The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-28
TRADE N DIVISION STREET.


| ulSmbered even BY the Sigh1-seer 10 Wnofn
/ New York street names and localities are
| unfamiliar and meaningless. Al this par
| ticular point three elevated lines close in
l ard travel together in company. and six
1 streets bend In a triangle-aH streets
/ notexorthy in the matter OF rents ana
/ popuiatiou-and the person. specuiatfveiy
| inclined who stands still In the midst OF
/ the din, and tries to sift the various noses
/ and complexities to their sources, CON-
| pares TIA. place 10 Besiiam or other sense
| uaddening locality.
Division street is so narrow that its OWN
1 elevated road roofs ii over completely.
| from hou~e-iront TO hoase-front. leaving
| not crevice for the sun 10 pancture, anu
making u GOODNESS in summer and trafti-
ness in winter that Is dank and depress-
| ing rather than grateful or inrisosating.
If the oyerroosing that makes the street
| SO perpesualiy cloudy could only he lifted,
| or shifted, for while and the sun ana
air get down 10 those dark doorways what
| q world OF good ii would do thinks the
outsider. sut the people who lounge about
those darksone doorways. Injured To doo8-
Ing about in the shadows and living IN the
racket and uproar. seem well content even
eniiyened, by their surroundings
There's always something going on
down here; so much TO see and take up
your attention. Is ,he ne,Soon,.v st'ai
none would dispute. for every inch OF space
Is appropriated. and noises contend with
each other as TO which snail De ooinanant.
What gives 10 this locality q distinct
and different note from others OF Its KIND
il the succession of millinery stores. that
commence at the Bowery and reach oack
two or three blocks In the overcast ciut-
ter and shabbiness the bedizened hats
and bonnets that are trlcked oat IN the
windows as far as the eye can see look
bizarre to the verge of abSurdity. Each
shop OF this gay miliinerS row mas It's
sidewalk showcase. bright with tawdry
headgear, and by each or these is posted
the woman puier-in, on whose especial
talent for inveigiing depend the fortunes
of the business. 1t is a quaint array or
championship, these bare-headed street
scouts. standing each Tor hsr own traae'
and by her own door, ready to contest,
step for step, tooth and mai. any rival
claims TO a customers favor.
Opposed In purpose. pitted one against
the other, but with the same ends In view.
and keeping a sharp lookout on each other
and on the main chance. these women,
stationed at regular Intervals from eaca
gthsr easen nasg IN th ee most ss UNIQUE lot
OF wage-earners In the city. some are
young, mere girls in age, II not IN expert
ence. Others are stout-Waistei ana Houte-
aged: others wry-faced ana angusar-3
motley crew in most respects. but at one
in the matter of putting the best loot
foremost in regard to dress and personal
appointment The hair OF every pu.ler-in
is puffed out and erimped and set on Win
fancy combs and nairpins. her dress,
though OF poor texture, Is OF fashionao!e
cut and some have called in art 10 neip
out natural charm, bloom that the care
scanned face bellies, and -Eat the society
dame would say was very badly put ON.
mant!ing cheek and lip. and looking adj
dftionaliy crude and staring in the day
lights glare. IL would seem that youth
and attractiyenee would cvuW for mach
in the craft but the fact that women have
served the same shop in rnfs capacity Tor
twelve and fifteen years at time shows
that a certain knack and understanding
of conditions Is potent cound , ,atin.
careiess-thing giri puiler-in Will let sip
from her grasp the old hand AT the bust
ness, by sheer weight of insstenee ana
persuasion. will trap in her net.
just at this winter-opening time Is the
busy season I'm Division street. The mil
liners from up the state. and from across
the state and from all manner of states
i'm ali parts Of the Union, are In New York
to buy. Those who have little village
shops. and those who have even very large
town shops and supply stores Tor Millinery
goods go To Division street Tor stock.
They run the cannonade OF beseecnment
and challenge that they encounter from
the pailers-in quite feiTlessiy; ana disap-
pear within the dark-mouthed shops with
a confidence and an untrouoled front that
seem wonderful to the timid onIooker.
IF one OF those women should once get
me into shop, Ia be certain 10 huy
hat no matter how ayrocious. said
sight-seer the other Gay. after refusing,
for the ninth time, the urgent solicitation
pear me. /, gives one the shvers," her
companion answered They seem so
eager and persistent, and the stores look
so dark. Nicer hats upstairs, indeed!
/ wouldn't go upstairs for anything, but
ia like 70 buy something. just TO help
that woman with the brown eyes. the one
who offered YOU the orange-and-sreen
monstrosity with the big buckles and
sprawIing feathers Did you notice her
eyes They were pretty. SO full OF ex-
precision. Yes. l know she aas painted.
~ tztg EAs
ard IL must he awful 10 have 10 stand out
there al day and coax and wneedIe people
into buying. or else drag them In by main
force"
Want n hat for yourself. lady? Winter
novelties all ready now. No charge to
look l3st come IN and wei. do the flgaf
thing by you. You'd take pig hat spten-
did Just your style. There's rare bar
gains upstairs. the right price TO the right
Customer. only just walk in ana look
So tho din goes on. with persuasive
squeeze of the arm. or a touch on tue
shoulder. and NoTuan's face looking into
yours SO cluss. keen. THAI in sheer Dies
pefation yoa cross the street and stop
under the sign, ''sourS OF all kinds ana
gin faxes To or5ev." and close 10 tie win
dow olsxpned With big JOB in Jackets
tn nigte letters Oh r%t uet0. While You
watch the puiers-tn purs1e their task.
Some are merry. even ecisfsFous, plump.
foinL-facea DANES. Who take things cas-
bly, and Jelly" tae rAsserS-hy into noIic-
Tag them aud their wares. Amt you get
AN ysur alfe a nice bonnet. now they
ask ~ y man way tarer. and when he
shakes III their OBTAINING touch they laugh
and fling Jest after him. Good stock.
CsIeage than yO0 can get Up town. just
The snsug Cor the country trade. Is chant
eli Iu the ears OF every Quito -io@n-sot}S~
fng person @ho chances 20 look their way.
Ama RAeu a lfkela~ioolissg party, with tue
air nl aASJNS order 70 tlil or An eslre
eta eiA 10 bay. tsftra$@ interest ia a shop
front ny essays tn rtsa the sign. SGe nsl.&-
ers-in from the shops Un either side make
Is 4a<a for him. ana rattle 81 Inducements
By gst yayt ssacA after her own fashion,
Au3 eBeh appFopftasiEE an arm. Alsts uEs*>
NsfA Gha nauSt gaS3staace WINS. tAe aiyeF
Eoi8e fnIo h~r domain. perhaps win 4
mental resolve to 5sAoA oRRT t3se otAcs sssT~
N .S5aHFS' zosats later.
The "a f4s..e thla& ~osad te IsnsicToas w@ga
II n0t foF s37e know ledge til~s weighs !isc
q pzzl that these waus@n 10 thls foS ~
fag WORKING rot Snix SIX days a Week.
Ss4s un Ire egVeHfE vel. sf2S. ia Ihe
}ssAy s~ssau. Keeping sp thxtr cs.s 50 -ezs 1ss-
EyfeeEsstsf4 ADs las etz seHseDts HuS8 8f1af
o'caHss = night some GI he snaQsress~
tg= ASH t}G gsaSAz vito as5ssae a ( tie door
wrsxs nos su8 again IS marx hg@ tasngS