad stated that conscientious study OF the
best works Of art in New YORK always gave
In a letter TO THE sun signed "A Customer"
several days ago, the writer, presumably
man, critcises the sales men and women In our
big stores because they are glum and serious
oil the time and never have a pleasant word
for a customer or any sort OF appreciation FOR
his efforts when he tries to make the world
little brighter for them. Another writer on
the same subject. aud this time it is a woman.
tells THE Sun that her complaint is not that
the clerks are Elum, but that they are too
much enErossed with bicyclo talk 10 give
THE saleswoman who waited on me ycster-
tion & witS e the Sri % Who st Stood beside her. Hal
she ridden to Coney Island on SUNDAY? No. nor
We'll that her loss ss
tonight! toni Yess Wei. they would, meet, at
lo4th street: And then, followed discussion
that had TO wait for an opportunity TO get In
my requests. I: seems to me as 4 every sales
woman in New York must be riding wheel,
and OF course it is natural that they should
talk about It, but not to the Inconvenience Of
the customers"
The frcoueuters of the all-nght restaurants
during the summer months include large
number OF men whose business keeps them in
town while their families are in the country or
at the seashore, and the zest with which they
enter into the delights OF late suppers and ir-
regular hours gives these places an impetus that
carries them bravely through what would other
wise be dull season. During the winter
months when the theatres are all open, the all
night restaurants do rushing business for
tho regulars" that is. the people who from
force of hsbIt -hpura of EN- ployment in
variably wind I'D tie day and start tho next
one over late supper. Their faces become
known to the walters in these places and they
give their orders without looking at the card
ance M tHi is 's'Gn OF VI SerT different Men
find it Tort ably warm to sleep; drop in"
10 get a glass OF beer and q sandwich. and then
stay 70 see something OF the ife fopat them:
to be found in these restaurants at all hours
OF the night, but the proprietors see TO II, as
disorderiy characters. The police have made
them cautious and at least one proprietor Of
no women shall be admitted during the even
ing unless accompanied by an escort. Very
much the same class OF womeH are 70 oe
the difference in the attendance Is in the men,
The latter make up for enforced regular hours
during the rest OF the year by month or t"o
OF late suppers and Rll-night restaurants.
There was q time when the interior OF the
Fifth avenue stages was supposed to be de-
voted entirely to the little girls with dress
makers boxes who climbed in with their lug
gage and fairly occupied one side Of the We
hicle to the damage OF the knees and sh!ns of
the passengers sitting opposite Those wooden
boxes are from four to five feet long, and two
OF them comfortably fll a stage. The untOr-
tunates who carry them are generally mere
slips of girls from to II years old. and infig-
nation that passengers might feel Is los. in
their pity at the struggles Of the young girls
who are sent out TO deliver a package which 1t
would take full grown man TO manage. The
horse and cable cars usually refuse to receive
these girls. and they have had to take refuge In
the stages, banging their boxes against 1assen- |
gers legs and finally planting them on tho floor.
u
MEDIATE three four people. But tho dress
makers are not busy now and the traffic T. |
light in the stages, aud curious class OF pas |
senpers has succe-dsd 10 the little girls with |
the big boxes. The beggars who do the up !
town streets haze taken to riding to and from |
their places oI business In the stages and |
every night there is a certain number to be
met riding down town.
The old Frenchman with the crippled hand |
who has done he upper east side streets, be- |
ween Fifth ana Park avenues. for tie last |
ten wears or more, rides down to his nome in |
the neighborhood OF South Fifth avenue and |
Bieecker street every night with the most bust |
nesslike regularity. He has always been known
IA 'Pauyre paraleeser." for with these words. |
out his crippled hand, he commences
every speech. Another regular passenger on
the stages now is The blind, bcggar usually to
be seen In the noighborhOod Of the Cathedral.
He lives up town. however, aud takes the
stage at about o'clock at the corner 0f Fifth |
avenue and Fiftieth street. There are Others
Who ride as regularly, but none OF thcm Is quite
so objectionable 10 his fellow passengers as
this blind man who is nlthy and nblc to send |
Inc other occupants ~ the vehicle scattering |
Id every direction Whenever he enters Pan
vre M rn lreser'' takes his seat usually In cor
nor of tile stage, and rides down the street with
m expreasou OF cheerful optimism on his face.
lie stares ~ the diners in the restaurants and
Ihc clubs with ns much satisfaction rs though |
-, l.,Fp n,.Ny