The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-22
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

In these days the windows Of the millinery
shops along Fifth avenue are fairly certain TO
contain announcements that the goods inside
are TO be had at greatly reduced prices, and in
some cases u low figure is named with tho
statement that any hat in the shop can be had
for that amount. Even the most casual OBJ
server could not fail to notice u certain SINH
larity among these window displays OF unso.d
headgcar all along the street. The most no.
ticcablc point OF resemblance is tho preponder-
once Of tho greens and puppies In. every win
dow; There is scarcely u shop which does not
display its unsold greens and puppies, and the
demand for these colors must have fallen far
short Of tho point 1t was expected to reach.
There were prophecies last winter that purple
was TO be the dominant tone this summer. and
In tho early spring there were signs that this
revolution of taste or the supply WINS greater
than the demand. The greens are seen nearly
as frequently as the purple. The latter come
in every shade from mtuNr 10 deep purple and
they are awaiting buyers still.
Tho sudden blasts of steam and hot air that
shoot up through the open ~grat!ngs in front Of
the uptown hotels are bad enough at all times
OF the year. but their effect in this weather is
particularly disaErecablc. One OF the places
which uses about six ~gratings in the sidewalk
always selects o o'clock as the evening hour for
getting rid Of a blast OF hot, foul air. which,
pouring up through every ono OF the openings,
makes walking on Broadway for half a block
In front Of the hotel anything but agreeable.
One OF tho hotels further downtown used to
select IL ds tho hour at which to blow hot air
violently through the openings In the sidewalk
with a force that shot the hat of any unlucky
man who happened to step on the grating with
There are n number of theatres near this hotel.
and the crowds usually anne out just in time
10 get the full benefit OF these blasts. Gcner-
ally a crowd gathered TO sec the fun. l. was
owing to a little excess OF run one evening
that the attention OF the police was called to
abated. An old lady late last spring happened
TO step over the grnt'ns. imnsdiatSly tho
air as rapidly as though she were an expert
cnccd serpcntinc dancer. She was so alarmed
at this sudden change in hor dignined appear
iI lodged : by tn the wind Before her escort was able
on 10 tho sidewalk. Hundreds OF women dur
ing the winter had suffered almost as much in.
q New Yorker. and he failed to see just why
such u nuis9nre was tolerated, and ne made a
G eIaippt ar 70 mn'I% arrival Of the W warm m W
and the consequent dlininution OF tho supply
Of steam. tho warm air ceased 10 shoot up
through the Sidewalk. But there are Et!n
several places between Thirty-fourth street
and Furty-socond where hot AIR continues to
spout Ike n geyscr.
London s~hopgirls are beginning to take tho
place OF tho New York article in n number OF
tho smaller stores, ana one of tho interesting
phases OF this new departure Is tive Conscicn-
tious way in which some OF tho nativc.born
girls employed In these places initiate the Cock.
ney accent Of tho importations. These girls
werc seen first IN the shops established here as
branches Of London firms, and, indeed, they pre-
dominate sill in these places, which.arc higher
priced than any others in town. After n while
the local establishments began to initiate these
by hiring English women, and the result Is that
II number of uptown shops give ono the imprcS
sion that hc.s shopping.on New Bond or Regent
street. ,
said u shopkccpcr, who has stuck 10 tho New
York girls, rely on their cUmdcacending man
ners 10 Impress purchasers. with, tho id"t that
they are very fortunate 10 be able TO buy any
thing in n store which employs such extremely
naughty persons TO Dispose o! tho goods. l{u'
OF tho London salcswDu!nn are not likely tC
appcaI very successfully. They arc not so aC
conmodating as the American girls. and they
affect n calm superiority winch Is very eNhSler
pretty likely 10 know Just what she wants anC
prefers that TO any suggestions made by n sales
woman in n tone Of voice That p!alhlS, mean
that the object recommended I. tho ohiy klht
that a woman who know anything, would eve
consent 10 wear. Added TO ms, hlbitual at
titudc of:lhe English shopgirl when. shcs get
TO New York is her Unborn contempt Tor Auleri
cans. and this combination makes her hIi.cXoti'
moi apt to DO much appreciated; As they ar
engaged exclusively in p!a"cs where only lou
or live women are employed. they succeed II
giving thesL shops an htInuSphCrc very dlneren
from that one finds usually in New York. Tn
Amerirmns who happen 10 be hired in thes
shops make 1t u point TO learn the other charaC
~tcristics OF their associates as accurately u
they do their accents
$780,. A., uHua Hin